We have had a long history of being a greenhouse for Gospel-centered pastors, ministry workers, and missionaries as a local church. Our alumni are ministering in dozens of cities, states, and countries around the globe.
One of the unique stewardships of being a local church near a major seminary is loving those ministry-minded persons and households well. So, we have created a Ministry Internship program to formalize multiple ministry tracks. There are many challenges to getting good people educated, trained, and experienced launched into new ministry contexts. We have designed a program to help navigate these realities.
Who is a Good Candidate?
For certain well qualified candidates, we have designed an experience that seeks to align the interest of all 6 parties. An excellent candidate will have at least 4 of the following 5 characteristics:
- Calling - Interns will possess a strong sense of internal and external call. Parallel to this is also a high degree of self-awareness, others awareness, emotional health, and clear sense of future ministry direction (lead pastor, executive pastor, worship and creative arts pastor, family/community/discipleship, women’s ministry director… etc.).
- Ministry Partner Development - Interns will have some experience raising financial support. Interns will be given the opportunity to raise financial support for their education as well as for reasonable amounts of their living expenses.
- Affiliation Clarity - Interns will have a clear sense of denomination/affiliation ties (PCA, EPC, SBC, Acts 29, Reformed Baptist, EFCA… etc.).
- Ministry Experience - Interns will have enough ministry experience to be able to contribute in a local church.
- Formal Biblical Education - Ideally, most Ministry Interns will be attending seminary or Bible college full-time during the program. While not all internship tracks require this, we do prioritize candidates who have already demonstrated a commitment to their ministry calling by seeking out formal biblical education.
What is the Ministry Internship?
Over the course of 2 years, Ministry Interns will give approximately 10-20 hours per week to minister in the church community. This time will be split between opportunities for them to be invested in (observing leadership meetings, intern lunches, reading groups, etc) and time for them to invest in their ministry area. During the first year, all Ministry Interns will participate in the same program, which is focused on exposing them to various aspects of local church ministry. After completing the first year, interns may apply to one of seven different Ministry Tracks for the second year. Different ministry tracks will have different levels of requirements and weekly engagement, and not all tracks are equally demanding. However, all seven ministry tracks follow the same basic model and have the same essential components. The seven (second-year) Ministry Tracks are as follows:
- Pastoral Ministry: For men pursuing a calling to vocational preaching, teaching, and pastoral ministry in a local church context.
- Family Ministry: For men and women pursuing a calling to vocational family and/or children's ministry in a local church context.
- Student Ministry: For men and women pursuing a calling to vocational student/youth ministry in a local church context.
- Music Ministry: For men and women pursuing a calling to vocational music/worship ministry in a local church context.
- Missions Ministry: For men and women pursuing a calling to vocational missions and/or mercy ministry in a local church context.
- Discipleship Ministry: For men and women pursuing a calling to vocational discipleship/small group ministry in a local church context.
- Executive Ministry: For men and women pursuing a calling to vocational executive/administrative ministry in a local church context.
For more details, please see the full internship program overview here. If you have questions or would like to apply - please email our Executive Pastor, Robert Jackson.