Mentoring Young Pastors to Lead

Photo by Gerhard Reus on Unsplash

Seasoned ministry leaders have all seen firsthand how the crucible of pastoral ministry shapes a person. They know that the skills learned in seminary are only the beginning. The real training happens "on the job," in the midst of hospital visits, budget meetings, conflict management, and the quiet moments of counseling a soul in crisis. These are the battlefields on which leadership is forged.

One of the greatest legacies we can leave is to mentor the next generation of pastors, guiding them through the fears and uncertainties that attend the call.

How do we teach them to lead with courage in the face of inadequacy and fear?

Gideon offers a profound and timeless lesson on this very challenge. It’s a narrative we can use to mentor young leaders, showing them that God’s strength is made perfect in their weakness.

The Call of the Mighty Warrior

When we first meet Gideon in Judges 6, he is the embodiment of fear. The Midianites have ravaged Israel, and Gideon is hiding, threshing wheat in a winepress to conceal it from the enemy. He feels defeated, abandoned, and powerless. It is in this place of hiding that the angel of the Lord appears to him with a startling declaration: "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."

How many young pastors feel like Gideon?

They face overwhelming challenges—declining attendance, cultural hostility, internal conflicts—and feel utterly unqualified. They see themselves not as mighty warriors, but as ill-equipped leaders hiding in the winepress of their own insecurities.

Gideon’s reaction is familiar to us all. He points to his weakness. "Pardon me, my lord," he replies, "but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." He saw his reality: his humble family, his low status, his personal weakness. He could not see what God saw.

This is a critical mentoring moment. When a young pastor confesses feelings of inadequacy, we have the opportunity to reframe their perspective. We can remind them that God’s calling is not based on our perceived strength or status, but on His presence and power.

The Source of True Strength

The Lord’s response to Gideon is the cornerstone of pastoral leadership. He does not deny Gideon’s weakness. Instead, He redirects Gideon's focus. "Go in the strength you have," the Lord commands, "Am I not sending you?" He then gives the ultimate promise: "I will be with you."

This is the central truth we must impart to the next generation. Leadership strength does not originate from personal talent, charisma, or strategic acumen. It flows from the unwavering presence of God. Our primary task as mentors is to continually guide young pastors back to this foundational reality. Their confidence must be rooted not in their own abilities, but in the faithfulness of the One who called them.

When a young pastor is paralyzed by fear, we can ask them: "Is God not with you? Has He not called you to this work?" We help them shift their gaze from the size of their giants to the greatness of their God.

From Fearful Obedience to Bold Leadership

God’s call on Gideon required immediate, faith-filled action. He was commanded to tear down the town's altar to Baal and the Asherah pole beside it. This was no small task; it was a direct challenge to the spiritual and cultural powers of his community. Gideon was still afraid—so afraid that he did it at night rather than in the daytime. Yet, he obeyed.

This act of obedience, though done in fear, was transformative. It was the first step out of the winepress and into his calling as a leader. By acting on God's command, Gideon began to live into the identity of the "mighty warrior" God had declared him to be.

His boldness grew. After this initial step, Gideon sounded the trumpet and rallied his tribe to follow him against the Midianites. The people responded. Why? Because people are longing for courageous leadership. They will follow a leader, even an imperfect one, who steps out in faith to confront the idols of the day and calls them to a higher purpose.

We must encourage the young pastors we mentor to take small, obedient steps of faith. It might be addressing a long-ignored sin in the church, launching a new outreach initiative, or having a difficult conversation with a key leader. These acts, fueled by faith in God's presence, build the courage required for greater leadership challenges.

A Legacy of Mentorship

The story of Gideon culminates in a miraculous victory, where God uses a small, humble army to defeat a vast enemy. The moral of this story is twofold, and it provides a clear framework for our mentorship.

First, we become strong leaders by remembering that the Lord is with us, especially when we feel most fearful and inadequate. Our sufficiency is in Him alone. Second, when leaders lead with God-given courage, people will respond. Congregations are not looking for perfect pastors, but for faithful ones who will lead them with conviction.

What does this mean for us, the seasoned leaders of the church? It means we have a sacred duty to invest in the Gideons in our midst. We must actively seek out young pastors in our networks, listen to their fears, and consistently point them to the promise of God’s presence.

Advanced Pastoral Network Can Help

The Advanced Pastoral Network has spent more than a decade identifying the behavioral skills that signify effective pastoral leadership. We have developed a proven training process that helps pastors master these leadership skills, enabling them to lead stagnant and declining churches into new life and new growth.

If you mentor or train pastors, oversee the care of pastors, or are responsible for church health in your network, contact us to discover how we can assist you in supporting your pastors.

Don't leave them to learn these lessons alone in the winepress. Be the voice that calls out the "mighty warrior" within them. Let us help.