By Kristen Thomason
When Josh Owens was called as the senior pastor to First Baptist Church of Lumberton, N.C., one of the first things he did was join a Peer Learning Group (PLG). “I knew I would need to lean on the wisdom of others in the group as I transitioned into a senior pastor role, but also for their experiences in this new part of the state.” Having been a part of a CBF Fellows Cohort and experiencing the support of a PLG he helped found near Charlotte, Owens “knew the value of colleagues in navigating the struggles and successes of ministry.”
CBF has over 100 PLGs that gather for worship, spiritual formation, mutual support and fellowship. Made up of five to 12 members, each group is led by a volunteer convener who works with the group to set meeting agendas and organize retreats. Resources on pastoral excellence and congregational health are available through CBF. Owens appreciates CBF’s dedication to ministerial health and believes it is necessary for congregational health and thriving churches. “This messaging is something we can lean on personally to know we are not alone, but is also something we can point our congregants to for support and understanding.”
PLGs with at least five members can submit a grant proposal for $500 to help them pursue “excellence in ministry.” The money may be used to purchase study materials, meals for monthly meetings or to help a PLG attend a conference or retreat. Owens’ group used their grant to attend a retreat led by Dock Hollingsworth, pastor of Big Canoe Chapel in Jasper, Georgia. “[It] was a time for fun and fellowship, to enjoy each other’s company, not only as ministers, but as people, as children of God.”
The retreat also gave the group a chance to engage a topic with which they were all struggling: how to care for themselves and their congregations during a polarizing election year.
“Churches struggle with how to engage these deep-seated beliefs and convictions that have escalated to the point that people expect their politics to inform their religious views,” said Owens. “For so many, they don’t even realize that it is now a situation in which the proverbial political tails are wagging the religious dog.” The members of the PLG discussed the hurt, pain and frustration ministers feel witnessing the animosity and division in their congregations. “It can lead a minister to ask questions like ‘Where did I go wrong?’, or ‘Have they heard anything I have tried to teach them?’ or even more severely, ‘Is it even worth it anymore?’”
Hollingsworth encouraged the group and reminded them that as ministers they have the responsibility to show others a more Christ-like way to engage the world and politics. Preaching itself can be a tool to guide members to “think critically and faithfully about their actions.” Another resource ministers have at their disposal is the witness of their own lives. Said Owens, “We have both the responsibility and the blessed opportunity to lead by example for our congregations to hopefully follow.”
The retreat brought the PLG closer together and strengthened their bonds. “We were able to have conversations outside of ministry and deepen our relationships as people, not just as ministers,” Owens said. The experience of being in a PLG reminds him of the importance that Jesus placed on partnership in the Bible when he paired disciples before sending them out to minister. The early missionary journeys of apostles like Paul and Barnabas in Acts also relied on shared ministry. “Why would we expect there to be anything different for us today? While we may all serve various congregations, we are all called to serve the Lord’s Church, and so we are in this work together.”
Owens considers involvement in a PLG vital to his overall health in ministry. “While I still would be in ministry, it is likely that without the PLG, my leadership would not be as impactful because my physical, emotional and spiritual health would be hindered.” He would encourage those considering starting a PLG to step out in faith and contact CBF. “My involvement in PLGs has elevated the ministry I can provide to my congregation and ultimately raised the impact of our collective ministry to the community and the world.”