Ministry Resident

The future of the local church needs leaders who won’t wilt under pressure. Ministry is demanding, and the statistics are clear: over 40% of pastors seriously consider walking away. The next generation of church leaders needs more than just theological knowledge; they need resilience, clarity, and hands-on competence to survive and thrive for a lifetime of discipleship-focused ministry. We believe in planting deep roots. Like the trees described in Jeremiah 17:7-8, you need to be planted by the river–strong, stable, and fruitful-even when the inevitable drought hits. Bible college and seminary provide excellent training, but are often unable to provide students with the hands-on experience necessary to thrive in life-long vocational ministry. Planted exists to bridge that gap. Here, you don’t just think about ministry; you do ministry-with coaching and mentoring from seasoned ministry leaders.

Our program is engineered to make sure you’re not one of the 40%: Clarity of Calling: Test, confirm, or discover your ministry calling through real-world, hands-on experience. High-Level Coaching: Receive dedicated mentorship that pushes your limits to grow your ministry competency. Sustainable Ministry: Build the spiritual resilience and healthy habits required for a lifelong kingdom impact. If you are serious about a lifelong, disciple-making ministry, Planted is where you put down deep roots and prepare to outlast the difficult seasons of ministry.

The Residency is a two-year, full-time program for individuals who are preparing to enter vocational ministry and need to build hands-on experience. As a resident, you'll prepare for ministry through intentional discussion with Planted staff, as well as other residents, while engaging in meaningful ministry to push your limits and build healthy ministry habits and the spiritual resilience to help you thrive in a lifetime of discipleship-focused ministry.

Residents will:

• Own a Key Role: Focus intensely on one specific ministry area, usually focused around an ongoing program where you will serve in a leadership role.
• Broadly Engage: Rotate through the areas of ministry outside of your focus area to gain a broader understanding of the church and its ministries.
• Receive High-Level Coaching: Get dedicated, one-on-one coaching and mentoring from a seasoned ministry leader in your area of focus.
• Engage in Ongoing Education: Participate in focused education sessions covering a range of topics in Bible, theology, church practice, and ministry calling.
• Partner with Another Resident: You will be paired with another resident for intentional peer-to-peer discipleship and accountability.