Emerging Leaders
Earlier this year I became convicted that I haven’t done enough to develop the next generation of Christian leaders for the church and the world.
(Maybe this is what happens as you get older and realize there aren’t enough young people in the rooms you’re sitting in.)
I’ve long cited leadership development as one of my passions, but over the last 15 years, City Church hasn’t launched as many people into full-time vocational ministry as I’d like. We have played a part in seeing some men and women gain the education and experience they’ve needed to move into ministry roles (Rev. John Bourgeois, Jenna Opedun, and Rev. Jacob Lee are a few examples), but we want to see many more respond to and follow God’s call.
During my time at City Church we’ve been big believers in the godly value of all sorts of work, and we’ve tried hard to avoid creating a sacred/secular distinction—especially one that would privilege ministry over other legitimate professional callings. However, in the process, it’s possible that we haven’t done enough to encourage men and women to consider full-time or part-time ministry roles.
That’s why we are excited to announce a new Emerging Leaders Program. The purpose of this program is to equip and grow leaders for a variety of roles within the church and kingdom. We hope it is one way that we can be faithful to disciple leaders for church, world, and home. The Emerging Leaders Program will have three tiers: Internships, Seminary Fellowships, and Pastoral Residencies.
Internships exist for men and women who are interested in part-time work within local church ministry, usually alongside other existing vocations. Each intern will serve for 9-12 months (usually beginning in September and following the ministry/academic year) within an area of church ministry (like administration, worship, discipleship, missions). During the internship they will work at the church for 2-10 hours per week and be paid $20 per hour. They will be supervised and mentored by members of the City Church staff and have opportunities to learn about how gospel ministry is carried out with a congregation. Interns will also meet monthly for discussions focused on fundamental principles of Christian ministry and leadership. Specifically, we envision three type of internships:
College Internships, open to students who have completed at least two years of college;
Vocational Internships, for those committed to a secular professional vocation but wanting to gain more exposure to church ministry;
Ministry Internships for those interested in exploring the possibility of full-time vocational ministry.
Seminary Fellowships exist for men and women currently enrolled in an accredited seminary program. The Fellowship is design to help them grow spiritually, clarify their calling, and prepare for vocational ministry by providing a real-world ministry context to complement their academic preparation. Like the internships, fellowships will focus on a particular area of church ministry and will be tailored to each candidates gifts and interests. Seminary fellows will receive a monthly stipend and a tuition scholarship, commensurate with their experience.
Pastoral Residencies exist for male seminary graduates who are pursuing ordination. Each pastoral resident will work full-time at City Church in a 2-year supervised residency with broad and deep exposure to all aspects of pastoral ministry. Residents will participate in guided modules (on topics like leadership, preaching, pastoral care, cultural analysis, church renewal) led by the City Church pastoral staff. They will receive an annual salary plus benefits to be determined based on experience (~$50,000/year).
Our hope is that a renewed commitment to emerging Christian leaders is a priority that all of City Church will support. While the lion’s share of the supervision and guidance will be provided by the City Church pastors and staff, we also know that it is a gospel community that prepares and sends people into mission. Our hope is that we will welcome our first interns as earlier as the Fall of 2024.
If you are interested in learning more about City Church’s Emerging Leaders Program, please reach out to me aterik@citychurchrva.com. An online application is available here: