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The Pastor/Leadership Development Department has the assignment of skill and leadership development for pastors, church staff, deacons, church officers, ministry assistants, church leadership teams, church committeess, youth/adults in vocational guidance, and college students committed to church-related vocations. The department also has church facilities and furnishings consultant responsibilities and is coordinator of the Southern Baptist Convention Seminary Extension work for the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. We have sought to equip and resource our target audience so that church leaders can fulfill the Great Commission. Our department’s goal is “to strengthen leaders so they can strengthen the church.”
We seek to assist our audience in both local church and associational work to improve themselves and provide servant leadership so that New Testament church health and growth will occur. A major part of our work has been the equipping of church and associational leaders through conferences, retreats, workshops, and counsel with individual leaders. These events can be statewide and/or regional meetings initiated by our department as well as requests from local church and associational leaders.
Department staff includes Alan Woodward, who began serving as director on December 1, 2005, and Keith Gordon, who began as consultant on May 1, 1999. Kay McDonnell, ministry assistant since July 1, 1998, coordinates the department’s ministry assistant (secretary) events, and resources. Dale Holloway, who serves as a bivocational/small church specialist, began serving in January 2005.
We equip and provide resources for associations in the area of pastoral ministries. We provide training so associational key leaders and leadership teams can help discover priority needs. We also provide resources to meet those needs. Last year we trained two associational leadership teams and helped several pastoral ministries directors.
Deacon work continues to be a highlight of our department. Most requests for deacon training come in the areas of spiritual growth, caring skills, church growth, and partnership in ministry with the pastor and staff. Throughout the year, we coordinate training opportunities and requests for resources to many of our associations and hundreds of local churches. Approximately 1,500 persons are involved in deacon ministry training each year.
Every church expects its pastor and staff to be effective leaders. Ministers need training, counsel, and resources in developing their leadership style and skills. This major aspect of pastoral ministry greatly influences a church’s growth, ministry effectiveness, and community witness. Our desire is to enable ministers to be more skilled in the leadership arena. Annual and strategic planning were constant areas of concern as training opportunities for us during this past year. Resources from Next Level leadership, LifeWay, Lead Like Jesus, Wildworks, CoachNet, and other venues are offered as valuable tools to strengthen the leadership skills of all size church staffs and associations. Hundreds of people throughout our state are impacted with such training.
During the past year, we have worked with more than 2,000 ministers, staff personnel, and spouses in training, planning, and growing church leaders. The minister’s family life is also a critical area in which we offer training and support. At the 2008 State Convention, about 90 ministers’ wives attended our Ministers Wives Conference.
Our department conducted the annual Pastor & Wife Retreat in July 2008 at Lake Tiak O’Khata. This meaningful event provides great support and fellowship for pastors and wives. We also held our Young Pastors Retreat there.
Throughout the year, we have handled hundreds of requests for resources from church leaders. These requests ranged from legal issues, staff relationships, worship, ministry position descriptions, policies/procedures, committee materials, and many other items that provide help to church leaders as they accomplish their Great Commission work. Every year we respond to a large number of requests for help on legal issues.
An area of pastoral ministry that the department has strongly supported has been bivocational/small church ministry. Our department works with the Mississippi Council on Bivocational/Small Church Ministries to inform, assist, and encourage bivo ministers and associational leaders. The Council has been very active this past year to provide needed support for these ministers. In 2008, we provided planning sessions, retreats, and a major training event, which was led by Barry Campbell of LifeWay Christian Resources.
Department sponsored events include Leadership Development Workshops, Preaching Conference, Pastor & Wife Retreat, State Ministry Assistants Conference, Professional Certification and Ministry Office SkillShops for Ministry Assistants, Minister’s Health Workshop, Ministers Wives Conference, Bivocational/Small Church Ministers Fellowships, Church-Related Vocations Programs, Church Facilities and Furnishings Workshop, Student Day at the Baptist Building, and Young Pastors Retreat.
Preach - Teach - Care - Equip - Lead - Guide - Support - Grow
Call, Character, Competency, Commitment
One Great Commission, NT Ministries, Balanced Growth, Boldness for Jesus Christ
View our 2010 events brochure (printable) pdf
