Pastoral Resident

The Stonebridge Pastoral Residency is a two-year, full-time residential training program that exists to equip aspiring pastors with the convictions, character and competencies necessary for faithful and resilient pastoral ministry (Ps 78:72; 1 Tim. 4:16).

Program

The two-year program will equip residents with convictions, character and competencies through a combination of mentored experience and ministry training.

Mentored

Experience:

Observing and Participating in Ministry (approx. 25 hrs/wk) Ministry Exposure

• Observe Stonebridge ministries in action
• Time with pastors and key leaders
• Observe various church leadership meetings
• Shadow hospital visitation, funerals and other pastoral duties

Evaluated Experience

• Serve as part of the equipping staff team (pastors and directors)
• Participate in worship services and pastoral duties
• Lead a ministry
• Preach six to ten sermons (at least five of them during Stonebridge Sunday morning worship services)
• Regular check‑in with supervisor

Ministry Training:
Learning and Personal Development (approx. 15 hrs/wk) Personal Study and Writing

• Read important pastoral and theological works
• Articulate your position on key pastoral, theological and cultural topics
• Produce a doctrinal statement (with option to pursue EFCA licensure)
• Draft your philosophy of ministry

Training Seminars and Workshops

• Preaching and teaching
• Leadership
• Practical shepherding
• Discipleship strategy
• Worship service planning
• Faith, work and economic wisdom
• Budgets and administration

Personal Development

• Be mentored by an elder or pastor
• Participate in our church leadership cohort

Our mission as a church is to walk alongside each person we meet as they take their next step with Jesus.

Our discipleship strategy

We put our mission into practice by engaging each person we meet (Matt. 5:14-16), evangelizing non‑believers (Col. 1:13-14), establishing new believers (Col. 2:6-7) and equipping growing believers (Eph. 4:11-13) on their journey of knowing and growing in Christ.

We aim to employ this strategy across all our ministries: children, students, adult groups and classes, men’s and women’s ministries, hospitality, care, worship and tech, biblical counseling and local outreach.

As a church, we value collaboration for the kingdom, which includes supporting and partnering with a number of missionaries and ministries both locally and globally, and working together with other gospel‑preaching churches and networks in our area.

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