Get perspective.
Refine your work.
- Opening devotion and pastoral check-in
- Small-group sermon and calendar labs
- Ministry case consultations with Dr. Goodman
- A shared dinner and honest conversation
GOODMAN GLOBAL GROUP PRESENTS
The First Ten.
A Pastoral Formation Cohort
You have a congregation to lead.
Make room to grow as you lead it.
Six weeks of live learning and mentoring with Dr. Charles E. Goodman Jr., followed by a two-day working retreat. For pastors in their first ten years of pastoral leadership.
Founding cohort in development · Dates and tuition forthcoming
06Weeks of live virtual learning
02Days together at the retreat
01Plan for your next season
A PLACE TO THINK ABOUT THE WORK
You can love pastoring
and still need guidance.
Sunday keeps coming. So do the decisions, the calls, and the conversations you cannot put off. Somewhere in that rhythm, you need time to consider how you are leading and what your congregation needs next.
The First Ten brings pastors together to do that work with experienced guidance and honest conversation. You will work on the sermons, relationships, and ministry practices that belong to your actual assignment.
Bring the church you serve, the questions you carry, and a willingness to work.
Find your place in the cohortWHO THIS IS FOR
Your first ten years.
Your own assignment.
Designed around the experiences of African American pastors and the realities of the Black church.
01You have been pastoring for ten years or less.
02You want thoughtful feedback on your preaching and leadership.
03You need practices that fit your church’s size, staffing, and resources.
04You are ready to learn alongside other pastors and apply what you learn.
Full-time and bivocational pastors are welcome. The focus is pastoral responsibility, rather than age or years since ordination.
THE SIX-WEEK JOURNEY
Work on what you
will take home.
Each week adds to a practical plan for your congregation. Teaching opens the conversation; guided work helps you make it your own.
01WEEK 1Understanding your pastoral assignment
See your congregation clearly. Examine its history, expectations, and current needs, then identify where your attention belongs.
YOUR WORKING TOOLPastoral priorities assessment
02WEEK 2Preaching with clarity and your own voice
Work through Text → Truth → Tension → Transfer. Develop a sermon that honors the passage and speaks to the people you serve.
YOUR WORKING TOOLSermon outline for feedback
03WEEK 3Planning beyond next Sunday
Build a preaching calendar that considers congregational needs, the Christian year, and the time you need to prepare.
YOUR WORKING TOOL90-day preaching calendar
04WEEK 4Leading people through difficult decisions
Practice hard conversations, clarify responsibilities, and think through how to introduce change in your church context.
YOUR WORKING TOOLLeadership conversation plan
05WEEK 5Building systems that support ministry
Choose one recurring ministry problem and design a workable process for care, follow-up, volunteers, or meeting decisions.
YOUR WORKING TOOLMinistry workflow and responsibility map
06WEEK 6Making room for sustainable pastoral work
Examine the demands on your week. Bring your preaching, leadership, and ministry plans together with space for rest and trusted support.
YOUR WORKING TOOLDraft 90-day pastoral leadership plan
Six weeks of preparation.
A clearer approach to the work ahead.
THEN, WE GATHER IN PERSON
Two days away.
Time to work it through.
Bring your drafts and the decisions you need to make. The retreat gives you space for feedback, conversation, and planning before you return to your congregation.
Get perspective.
Make decisions.
Finish your plan.
- Guided work on your next 90 days
- Refine your priorities and ministry workflow
- Peer feedback and accountability commitments
- Closing prayer and clear next steps
Retreat dates and location will be announced.
Travel, lodging, and meal details will be provided before enrollment.
WHAT YOU WILL DEVELOP
Something useful
for Monday morning.
A plan you can return to when the week gets full and the next decision arrives.
01A sermon outline with a clear focus
02A working 90-day preaching calendar
03One ministry system ready to implement
04A focused pastoral leadership plan
05A proposed weekly rhythm and trusted peer connections
YOUR COHORT LEADER
Dr. Charles E.
Goodman Jr.
Through Goodman Global Group, Dr. Goodman creates space for pastors and developing preachers to examine their work, ask better questions, and prepare for the responsibilities of ministry.
The First Ten brings that mentoring approach into a focused experience with live teaching, working labs, and conversation about the congregation you serve.
Explore the founding cohortBEFORE YOU JOIN
A few things to know.
Who is this cohort for?
Pastors who have been pastoring for ten years or less, including full-time and bivocational pastors. The experience centers the realities of the Black church and welcomes thoughtful engagement across different church sizes and ministry settings.
How will the weekly sessions work?
The proposed format is six weekly, two-hour live virtual sessions, with teaching, working labs, and conversation with Dr. Charles E. Goodman Jr. Allow approximately 45–60 minutes between sessions to work on your own ministry plan. The final meeting schedule will be announced before enrollment opens.
What happens at the retreat?
The proposed two-day in-person working retreat follows the virtual sessions. Pastors bring their drafts for sermon feedback, ministry case consultations, and guided planning. Retreat dates, location, and travel arrangements will be confirmed before paid enrollment.
What is the cost?
Tuition has not been announced. The final enrollment information will explain payment options and exactly what is included, including whether meals or lodging are covered. No payment is collected through this interest form.
Does registering interest reserve a seat?
No. Registering interest lets Goodman Global Group know you would like enrollment information. It does not reserve a seat, guarantee acceptance, or commit you to a purchase.
What will I leave with?
The program is designed to help you develop a sermon outline, a 90-day preaching calendar, a practical ministry workflow, and a focused pastoral leadership plan suited to your congregation. Your progress will depend on participation and completing the working assignments.
THE FOUNDING COHORT
Make room for
your next season.
Interested in The First Ten? Share a little about your ministry so Goodman Global Group can provide enrollment details as the cohort takes shape.
FORMATSix weekly live virtual sessions + a two-day retreat
FORPastors with ten years or less of pastoral experience
DATES & TUITIONForthcoming
Registering interest does not reserve a seat or require payment.