Ministry Apprenticeship

Overview

The purpose of the ministry apprenticeship is to train men for pastoral and/or lay ministry in New England. The training will largely be focused upon ecclesiology and philosophy of ministry, but it’s not limited to these areas. The apprenticeship program is designed to be academic, practical, and integral.

Specific responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Academic:

• The hub of the program will include a heavy dose of weekly reading and writing. Here is a sample reading list.
• Each week, the apprentices will meet with the lead pastor, Luke Harding, to discuss the written assignments and apply the discussions locally.
  
  

Practical:

• Apprentices will have the opportunity to observe portions of Godspeed Elders’ meetings and will participate in weekly service reviews. 
• Apprentices will have the opportunity to teach in children’s Sunday school, youth group, growth seminars, and potentially Sunday services.

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Tailored and Integrated:

• Apprentices will have the opportunity to assist or even lead in a specific ministry area. These areas may include music ministry, youth ministry, college/singles ministry, or children’s ministry.  
• Apprentices are expected to participate in the regular life of the church. This includes joining a home group and meeting bi-weekly with individual members of the church for a coffee or a meal. 

Time Commitment & Schedule

The duration of the ministry apprenticeship will be 11 months [Mid-August – Mid-July] with a possibility of adding an additional year which will include greater leadership responsibility within ministry of the church and training. The apprenticeship requires you to work two full days or approximately 16 hours per week (in office). Additionally, you will be required to participate in additional gatherings / activities of the church.

Here is a sample weekly schedule:

Stipend & Benefits

• Stipend: Apprentices will receive a $500 monthly stipend for their two-days of work.
• Books: Apprentices will be given several hundred dollars’ worth of books. 
• Conference: Apprentices will attend a 9marks weekender (registration, travel, and meals covered by the church). 
• Housing: If a single candidate is in need of housing, we will provide housing likely in the form of a host family. 

Additional Work & Funding

Apprentices are expected either to find a part-time job (no more than 3-days per week) or raise additional funds ($10,000). If one chooses to raise funds, they will have a greater opportunity to be integrated into the ministry arenas of our church. We encourage apprentices to raise additional funds, if possible, and we’re happy to help you develop a plan for doing this. 

Please Note: Apprentices are not considered regular employees of the church, and, therefore, Godspeed Church does not offer any health or dental insurance to apprentices. Apprentices are expected to have this covered from an outside source.

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