9-Month Pastoral Residency

Overview and Purpose

Overview:

• A 9-month pre- or post-seminary residency
• Typically runs from September 1 through May 31
• 30 hours per week
• $20K living stipend

Our aim is three-fold:

• Shepherd: To shepherd interns to grow in their affection for God, character, and competency to serve in the church.
• Guide: To help interns clarify their potential future ministry direction and next steps.
• Develop: To raise leaders to make disciples and to plant and strengthen churches among our neighbors and the nations.

Values and Emphases

The residency will be marked by these emphases:

• Gospel Culture: We very intentionally seek to cultivate a church ethos that reflects the gospel. An ethos that humbly welcomes, serves, and honors one another as Christ welcomes, serves, and honors us. We want to shepherd each candidate as Christ would shepherd them, and to train them in how they can create gospel culture in their future ministries.

• Relational: Although we have many “guides” in Christ, we also need spiritual fathers (1 Cor. 4:15). We seek to provide this kind of relational training. Much of what we will teach must be both taught and caught.

• Church-Focused: We complement seminary training by providing a hands-on, relational context to grow in the character and skills needed for healthy church ministry. We will emphasize making disciples, cultivating a gospel culture, encouraging others, personally communing with God, building true friendships, growing in holiness, loving the nations, leading humbly, and ministering in a sustainable way, all within the context of a local church.

• Historically-Enriched: While we need to understand our 21st century context, many ministry trends have not produced fruitful disciples. Some of the best examples of fruit-bearing ministry come from our heritage. Therefore, there will be a substantial amount of reading that will draw from the likes of Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Goodwin, Newton, Edwards, etc.

• Well-Rounded: Ministry leaders need to be trained to grow in both doctrine and character. They also need to be exposed to the whole life of a church–not only to its strengths, but also its weaknesses. Our internship will focus on forming well-rounded, healthy leaders for sustainable ministry.

Structure and Responsibilities

This program divides its time between study and reflection, pastoral mentoring, and ministry exposure and experience.

Study and Reflection

Interns will have weekly reading assignments and will write reflection papers which will be discussed with one of the pastors.

Pastoral Mentoring

The intern will meet weekly with one of the mentor-pastors as well as with one of the other ministry staff members or ministry leaders.

Ministry Experience and Leadership Development

• Participate in weekly staff meeting
• Engage in bi-weekly meetings with various leaders and members: The intern will arrange individual meetings with various ZF leaders to learn about spiritual growth and local church ministry.
• Various opportunities to teach and disciple.
• Co-lead a small group and assist in the leadership of a particular ministry.
• Observe and debrief elders’ meetings each month.
• Weekly meeting to discuss the principles and practices of Christ-centered biblical exposition.
• Engage in a number of opportunities by participating or shadowing a leader. For example, Small Group Leadership meetings; funeral and wedding process; Simeon Trust preaching workshop, hospital visitation; meetings for elders, deacons, youth group, etc; membership course; welcome team; men’s ministry.

Assumptions

We assume following of all residents:

1. They will cultivate a daily habit of communing with God through meditating on God’s word and prayer. This is not officially part of the internship, but is a required foundation for the residency to be fruitful.

1. They will be all-in and committed to fulfilling expectations. This includes completing assignments on time, taking initiative in conversations, and seeking to glean from various readings and experiences.

1. They will view themselves as servants and remain open to any kind of task they’re called to fulfill. We seek to follow the example of Jesus, who did not come to be served, but to serve.

Details and FAQs

Is office space provided?

Yes, the intern will be provided office space. The intern will ideally use the office for a significant portion of time each week and will set specific office hours. This provides opportunities to get to know staff and members, to participate in the culture of the staff, and to experience daily church-office rhythms.

Is housing assistance available?

We are committed to doing what we can to assist with housing. In some cases, and when available, we will be able to secure housing with a family of ZF. In other cases, we may be able to assist with the cost of housing. If we have multiple single interns, we would encourage them to live together as we provide some assistance.

What is the church and internships theological perspective?

We are broadly reformed and appreciate the confession statements of The Gospel Coalition and the 1689 London Baptist Confession.

Who leads and oversees the internship and residency?

Drew Hunter provides the overall leadership for the internship and residency. Drew is the Teaching Pastor of Zionsville Fellowship, where he provides overall leadership, biblical teaching, and serves as an elder. He graduated from Moody Bible Institute and received MAs from Wheaton College Graduate School in Biblical Exegesis and Systematic & Historical Theology. He and his wife, Christina, have four sons. 

Interns and residents will be paired with other pastoral mentors who serve on the staff of Zionsville Fellowship.