Pastoral Resident

Pastoral Residency (2-year program). The Pastoral Residency is for individuals who desire to receive practicum training in pastoral ministry. The pastoral resident will work closely with our pastors and elders through an intentional curriculum of theological training, leadership development, ministry responsibilities, teaching and preaching opportunities, and a variety of pastoral responsibilities. The intent of the residency is to learn how to pastor from the inside out, with an end result of either stepping into a lead pastoral role in an existing church or to plant a new church. The residents we invest in will continue to network with Waukesha Bible Church in order to replicate the process in order for the mission to advance. At the heart of our strategy lies the resident. Our desire is to raise up individuals from within our fellowship and identify those from other churches who are willing to partner with us and participate in our pastoral residency program with the intent of either pastoring an existing church or planting a new church locally or nationally within a growing network.

WBC RESIDENCY: The process of our residency includes the following: Identifying those on whom God’s gifting rests. Equipping them in a two-year cycle to learn the pastorate from the inside out in preparation to either pastor an existing church or plant a new church. Sending them to an appropriate location. Supporting them with all available resources. Networking with the church for further mission and ongoing relational connection. IDENTIFYING residents from within our fellowship or those from other churches will be an ongoing process of the Elder Council. Initially, all participants will be considered on the basis of their current theological training. Those having a degree or certificate from a Bible College, University, Institute, or Seminary will complete our application process and begin meeting with the Elders to take the next steps in the process. This may begin by participating in our pastoral internship program to determine whether or not the pastoral residency would be a good fit. Any applicants without formal theological training will work with the Elder Council to determine appropriate next steps for theological formation. EQUIPPING the resident will be an intentional process of both formal and informal training. Convinced that the pastorate is learned by pastoring (shepherding) in real churches, our two-year equipping process is designed to be highly relational allowing our residents to experience every aspect of pastoral and ministry life. Our DEPLOY 401 curriculum is a hybrid of theological training, leadership development, ministry responsibilities, teaching opportunities, and a variety of relational outlets. This equipping process will have check points every three months to gauge the resident’s progress and assess viable next steps. SENDING qualified and commissioned Elders/Pastors to either pastor or church-plant to appropriate locations will be a highly strategic process involving critical input from other churches and agencies with whom we network. The Elders of WBC will help each qualified resident (i.e. pastor/church planter) discover his strengths, gifting, and passions to assist in determining whether he is better equipped to pastor an existing church or plant a new church locally or nationally. Specific locations will be assessed and targeted on a case by case basis. SUPPORTING those sent out by WBC will involve much more than finances. This financial remuneration will begin as a resident. The initial level of compensation will be individually determined by the Elders of WBC. Each pastor and church planter commissioned by us will have different needs and levels of support. We will endeavor to make all available resources (time, finances, personnel, equipment, etc.) readily accessible to the best of our ability for the forward advance of the gospel. NETWORKING will be an ongoing and necessary aspect of our relationship that will continue to strengthen WBC and our fellow churches to keep the gospel central and move the mission forward.