There's something about the mentorship program and how we’re bringing together people with experience with learners in order to propagate the joy, freedom, and power of the Holy Spirit in the people of God.
If you are an active or aspiring preacher looking to hone your skills in reaching a culturally diverse, technologically savvy audience while building your own Biblical literacy and spiritual development, then our mentorship program is perfect for you!
All mentees are placed into a small group of 8-10 with a mentor. Our mentors are exemplary Pentecostal preachers with over 20 years of experience behind a pulpit. In your small group, you will have the opportunity to workshop your preaching skills in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
If you are accepted into the program, you will receive two full years of the mentoring experience, conference admission, and workshops at no cost to you. Even more, you will get lifetime access to our webinars for free.
Have questions? See our FAQ section below or email [email protected].
Ready to take the plunge?
Frequently Asked Questions
The mentorship program is the heart and soul of the Preaching Center. We aim to take active and aspiring preachers and expose them to the advanced skill and experience of an exemplary preacher in the Church of God.
If accepted, participants will be placed in a small group of about 8-10 other active and aspiring preachers. Each of these groups will have a mentor. These mentors are highly experienced and successful preachers in the Church of God. They have been chosen not only for their exemplary contributions to the Church, but for their diversity in age, gender, race, and educational background. They are also chosen for their expertise in at least one of the Four Areas of Support. Every mentor at the Paul L. Walker Center for Pentecostal Preaching has over 20 years of preaching experience.
Mentors and participants are all expected to adhere to the program for 2 years.
Membership in the mentorship program and all the activities associated with it come at no cost to the members. All participant fees for program membership and activities are paid by the Center. Transportation expenses, however, are not included.
Yes! Spouses are welcome at the conferences at no cost to mentees. Simply check “Yes” on the last question in the application and his or her spot will be reserved in all activities. We know that your spouse is your biggest cheerleader and support in your ministry, so they are welcome at all events. If, however, he or she would rather not attend all the workshops with you, there will be alternate (and optional) activities scheduled that afternoon. Feel free to call or email for more details.
- Mentoring will take place on the Microsoft Teams platform unless otherwise specified by mentors. Monthly or semi-monthly meetings will take place on that platform in which mentors will lead mentees through discussions on provided resources. Mentors will rotate every few months to ensure that mentees have the opportunity to learn from experts in multiple areas with various preaching styles.
- Each mentor rotation, every mentee will be expected to log in to Microsoft Teams and upload a video of him- or herself preaching a sermon that adheres to some structural guidelines. An audience for the video is preferred, but not required, and does not have to be a church congregation. These videos will be gently critiqued by the mentors and available for comment from fellow small group members. Don’t worry about this part – there are no grades and the mentors will have their own sermons available for comment, too!
- In the fall, a conference will take place at Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Mentees are expected to fund their own transportation to and from each of two (2) conferences. Lodging and meals, however, will be provided, as well as admission to several preaching events and workshops. If transportation is a problem, however, please contact us.
- The following spring, the workshops from the previous fall’s conference will be uploaded to the Preaching Center’s website as expanded webinars. Mentorship members will be granted free lifetime access to the webinars from their time in the program and all future webinars.
The Four Areas of Support are the four most highly expressed needs of preachers today and the areas in which you can expect to grow if accepted into the mentorship program. They are:
- Ministerial Soul Health – making time for one’s own walk with God, cultivating spiritual discipline, and combating burnout.
- Biblical Interpretation and Sermon Construction – not only having read the Bible but absorbing its meaning and calling it to mind for relevant and powerful sermons that adhere to doctrine.
- Cultural Engagement Competency – preaching to and retaining the attention of a congregation or audience with a culturally diverse background.
- Media Technology Competency – using all the tools at your disposal to create an engaging presentation that does not distract from the message of the Gospel.
These Four Areas of Support have been singled out as the biggest felt needs among modern Pentecostal preachers. Mentors are chosen in part because of their expertise in these fields and the conference workshops and webinars focus on these areas as well.