American Pastors Network Bridges the (Age) Gap

***NEWS RELEASE***

For Immediate Release
May 15, 2017

CONTACT:
Beth Harrison, Hamilton Strategies, 610.584.1096, ext. 104, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, or Deborah Hamilton, 215.815.7716, 610.584.1096, ext. 102

American Pastors Network Bridges the (Age) Gap

APN Models Mentor Relationship of Paul and Timothy as it Embarks on New Initiative to Connect Older and Younger Pastors

PHILADELPHIA—Paul and Timothy were perhaps the ultimate example of a biblical mentor partnership. In 2 Timothy 1:6-7, Paul tells the next generation of pastors through Timothy: “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (KJV).”

To model Paul and Timothy’s relationship, the American Pastors Network (APN, www.americanpastorsnetwork.net) is embarking on a new initiative to connect older biblically faithful pastors with millennial-aged biblically faithful pastors.

“A partnership and mentoring relationship like this is in every way scriptural,” said APN President Sam Rohrer. “Paul and Timothy were the biblical model and carried out the biblical command to pass along the wisdom of the fathers to the sons and grandsons. And there is a cultural urgency. The great majority of millennials (ages 18 to 35) and Generation X (approximate ages 40 to 50) do not hold a biblical worldview, even less than the older generation. They are not contending for the faith, but rather, walking into and embracing apostasy.

“We have felt called that our charge is to connect past and future generations of pastors,” Rohrer continued. “God cannot bless a church that is divided. The cause of Christ cannot advance with a church that is divided; the gospel of Jesus Christ cannot go forth and power if the church is not walking in obedience and being led in obedience by the shepherds in the pulpit—shepherds of all ages.”

To that end, Rohrer added, APN, consistent with its mission and purpose, will seek to serve as the umbrella and vehicle to unite the biblically faithful and to establish the framework for the communication of biblical truth, while demonstrating the model of how this generational divide can and should be biblically bridged.

Within the initiative to connect pastors from different generations through mentoring, events, conference, seminars and resources, APN will also seek to magnify the voice of millennial biblically faithful pastors, not only for their own benefit but to counter the voices of their unfaithful millennial counterparts.

“We pray that through the mission that God has laid upon our hearts APN would be the vehicle to model biblical succession planning and the biblical ‘passing of the baton,’” Rohrer said.

After serving pastors since its inception, as well as hearing from pastors and churchgoers from around the country as a result of APN’s “Stand in the Gap” radio ministry, APN has found that faithful younger pastors hunger for the opportunity to learn from and associate with older faithful pastors. Unfortunately, there are others who don’t believe older pastors have anything to offer. This dichotomy, however, is not one-sided; some older pastors know that the need to connect with younger pastors exists, but have no framework by which to interface. Still others, though, don’t see the need to raise up and mentor the younger generation.

Rohrer added that in the coming months, APN will consider the following strategies in its effort to bridge the generational gap between pastors:

  • Communicate the vision with select biblically faithful millennial pastors who also share the mission of APN, have been blessed by it and who will commit their support and leadership to the
  • Link key core millennial pastors and help them realize the vision together.
  • Develop a core steering committee with 12 millennial pastors who are biblically faithful, hold a defined and developed biblical worldview, and share a clear commitment to the mission and vision of APN.
  • Work with millennial pastors to help APN communicate biblical truth more effectively within the context of modern technology into the public square and into the ears of younger Americans.
  • Design and implement “bridging the gap” conferences, seminars, webinars, blogs, training events and other resources.
  • Utilize the “bridging the gap” framework to encourage Bible colleges, seminaries and other Christian institutions to embrace and boldly teach an adherence to biblical authority and a developed biblical worldview.

APN speaks frequently about its new millennial initiative from a biblical and constitutional perspective on its popular daily “Stand in the Gap Today” program, which airs on nearly 425 radio stations across the country. Find a station here or listen online at www.AmericanPastorsNetwork.net by clicking on the orange “Listen Live” button on the right-hand side of the website daily at noon ET.

Read more about the American Pastors Network and its “Stand in the Gap” radio ministry here.

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To interview a representative from the American Pastors Network, contact Beth Harrison at 610-584-1096, ext. 104, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, or Deborah Hamilton at 215-815-7716 or 610-584-1096, ext. 102.