By Lis Van Harten

(First appeared in the March 2004 issue of Ministry Reports to Classes and Councils)

Peer learning groups are made up of four to eight pastors who commit to meeting together for one year for mutual support, encouragement, study, and prayer. There are currently 28 such groups throughout Canada and the United States. Of these 28 groups, 12 have been meeting since the summer and 16 began to meet in January. The groups’ foci are as varied as their locations.

The Revelation 5 Learning Group consists of four pastors from urban churches located in multi-cultural neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, MI. Their focus is on transitioning from mono-cultural to multicultural churches. The group meets every two to four weeks.  Three trips are planned to visit healthy multi-cultural churches. A visit to New City Fellowship in St. Louis was made this past fall.   Rev. Bill Vanden Bosch, group coordinator, reports that while at this church, the group saw the key characteristics of a healthy multicultural church in action.

After their year together, the pastors believe that their churches will begin to reflect the vision of the Revelation 5 church; “men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (NIV Rev 5:9b) and that in five years, these churches will be healthy, growing, multicultural communities. The churches are kept up to date on their pastor’s progress. “There is a sense of expectation growing that they (the churches) are about to enter new chapters in their congregational lives.”

Vanden Bosch says of the peer learning group; “The journey (of ministry) is long and difficult. We can discuss it and get inspiration. We have a support system. It’s a wonderful thing to encourage pastors to grow and to be all they can be and all God calls them to be. This experience has given me a great leap forward in learning more.”