A “Band of Brothers”

How Geneva’s Pastoral Cohorts Strengthen Pastors in Every Season

Pastoral ministry is both incredibly meaningful and deeply demanding. The pastor needs to be pastored too.

With nearly two decades of ministry experience, Nathan Tircuit is no stranger to the joys and challenges of being a pastor.

After graduating from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Nathan began his journey as an RUF campus minister, serving for eight years at UT Martin and then Mississippi State. He later took a call to the Memphis area, where he spent nine years replanting a church. Most recently, Nathan spent the past seven years as senior pastor of a church in Baton Rouge, LA.

Recently, however, Nathan entered a season of transition; he made the difficult decision to step down from his role as senior pastor. He now finds himself navigating new, challenging circumstances as he discerns what comes next.

Thankfully, he hasn’t had to do it alone. As a participant in one of Geneva’s Pastoral Cohorts his group has been a steady source of wisdom, encouragement, and support throughout the process.

A “Band of Brothers”

Nathan was initially drawn to the cohort’s intentional structure and leadership. He especially appreciated that each group had a dedicated leader to plan, guide, and sustain the experience—something he knew was difficult to maintain in informal, peer-led groups of busy pastors.

That intentional structure created something rare for Nathan: a space where he didn’t have to lead. “Most pastors, that’s all they do is plan and lead things for other people,” he said. “Rarely do they have somebody planning and leading something for them. So that’s been huge and helpful.”

Nathan’s Pastoral Cohort group in Estes Park.

The cohort itself consists of pastors from across the country who meet monthly via Zoom and gather twice a year for in-person retreats. Between meetings, they stay connected through texts, calls, and prayer.

“I think it’s been great to have a group of like-minded guys who are engaged in pastoral ministry,” he shared. “It provides a lot of opportunities for deep self-examination and growth as well as encouragement and support. Which I think is essential to creating healthy pastors and in turn creating healthy churches.”

“They’re kind of my little band of brothers that I can lean on,” Nathan said. “To go through something like that was pretty scary for me to do. But to know I’ve got these guys who have my back…it’s meant the world to me.”

A “Non-Negotiable for Healthy Ministry”

Through it all, the cohort has created space for something many pastors rarely experience: true soul care.
“I’ve been in ministry for years, but this is really kind of the first time I’ve felt pastored in a very, very long time,” Nathan said. “We as pastors have a unique calling, and you can feel isolated and alone. Very few people have any real understanding of what you’re facing day to day…To be able to intentionally gather with a group of guys that you’re committed to doing life with is incredibly valuable.”

For Nathan, participating in a cohort is no longer optional. “For where I am in my life and ministry, this to me has become like a non-negotiable,” he said.

As Nathan looks ahead, the deep relationships, training, and care he has received through the cohort will strengthen him for his next season of gospel ministry.

His encouragement to other pastors is simple: “As you’re pastoring the hearts of God’s people, you need a pastor for your heart as well…You need a group of guys who are mutually committed to one another and are going to hold you accountable.”

In the end, the impact of a Pastoral Cohort reaches far beyond the pastor—it shapes the vitality and life of the entire church.

“What you’re committing to is towards being a healthy pastor,” said Nathan. “And you don’t have healthy churches without having healthy pastors.”

To learn more about Geneva’s Pastoral Cohorts, visit genevabenefits.org/cohorts. To support pastoral wellbeing and remind pastors they are not alone in ministry, visit genevabenefits.org/give.