Pastors' Institute

35th Annual Pastors' Institute
was held January 23-25, 2012

Reverend Herb Shaffer, speaker
Yarrow Golf and Conference Resort in Augusta, Michigan

Refresh!

“Renewing our efforts toward relational connectivity and identity (John 17:21-22)
for every individual, church and agency of the Church of God.”

Five Strategic Goals (Adobe PDF 4.6 MB)

 

Herb Shaffer

Thirty years experience as a leader, teacher, trainer, mentor, and motivational speaker has convinced Herb that those gifts are not for him, but to be used for others. He currently serves as the founding pastor of New Song Community Church (www.newsongpittsburgh.org) in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA. In addition, he is the director of the Institute for Servant Leadership (www.iservant.org).

Herb grew up in Springfield, Ohio, (go Buckeyes!) completed his undergraduate work at Gulf-Coast Bible College, Houston, Texas in 1981, and received a Masters in Science of Organizational Leadership degree from Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA in 2001. In 1990 the Shaffer family moved to Pittsburgh to start a congregation from scratch. He has worked with New Song Community Church through the organizational phases from birth to maturity. Because of his “never wanting to get stale” mindset, Herb has constantly pursued other opportunities.

Since 1988 he has had the privilege of working with Ken Davis in the Dynamic Communicator Workshops, and since 2001 he’s worked with the Institute for Servant Leadership, in 2009 accepting the position of Director. Herb also teaches college courses in the areas of leadership, organizational dynamics, critical thinking, communication, and life development. Herb’s love of writing has led to developing curriculum and articles for several publications.

Herb is the father of four children and the husband of but one wife. They are the joy of his life. His wife, Sheila, works with the elderly and is an accomplished piano teacher.

Pastors’ Institute This Year ...

Pastors’ Institute at Yarrow has become one of the highlights of the year. Great accommodations and food in a beautiful retreat setting allows ministerial colleagues to reconnect, let their hair down, and rest in the Lord. You are invited to join us for another great three days of learning, devotion, and fun.

This year’s Institute focuses on the fifth of our National Goals called “Refresh”, Renewing efforts toward relational connectivity and identity. The theme passage is John 17:21-22, “...that all of them might be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” In our busy world it is easy to not take time to nurture our relationships as colleagues as well as brothers and sisters in Christ. This year Rev. Herb Shaffer will be training us in healthy connectivity practices and then helping us to practice a more in-depth connectivity with one another at the retreat. It will be a time of spiritual and relational richness that you will not want to miss. Gary Kinnaman writes in his book, Leaders that Last, these very accurate words, “The life of the Christian leader is never private. It’s not
so much that we have a public life, that a lot of people know us and scrutinize our behaviors. Rather, we are inseparably linked to the people we have been called to serve, and God has called us to ‘strengthen the brothers’ out of the grace working in our own lives. Come that we all might be strengthened!

Our worship this year will be led by Matt Stone, Youth and Worship Pastor at Greenville, First Church of God. Matt is child of the church and Michigan, growing up in the Floyd Church of God. Matt has a passion for worshipping Jesus that is contagious. We are blessed to have him in the State and leading our worship this year.

 

Typical Schedule -

Monday
11:00 - 2:00 p.m. Arrival/Registration
2:00 Welcome and Introductions
2:15-4:15 Session I
5:30 Dinner
7:00 - 8:30 Session II
8:30 Free time

Tuesday
 8:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 Devotions by Minister in Residence
9:30-11:30
12:00 Lunch
2:00-4:00 Small and large group discussion
5:30 Dinner
7:00 Worship
8:30 Free time

Wednesday
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 Devotions by Minister in Residence
9:30-10:30 Wrap up or topic of his choice