What makes Barnabas Church Mentoring different from local clergy gatherings?

The local pastor’s gathering performs a valid function which is to build relationships among all the pastors of a community and provide a context for unified prayer for that community.

Barnabas Church Mentoring is focused specifically on select churches that are very large, growing churches which are facing similar issues. The level of commitment, training, coaching and mentoring group aspects of Barnabas Church Mentoring make it unique.

Why does Barnabas Church Mentoring require a full year commitment?

Part of the benefit of the mentoring process is found in the relationships built with the leaders of the other churches in the Mentoring Group. It takes commitment to build this kind of relationship. We believe that a one year commitment is the minimum it will take for a program like this to work effectively. As these group relationships build, deeper levels of understanding will emerge resulting in more insightful input from peers.

What is the purpose of the coaching calls?

The coaching calls allow each leader the opportunity to talk through specific ministry issues as well as identify actionable steps for the next 30 days. They will also allow the Pastor and Board chair to talk confidentially about governance issues and access the experience and wisdom of the Barnabas Mentor.

What will be the format and content of the Senior Pastor monthly gatherings?

Each Senior Pastor gathering will deliver relevant content in a stimulating way and allow peer mentoring to occur. Come with a problem or issue and you will leave loaded with helpful suggestions.

What can the Board Chair expect to receive from the Quarterly Forums?

The Board Refresher Day is a full Saturday of quality board training provided by Barnabas Church Mentoring. It will have an overview of policy governance and advance topics related to effective boards. There will be two levels of training for new and experienced board members.

What can we expect from the consulting sessions?

Each church receives four half-day consulting sessions a year which can be used any way they like. Examples would include: a training session for church staff, a training session for the board, observation of a board meeting with suggestions for improvement, strategic planning with church staff, visioning with church board, facilitating a leadership community meeting, diagnosing church performance, facilitating a board retreat, assisting with board policy development, etc.

If we join a Barnabas Church Mentoring group, how will our church benefit?

While the results for every church will be different because of its uniqueness, the program is designed to help the pastor and board chair work together more effectively, help the pastor and board develop shared vision, help the pastor with organizational design, and clarify the appropriate role and function of the board. All this is meant to help the church be prepared for its next level of growth.

Will the contents of the mentoring calls with the Senior Pastor and Board Chairperson be kept confidential?

Yes, absolutely! There may be occasions when the Mentor will ask if the Pastor would be willing to share a current issue with the mentoring group so that everyone can learn from it. However, the Pastor will always have the choice of whether or not to share.

What can we expect from the Board Refresher Day?

The Board Refresher Day is a full Saturday of quality board training provided by Barnabas Church Mentoring. It will have an overview of policy governance and advanced topics related to effective boards. There will be two levels of training to meet the needs of new and experienced board members.

Is it possible to request additional consulting time from our mentor?

Yes. Contact your Barnabas Mentor directly and discuss the issues that are presenting themselves. You can then work out a mutually agreeable contract for additional consulting time. Barnabas Church Mentoring has a network of other mentors and consultants who can be recommended based on your specific needs.

What is Barnabas Church Mentoring, anyway?

Barnabas Church Mentoring is a unique learning environment for select groups of 8 to 12 very large churches who want to help each other to the next level of leadership.

Each year participating churches receive:

  •  Nine pastor gatherings for cutting edge ideas and peer consulting
  •  Four Board Chair forums for best practices about leading Boards
  •  Nine coaching calls for Pastors to explore specific ministry issues
  •  Nine coaching calls for Board Chairs to improve governance practice
  •  Two days of expert consulting for particular needs of the church, and
  •  One Annual Board Refresher day to upgrade the skills of all board members

All these components work together to help churches find their way to the next level within a safe learning environment.

May I invite another church to join my Barnabas Church Mentoring group?

The Barnabas Mentor carefully selects the churches to participate and arranges cohorts for compatibility. You are welcome to recommend names to your Barnabas Mentor for consideration but he retains the right to decide which churches are a good fit for this program

How many churches will be involved in a mentoring group?

The size of each cohort will vary, but in general we aim for 8 to 12 churches per group. Some may be smaller and others slightly larger depending on how many cohorts are in a region.

If I join a Barnabas Church Mentoring group, what am I committing to?

Churches wanting to be involved in Barnabas Church Mentoring commit to the Pastor and Board Chair attending their respective meetings and participating in nine coaching calls for one year. Because we meet in local churches, we ask each church to host and provide lunch for one Pastor’s gathering per year.

Why do you limit this to churches between 800 and 1800?

Churches in the 800-1800 attendance range are in white water! They have moved past the relative calm waters of the smaller 'family sized' church and are having to navigate the rapids of change. It takes experience and skill to lead a church through these rapids. Frequently, churches in this size range end up with Pastors in conflict with their Boards, Board members who don’t know how to govern effectively and Pastors who get discouraged or are blind sided by big church issues. Barnabas Church Mentoring is specifically designed to help churches through these rapids.