The Residency assumes that applicants have a foundational scriptural understanding of Seventh-day Adventist Theology and basic experience in soul-winning: canvassing, bible work, small groups, preaching, etc. The program is designed to build upon the core framework of every individual student. Thus, basic classroom instruction will be limited with more of an emphasis on practice, on-sight training, discipleship/mentorship, and application.
GENERAL PROGRAM EMPHASIS
The purpose of this program is simple: prepare successful public campus ministry pastors. This one-year program partners with Adventist students preparing for pastoral ministry. The student will serve as a ministerial resident in a university church setting and will get hands-on training on how to be an effective soul-winner, minister, and Bible student. This is designed to be the most rigorous of courses available for future ministers–if you can survive this program you can be sure to expect success in your pastoral ministry.
Every pastor a basic soul-winner. If you want to be a pastor, you must be a soul-winner. Ministry Residents will maintain and execute a strong plan for soul-winning: searching for and finding Bible study contacts, giving effective Bible studies, and gaining decisions for baptism.
Preaching the Word. How you handle the Bible will ultimately determine the success of your destiny – both eternally and pastorally. Preaching is an essential part of church ministry. Learning how to fight (or preach) in your own armor is a process that requires patience, practice, and personal effort. This program will provide participants with the opportunity to develop and execute a sermonic calendar in a church and campus ministry context.
Leadership. Leading a church requires careful balance and people management. A church is not an organized army of soldiers ready to follow their general to the very end. It is – in some cases – a multitude of individuals that will not move forward unless the leader has earned their trust and respect. A lack of effective leadership has left a bad taste in the mouths of many churches and pastors. The residency program is designed to give participants a hands-on course on effective leadership.
Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Focus. One of the key reasons why many pastors don’t successfully survive their first district is time management. Whether you are pastoring a multiple church district or a larger congregation, knowing how to prioritize and structure your time is key. Add on the responsibility of incorporating public campus ministry into your local church and you are left with what seems to be a great challenge. Ministerial Residents will follow an intense schedule designed to test their call to effective ministry and prepare future pastors for the rigors and blessings of the pastorate.
PROGRAM’S CORE
Every effective minister must have a thorough theological and philosophical understanding Adventism. He must also be able to fulfill the pastoral responsibilities of a minister in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Lastly, a pastor must be an effective church leader. The Basic Articles or the core components of our program take these principles and apply them to the areas below. To successfully complete the program, residents must show competency in being able to master these Basic Articles:
House Keeping Module. The home life has been a cause of failure to many in pastoral ministry. One of the most common weaknesses in pastoral ministry is neglect – either family neglect for the sake of ministry, or ministry neglect for the sake of family. This module is a real-life scenario designed to provide a realistic representation of the home/ministry balance.
Personal Development Module. Personal life is a close relative of home life. The individual must be able to care for himself, and not just the structure he lives in. Many “X Factors” are encountered from time to time. These are items that are necessary for personal survival and wellbeing that must also be balanced with ministry. This module is designed to help residents identify and manage personal values in the context of ministry. These items include, but may not be limited to:
Health Development Module. To balance the mental and emotional taxing of pastoral ministry on mind and soul, it is important for pastors to develop healthy habits. Unless these habits are established early on in ministry, they will be hard to implement and health will decline unnecessarily for ministry’s sake. This module is designed to assess the resident’s health and track his practices throughout their ministry at UChurch.
Family/Social Development Module. Pastors are usually in ministry together with their spouses. In cases where pastors are not married, they are in relationships or socially active with friends, family, and loved ones. The purpose of this module is to help family and social relationships be balanced in a healthy, productive, and fruitful way.
Evangelism Module. The minister’s job begins with giving Bible studies. Just like every Marine is a basic rifleman, so every pastor is a basic soul-winner. This module is designed to test the evangelistic abilities of the residents. Below are the requirements for successfully fulfilling this module as well as the training topics and opportunities.
Church Leadership Module. The pastor is the shepherd of the church. He must provide leadership to the congregation. Pastoral leadership is different from corporate leadership. Residents will be expected to participate in the items below.
Theology & Philosophy. Part of pastoral ministry and leadership requires the protection of the flock against heresy. Pastors must theologically and philosophically understand the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a movement against the backdrop of scripture and in the modern context. This module helps in strengthening this aspect of pastoral ministry.
Residents will have the opportunity to discuss and be tested on their knowledge of these core components during Morning Reports, Meetings, and Instructional Sessions.
THREE PROGRAM DIVISIONS
The Evaluation Period (First 2-4 Weeks of the Program)
The residents will be evaluated based on the knowledge and experience they already posses.
- //How well they understand the required readings
- //Their current understanding of church ministry
- //Work ethic and people management
- //All residents must master the basic fundamentals of ministry
- //The ability to gain bible study interests
- //The ability to give effective bible studies
- //The ability to keep up with the reading program while being involved in the other residency activities
The Didactic Period (First Semester)
This period makes up the major part of the residency.
- //As the residents demonstrate good work ethic and the ability to keep up with the program, less formal examinations will be required and more focus will be given on developing the individual’s personal strengths and weaknesses
- //All residents must show promise in their ability to develop
- //Their preaching abilities
- //Understanding of public campus ministry and local church dynamics
The Clearance Period (Second Semester)
The residents must demonstrate an ability to fulfill the responsibilities of a pastor on their own. A final cumulative examination must be passed.
- Grading: this is a pass/fail program. The program is designed to test the resident’s fitness for ministry and ability to grow before the end of the program and to help the student successfully finish the residency.
- Pass – Completed the program to the satisfaction of the majority of program directors
- //Followed instructions
- //Accomplished the duties assigned successfully
- With Distinction – Completed the program to the satisfaction of all program directors
- //Accomplishments were beyond the duties assigned
- //Clearly demonstrated strengths in soul-winning
- Highest Distinction – Completed the program to the satisfaction of all program directors and major instructors
- //Lead souls to Christ through baptism during the residency
- //Will receive an interview with Michigan Conference and an official letter of recommendation
MORNING REPORTS
Morning reports will be held regularly to discuss the previous day’s work, readings, challenges, etc. and to catch up on necessary items for the day. Morning Reports start at 8:00 am in the director’s personal office.
- //Monday Week Review: Jermaine Gayle
- //Wednesday Sermon & Pastoral Review: Israel Ramos
- //Thursday Housekeeping Review: Resident Assistant
VESPERS & PREACHING
Residents will share preaching responsibilities at vespers and other events. The Sabbath pulpit will be shared with each student at the discretion of the pastor.
EXERCISE
From time to time, coaches, exercise experts, and program directors will be available to train with the residents, assist them in creating long-term health goals, and ensure that they are maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
FUTURE STUDENTS
ABOUT THE PROGRAM