Pastoral Residency
The Pastoral Residency at Christ Community brings together the best of both the seminary education and the local church experience in preparing future church leaders. I know of no better program of church leadership training today.
-Tim Keller
Program Overview
The Christ Community Pastoral Residency is a two-year mentoring program designed to train and equip church leaders of tomorrow. Believing the local church, as God designed it, is the hope of the world, Christ Community seeks to provide aspiring church leaders at seminary a healthy church environment to learn, grow, and practice ministry after completing their degree.
Why Consider Our Residency?
Students selected as Residents will receive tuition assistance in their final year at seminary. Upon completion of his or her degree, each will serve a two-year residency at Christ Community as an Associate Pastor. The Pastoral Residency, a paid position with full benefits, provides a wide range of potential ministry opportunities suited to each Resident’s gifts, abilities, and eventual ministry focus, with multiple opportunities for mentorship available.
EXPECTATIONS
Select a title below for details.
REQUIREMENTS
Christ Community desires to select seminary students with “integrity of heart and skillful hands” (Psalm 78:70-72) to participate in this program. Applications will be accepted for students in the spring prior to their final year. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to following Christ, ministry leadership ability, a heart for serving the local church, and academic excellence. Those selected for the Residency receive tuition assistance in their final year at seminary and commit to moving to the Kansas City area upon completion of their degree, where they will serve at Christ Community as a Resident for two years.
NEXT STEPS
Complete the application process. Applications are to be submitted by January 6 in the year prior to the student’s final year. For those selected to continue the application process, virtual interviews will be scheduled in late February. Finalists will be scheduled for a second interview in Kansas City in mid-April. Final decisions will be made and communicated by May.
For more details email Nathan Miller or
CONTACT US
APPLICATION DETAILS
Create your application document with the following details. The document should be single-spaced and not exceed five pages in length. Email final document to Nathan Miller at Christ Community. We will select one to three applicants per calendar year. (See application deadlines below.)
PERSONAL INFORMATION
- Your Name
- Address/City/State/Zip
- Phone Number(s)
- Preferred Email Contact
- Current GPA in the MDiv program
- Anticipated Graduation Date from seminary
- Degree Program and Emphasis (if applicable)
- If selected as a finalist, would you be available for an interview in February? If yes, what days/times would NOT work for you?
- Tell us about yourself
COMPETENCE
- List your educational background.
- Tell us about any awards you have received throughout your educational experience.
- List your work experience.
- In what ways have you or are you currently demonstrating leadership?
- How would you describe your strengths and weaknesses?
CHARACTER
- Tell us about your journey of faith.
- How have you been involved in your local church – past and present?
- What is something you have learned recently from the Word of God?
- What has God been teaching you lately?
- Read any good books lately? Tell us about one or two of them. (Exclude the Bible on this answer.)
- What do you like to do for fun?
CALLING
- Tell us about your sense of calling. Where and how do you sense God is directing you to serve Him after graduation from Trinity?
APPLICATION DEADLINES
APPLICATION/REFERENCES DUE
January 6, 2023
TUITION ASSISTANCE YEAR
2023-2024
RESIDENCY YEARS
June 2024–May 2026
OUR MISSION
To be a caring family of multiplying disciples influencing our community and world for Jesus Christ.
WHO IS CHRIST COMMUNITY?
Christ Community is an Evangelical Free Church in the Kansas City area with campuses located in Leawood, KS, Olathe, KS, Shawnee, KS, and the Downtown and Brookside areas of Kansas City, MO. Founded in 1989 by its current Senior Pastor Tom Nelson (ThM, DMin, DTS), Christ Community seeks to assist people in becoming integral and influential apprentices of Jesus. Built upon expositional and relevant Bible teaching, thoughtful and beautiful worship gatherings, and communities of truth and grace, Christ Community is healthy and growing, with an average weekly Sunday morning attendance over 2,500.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US:
POSITION PAPERS
FREQUENT QUESTIONS
Select a ? below.
Financial Assistance
Are there other options for financial assistance if my final year of seminary is already paid for?
If your final year of seminary is already covered by a full scholarship, Christ Community offers other forms of financial assistance. Contact Nathan Miller for more details.
Female Students
Is the Pastoral Residency open to women?
Yes, the residency is open to women. Opportunities for women are not limited in any way within the residency. All Pastoral Residents will preach and teach. Prospective residents should familiarize themselves and be comfortable with Christ Community’s polity regarding men and women.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US:
POSITION PAPERS
International Students
Is the Pastoral Residency open to international students?
Prospective residents must be able to provide documentation for authorization to work in the United States when applying for the residency. Christ Community does not sponsor visas for employees. International students must be able to gain work authorization through another means in order to be a part of the residency program.
Multisite Church Experience
How do the multisite dynamics at Christ Community affect the Pastoral Residency experience?
Christ Community is a multisite church, with five campuses across the Kansas City area. Christ Community operates differently than many large multisite churches. For example, while all the campuses teach the same sermon series and pastors collaborate on the sermon each week, the preaching is live at each campus rather than a video feed from one central campus. This allows sermons to be contextualized to each campus, and creates more preaching opportunities for the residents. Residents spend most of their time working on projects for their assigned campus, but also have the chance to work on projects that affect all campuses, and experience ministry with pastors in different contexts.
Bringing together seminary education and the local church experience.
Application
Thank you for your interest in applying for the Christ Community Pastoral Residency. We are delighted that you have chosen to take the next step and apply. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us for further clarification.
Virtual interviews with selected applicants will be in late February 2023. Finalists will be invited to Christ Community in mid-April for a second interview. Pastoral Residents will be selected by May 2023. Residency begins June 2024.
Submit Your Application
Coordinate with a Professor
Please coordinate with a professor at seminary and have them complete an online Reference Form. This reference is due by
January 6, 2023
Coordinate with Your Pastor
Please coordinate with your pastor and have them complete an online Reference Form.
This reference is due by
January 6, 2023