Summary:

Dr. Herman Moldez’s presentation highlighted the growing importance of informal mentoring in the development of pastoral leaders, complementing Formal Theological Education and Nonformal Pastor Training. Informal mentoring addressed leadership development, fostering Christlikeness amidst a culture that often promoted autocratic, celebrity-driven leadership.
Key issues among pastoral leaders included a lack of Christlike character development, resulting in toxic leadership, burnout, and irrelevance. Jesus Christ offered a model of servant leadership, based not on greatness but on humility, suffering, and sacrifice.

Informal mentoring, framed as a “circle of grace,” provided a safe space for honest feedback, growth, and mutual accountability. It encouraged leaders to be transparent, confront their blind spots, and find freedom in sharing their struggles. Through this peer mentoring model, pastoral leaders were shaped by modeling Christlike behavior, drawing strength from the stories of others’ struggles rather than successes.

Reflective Questions:

1. In what ways have worldly leadership practices influenced the way pastoral leaders operate in your community?
2. How has mentoring, formal or informal, helped shape your own journey toward Christlikeness?

Action-Oriented Questions:

1. How can you create safe spaces within your ministry for peer mentoring and accountability to promote growth in humility and Christlikeness?
2. What steps can you take to foster a culture of grace in your leadership team, ensuring that spiritual mentoring is an ongoing, intentional process?

Download Resources