The 4 Friends Every Pastor Needs - Tim Jensen Pastors are similar to Millennial’s, in that, there are those who stay in the church and there are those who leave the church. 1,600 pastors and their families who are in ministry this month will not be in pastoral ministry next month. Over the years we have discovered three common traits in pastors who are effective and stay the course of ministry. These pastors: 1. Consistently maintain ___________________ stability and health 2. Continually experience personal __________________ growth 3. Demonstrate high levels of ____________________ The similarities that help pastors stay in the church and remain in the pastorate can be stated in one word: ___________________________! To be exact, we are talking about four valued, cultivated, healthy friendships. These four friendships produced the vitality and resilience these pastors needed to stay in the church and in the ministry. Isn’t it interesting? Like Millennial’s, pastors need meaningful relationships to stick! Before I identify the four specific friendships, let me expand on the nature of friendships. The friendships that produced these life-giving traits were valued, cultivated and healthy. Valued To have friends you must first ____________ friendship; you must see the importance, the benefits and the worth of having friends. If friendship is valued, you will seek to find friends. If you are not seeking friendships it is possible, even likely, you do not value friendship. Friends are ____________________; just ask David about his friend Jonathan. Friendship brings great ________________; just ask Lot about his friend Abraham. Friendship can be of tremendous __________________; just ask Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Cultivated A found friend is only a friend as long as you ________________ to be __________ your friend. Friendships are relationships that require cultivation. Cultivating a friendship includes: • Making efforts to be with your friend • Making efforts to be friendly • Diminishing obstacles that would hinder you from being with your friend Healthy For a friendship to be healthy there must be a balance of ______________ and _________________ on the part of both people in the relationship. As pastors, most of us view giving as normative behavior in relationships; we expect to give to others. As pastors, to ensure our friendships are healthy, we must also view _____________________ as normative behavior in relationships. A relationship that is dependent upon you giving and not receiving is not a friendship. Friendship involves placing yourself in a position to give and receive! There are four friendships continually evidencing themselves in the lives of ministers who stay in the church and stay the course in pastoral ministry. Those friendships are: • Friendship with __________ • Friendship with our ______________ • Friendship with other _________________ • Friendship with ________________________ 1. FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD God created us for _______________________ with Himself. He is Almighty God, but He is also our friend. 2. FRIENDSHIP WITH OUR SPOUSE Adam & Eve were created to be _________________ with each other. At their core, great marriages are actually great friendships. 3. FRIENDSHIP WITH OTHER PASTORS One or two close, ____________________ friendships are critical. A community of supportive pastoral friendships is beneficial. 4. FRIENDSHIP WITH NONBELIEVERS Discipleship and evangelism are ______________________ upon friendships. Pastors experience tremendous benefits from befriending unbelievers.

CrossTraining - August 26, 2014 10:00 am to 1:00 pm “Reaching the Next Generation” AGENDA • Welcome & Prayer - Dr. Larry Dennis • Worship Chorus - Jonathan Trees • 1st Session: Connecting Out, “Reaching Millennials” - Janelle Anderson • Discussion Questions - Individual MACs Lead • 2nd Session: Connecting In,“4 Friends Every Pastor Needs” - Tim Jensen • Discussion Questions - Individual MACs Lead • 3rd Session: Connecting Up, “Is Our Preaching Reaching Millennials" - Dr. Dan Boone • Discussion Questions - Individual MACs Lead • Response & Closing Prayer - Dr. Larry Dennis • Dismissal for lunch at individual MAC sites