What People are Saying about The Approved Workman

The Approved Workman: Developing Faithful Disciples into Tested Leaders has been available for a while. Pastors, seminary professors, and denominational leaders have looked at the book as a training tool. A couple churches have adopted it has their plan for developing interns, future pastors, missionaries, and church planters. An upcoming pastor’s conference has selected this book to give to all the attending pastors. And Bryan continues to use it to disciple and train up a co-vocational pastor.

What are people saying at The Approved Workman?

"I recommend this work by Dr. Catherman as a training and resourcing tool for anyone wanting to go through ministry training in an internship format. While living and working in Salt Lake City, I was blessed to get to know Dr. Catherman, learn about him as a person, experience his heart for the lost, and see his desire for discipleship grow over the years. I have seen Dr. Catherman train and lead interns first-hand and cannot recommend him, or this resource, highly enough. Thanks be to God for leading him to write this material and make it available."

Travis S. Kerns, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Apologetics and World Religions
Roy Fish School of Evangelism & Missions, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

"The Christian life unfolds on the canvas of conversation. This resource is full of conversation starters, topics, and guided experiences that are essential for expanding the knowledge and skills necessary for ministry success. Use this trench-tested resource as a conversation guide to build others up and pave a pathway for fruitful ministry."

Warren Haynes, D.Min
Author of Discipleship Uncomplicated

"I was a husband and father with a full-time job when I felt God's call to co-vocational ministry on my heart. My circumstances made going to a full-time seminary a difficult option for my family and me. Enter: The Approved Workman. This book has given me a clearly defined seminary-level road-map that I can utilize in a "boots-on-the-ground" environment with a qualified field-mentor to help keep me accountable. What an incredible resource for training up indigenous pastors!"

Josiah Walker
Co-Vocational Pastor (In Training)
Grocery Store General Manager and Store Director

"I was overjoyed to see this project in print! What a timely work that brings mentor and disciple together assisting in the process of raising up approved workmen for the church. The Approved Workman provides a great customizable roadmap for training lay leadership all the way to preparing for ordination."

Jared Jenkins, Ph.D. Candidate
Pastor of Missions and Discipleship, Risen Life Church

"The Approved Workman is a resource to address a critical need in the kingdom and especially in Utah in raising up laborers in the field. Bryan has put together a great resource to help church leaders disciple those considering the call to ministry and those seeking a deeper faith. The resources in the bibliography will help you in considering how to assist others in becoming an approved worker in the Kingdom. As he shares, this is a template that is just a starting spot that helps those wanting to assist others but have no plan for how to raise up multiplying disciples." 

Rob Lee, D.Min Candidate
Executive Director-Treasurer, Utah-Idaho Southern Baptist Convention

"For far too long, pastors have leaned on academic institutions and seminaries to do the work of training and raising up pastors when, in fact, the Scriptures make it clear that the primary responsibility ought to fall on the local church.  The Approved Workman gives us a valuable, flexible roadmap that is practical accessible and biblical so that pastors who desire to make disciples that in turn make more disciples may have some basic structure to facilitate disciple-making! What a thoroughly helpful resource!"

Scott Catoe
Pastor, Slater Baptist Church
Church Health Strategist, South Carolina Baptist Convention

"The call to follow Christ is also a call to make disciples by teaching, training, modeling, and mobilizing them to fulfill the Great Commission. Through years of on the ground training and learning, Dr. Catherman has developed a credible and practical guide full of resources to obey that call. The Approved Workman is holistic, reproducible, and adaptable for any lay leaders, pastors, or church planters who desire to effectively train and develop any disciple in their next step in following Jesus."

Brett Ricley
Pastor of Discipleship, The Mission Church

"Dr. Bryan Catherman has put together a tremendous resource for Pastors who are looking to raise up and train future leaders in the church. This book serves as a much-needed reminder that the primary task of Pastors is to equip the Saints for the work of the ministry. Have you ever wanted to personally disciple someone called into the ministry or the mission field, but didn’t know where to start? This book is a great tool to jumpstart the journey and even measure your progress along the way."

Matt McGukin
Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church
President of the Utah-Idaho Southern Baptist Convention

"Maybe pastors should stop and consider an alternative before immediately sending a prospect for ministry to Seminary. The Approved Workman by Bryan Catherman is a resource chalked with strategic markers to guide a pastor for ministry discipleship. Bryan, in his book, masterfully equips the trainer and his apprentice with tools that can open the doors for successful ministry. Seminary may still be an option down the road but pastor and student will be sure to benefit as a result of following Bryan’s blueprint for The Approved Workman."

Mike Clements, D.Min
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Floresville  

"Bryan Catherman has provided a needed and helpful resource to help churches and leaders raise up the next generation of leaders. The material is carefully biblical and intentionally flexible for users to fit specific contexts among Bible-believing churches, pastors, leaders, and learners."

Michael W. Waldrop, Ph.D.
Pastor, Desert Ridge Baptist Church
Former Associational Missions Director, Calhoun Baptist Association, Calhoun City, MS
2014 UISBC Pastors' Conference President