Overview:
A Ministry Leadership Residency differs from an internship in that it seeks to give a broad, whole-church overview of ministry and engagement. Over the twelve-month program, residents will gain experience and knowledge necessary for future ministry leadership – especially pastoral ministry.
In particular, Woodlands seeks to leverage its capable Ministry Leadership Team and excellent staff and facilities to train the next generation of ministry leaders. By providing financial and housing support, we hope to empower residents to learn freely during their time here. Each resident will be paired with a residential mentor (a retired, experienced church leader), leveraging the deep ministry experience within our congregation.
A significant portion of a resident’s time will be spent with other residents, observing and discussing various ministry areas. Residency involves exposure, experience, and evaluation of regular church ministries (including Sunday Morning, Youth and Kids ministries, small group, care, and outreach ministries, and facility, office, and finance areas). In addition, residents will be engaged in multiple learning opportunities, reading widely and gaining Biblical, theological and Christian Worldview training.
Broadly speaking, while gaining knowledge and experience throughout the entire program, the first half of the residency program will include an evaluation of the resident’s call into and preparation for ministry; the second half would then include support in finding, applying for, and preparing for a specific ministry placement or seminary upon completion of the residency program.
Gained Experience:
Pastoral care – including job-shadowed hospital visits and premarital counseling, wedding officiation and funeral support.
Involvement in Kids, Youth, and Adult teaching and ministry leadership.
Participation in the preparation, production, and connections leadership necessary for an effective Sunday morning experience.
Residents will be engaged in a spiritual formation curriculum, developing healthy habits and patterns of spiritual development which will stead them for a lifetime of ministry.
Gained Knowledge:
Experiences will be synthesized through regular conversations within the residential cohort and with mentors.
Candidates will be enrolled in the Colson Fellows program for Christian Worldview Development and will be guided through writing their licensure paper for EFCA ministry accreditation through the Gateway program.
An intentional value will be placed on spiritual formation and developing habits for spiritual health while in ministry.
Requirements:
Candidates for Residency will have an undergraduate degree.
Bible/Theology is not required but is welcome.
There is no age or gender requirement. Residents may be single or married.
Candidates should be able to articulate a specific call into local church ministry – this is an experiential learning opportunity, not a “taste and see” exploration.
Candidates should agree with the EFCA Statement of Faith and align with Woodlands Church’s Purpose and Priorities (https://woodlandschurch.org/who-we-are/). Any tensions with the Statement of Faith will be discussed during the application process.
Candidates must be available to engage with this program during regular working hours – 9am – 4pm, M-Th, and 8am-noon on Sunday, with flexible availability in the evenings and on weekends. During various seasons, candidates will have regular responsibilities on weekday evenings.
Because of the nature of the schedule for residency, we do not advice residents to seek additional part-time employment. If additional funds are needed, support may be raised from a sending church, family, or friends.
It is not recommended that residents be pursuing educational advancement during their residency (online graduate degrees, etc.). If this will be the case, an extended conversation needs to be had to ensure this is an appropriate time to pursue residency.
Residents are expected to provide their own transportation and phone.
Provisions:
Woodlands will work with candidates to find a housing opportunity from within the congregation (at no cost to the resident).
The resident and housing will sign a clarifying agreement to help this be as worthwhile as possible.
Residents will be provided a $500/mo food and gas stipend.
Residents will be provided a computer and a base copy of Logos Bible Software.
Woodlands will cover the registration costs for the Colson Fellows and Gateway programs.
Candidates will be allowed (and encouraged) to raise additional support. Woodlands will help the candidate through this process.
Woodlands will work with residents to find appropriate full-time church ministry work immediately after completing the residency program.
Residents will be allowed two weeks of vacation, in addition to the week between Christmas and New Years. Additional schedule accommodation is possible, if needed.
Scope:
Residency is a 12-month, 40 hour-a-week program. It runs from July 1, 2024 – June 29, 2025.
Residential cohort, including ministry embedding (10 hr/wk).
Individual ministry experience, including teaching (10 hrs/wk).
Learning and development (8 hr/week).
Mentorship, spiritual formation, and discipleship (6 hr/wk).
General church involvement (6 hrs/wk).
