Pastoral Residency Program

The Salem Avenue Baptist Church Pastoral Residency is a 24-month program that exists to raise up gospel-saturated men to shepherd and lead churches to declare and display the gospel to a watching world.

At Salem Avenue, we believe that healthy pastors lead healthy churches. To that end, the Salem Avenue Pastoral Residency (SAPR) endeavors to develop healthy pastors by grounding their identity in the gospel and anchoring their understanding of pastoral ministry in the same. We hope to see graduates of SAPR plant churches, replant dying churches, pastor existing churches, become non-vocational pastors of churches, and many other ventures.

During the residency, participants will read, write, preach, teach, collaborate, undergo group and individual coaching, participate in discussions on assigned readings, and receive on-the-ground ministry experience. These experiences may include visitation, evangelism, teaching, service in the church, preaching opportunities, and “shadowing” our pastor and other leaders.

Covering a broad spectrum of topics, the Residency aims to clarify strengths and weaknesses of the candidates as well as provide a path forward for growth and preparation for ministry. Due to the varied gifts given by Christ to his church through the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to write one single curriculum which will train every candidate for every role. While we see the residency program as a helpful tool to prepare individuals for ministry, our role, as Salem Avenue Baptist Church, is merely to affirm the Resident’s calling, which comes from God and is empowered by His Spirit.

Year one topics provide a theological framework for pastoral ministry. Year two topics provide specific hands-on tools and applications of the theological work done during Year one. The Residency program consists of ten, eight-week courses of study as follows:

  1. The Gospel and the Grand Narrative

  2. The Doctrines of the Christian Faith

  3. A Theology of the Pastorate

  4. Hermeneutics

  5. Preaching Lab 1

  6. Administration and Leadership

  7. Missions and Evangelism

  8. Pastoral Applications of Discipleship in the Church

  9. Current Issues and Practical Topics

  10. Preaching Lab 2

These courses seek to shape the candidate’s theology of the pastorate and the church as well as identify individual gifting for the edification of God’s church. Each course includes projects which will apply the concepts learned and discussed. These projects may include writing studies, leading groups, teaching equipping classes, and preaching.

FAQs

  • No, there is no cost to participate in the program. As the residency exists to help those feeling a call to pastoral ministry explore said call, we hope to provide support in the form of books, conferences, and possible tuition reimbursement or scholarships for Residents who are either currently pursuing or wish to pursue an undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate degree at a qualified Southern Baptist seminary (SBTS, SEBTS, MBTS, NOBTS, SWBTS, or GS).

  • Yes. Each Resident must be a member of Salem Avenue Baptist Church or become a member of Salem Avenue Baptist Church. A major benefit to SAPR is that pastors and Residents get to walk through life with each other for two years. This allows Residents to be known in such a way that strengths can be highlighted and weaknesses can be exposed and addressed. The relational aspect of the Residency is one that cannot be taken away or discounted. Johnathan Leeman says, “Pastors are exceptional church members.” By being a member with us for two years, we get to see how well Residents “member”.

  • No. Not every person who applies and completes this program will remain here for any number of reasons. Not every Resident will be a good fit for pastoral work at Salem Avenue Baptist Church due to varying giftings, personalities, and the church’s needs. Likewise, completion of the residency does not guarantee that those overseeing the resident believe he is called to vocational ministry. The Residency exists to help those who feel called into ministry to discern their calling and train for possible opportunities God may open for them.

  • Yes. The Residency is to train pastors for gospel work. That can be in any number of areas including lay-leadership, administrative pastors, worship pastors, missionaries, etc. Our goal is to help Residents define their calling and equip them to glorify God in it.

  • The SAPR is a two-year program. Each year begins August 1st and ends on May 31st. Residents will have June, July, and December off.

Applications will be reviewed upon submission and received through May 31st.

If you have further questions, please reach out to the church office at (573) 364-4442 ~OR~ Senior Pastor Bob Allen at pastorbob@sabchurch.org.