Audio from our 2021 Shepherds Conference: The Good Soldier. Session 2, "Soldiers Must Be Trained," by Pastor Stephen Baker.

No military officer sends his soldiers into battle without first putting them through bootcamp. The Church needs pastors for the warfare of ministry, but those pastors need training. More is at stake in ministry than in warfare—the casualties are eternal souls—so the Church’s training of her shepherd had better exceed the rigor of the training of the armed forces. How should the Church take responsibility for the men who will shepherd Her? What role should the Church play in training them?

2 Tim. 2:2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.