Some passages of Scripture just hit home. If you have ever been in a church during a season without a local pastor you have felt this passage:
Matthew 9:35-38; “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Here’s the good news. Jesus has a plan. Jesus loves His church. Jesus is raising up leaders. Now, it’s the church’s job to equip the called! CrossPoint has a heart to do just that. We love casting vision of what could be to the ones who don’t see themselves as the “called”. As we search for shepherds to lead across the state of Kansas here are some things CrossPoint does to equip the called.
Pastors Cohort: About a decade ago we started a Pastor’s Class that trains potential pastors in the basics of pastoral ministry. Over 12 months, we invite men from across the state who want to explore pastoral ministry into a cohort that meets monthly. Some of the topics we train on include sermon prep, leading a team, officiating weddings & funerals, administering the Lord’s Supper, planning worship services, and more! These no pressure environments give prospective pastors a chance to ask questions and get hands-on experience as a shepherd. Currently, CrossPoint in Salina, Hays, Sterling, Lindsborg, and Concordia have cohorts meeting.
Pastor Training: For our existing Location Pastors (LPs) we have a plethora of continuing education opportunities. Every 7th week our LPs preach live during weekend worship. Prior to preaching our LPs collaborate on the sermon outline and share ideas. After each preaching opportunity we offer sermon evaluation and feedback. This helps pastors fine tune their preaching skills! More than that, Location Pastors each have a pastoral “coach” for pastoral mentorship, weekly meetings to pray for one another, conferences throughout the year, and other hands-on training opportunities that we provide as needed.
Pastor Longevity: One reason Jesus said the “laborers are few” is because it is hard and exhausting work! The statistics are daunting when it comes to burnout and the amount of shepherds that leave the ministry (for various reasons) each year. We want to change that. Our heart is to serve our pastors and all full-time staff so they can serve others. One way we do this is through Sabbaticals. Of course, we encourage and make room for weekly sabbaths, but we take it a step further. Every 7th week we give our full-time staff the weekend off. That’s right. No responsibilities. No hidden agenda. Just rest. We want our pastors and their families to worship the Lord as followers before they worship Him as leaders. We want our leaders to lead well at home so they can lead well in the church. Sabbaticals are a vital part of pastoral longevity and it keeps our leaders fresh and abiding in Jesus.
Currently, we have pastoral opportunities at CrossPoint Pittsburg and Iola. We also have planting opportunities in Minneapolis and all over Kansas! Is God calling you to the harvest? Don’t underestimate what the Lord will do through one willing heart. We are here to support, equip, and love you as you pursue a life of ministry!