Ask the Readers: Encouraging Future Preachers
Tomorrow on iPreach, Dale Jenkins and I will be talking about holding preacher training camps. Several of these are held all over the country, and do a great work. (If you’d like to be in on the discussion, join us at 10AM Central on Talkshoe.com and then search for iPreach.)
I’d like some help ahead of time, though. Besides preacher training camps, what are some “formal” ways you and your congregation encourage young men to preach? Most of us “informally” encourage by telling the young men they do well when they lead, or simply by encouraging them, but what are some ways you help them in a more concrete way?
Please leave ideas and suggestions in the comments.
2 Comments
Scott
Adam,
We recently held a class to teach our young men to lead in different areas of worship. We also try to encourage them to offer Wed PM devotionals and invitations.
Growing up, the congregation we attended had the young men do announcements, lead songs, and prayer before Bible Classes on Sun AM. As little as that sounds that congregation of less than 175 has produced nearly one dozen preachers, numerous deacons, interpreter for the deaf, and many elders as well over time.
Rachel
I think that having the young men lead the worship service periodically is a great idea. Also, I know of a church that has the young men lead Bible classes as well (both teen classes and adult) on occasion. Their young men also lead the youth devotionals regularly. I have friends who attend this particular church and many of them are now studying to be preachers. I’m sure this can be attributed to the experience and encouragement they received in their youth group