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Converge Heartland’s pastoral residency program trains men for ministry through three core components including Pastoral Development, Theological Education and Ministry Experience. The resident is an employee of Converge Heartland, with funding processed through Converge Heartland.
Residencies are local church-based programs designed to train men for pastoral ministry, preparing elder-qualified leaders to plant, revitalize, or minister in Heartland and beyond.
Converge Heartland’s vision is to see a Gospel-centered church bringing transformation to every Heartland community. We believe there is a pressing need in our day for biblically called and qualified men to pastor churches—men who will devote their lives to Gospel ministry.
Residencies are local church-based programs designed to train men for pastoral ministry. Graduates of the program will be elder-qualified men, prepared to pastor the church through planting, revitalization, or other local church ministry in the Heartland and beyond. Most residencies offer a base salary with supplemental, support-raised income options to assist with living costs, seminary tuition, retirement, health insurance, etc.
To train men for ministry, residencies have three main components.
Converge Heartland
Converge Heartland is one of ten districts in Converge, a collaborative network of independent Great Commission congregations working together to help people meet, know, and follow Jesus. Heartland serves over sixty churches across Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.
We partner with various Christian universities and seminaries to provide residents with accessible, affordable degrees in theology—all completed remotely during the program: Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Kansas City, MO), Kairos University (Sioux Falls, SD), and the Timothy Pastoral Apprenticeship (Dell Rapids, SD).
Residencies range from one to three years, depending on the context.
A pastoral residency differs from an internship in that it is designed to clarify and sharpen a man’s call to ministry, not determine whether he is called. Ideal candidates for this program are men who:
The resident is an employee of Converge Heartland. All funds for paying residents go securely through Converge Heartland. Though an employee of Heartland, residents are members of and accountable to the local churches where they serve.
Some host churches provide housing for the residents, others do not.
Before the program begins, residents will participate in a three-day training program through Converge Heartland, where they will be equipped with everything they need to raise support. Residents will also have a ministry coach from Heartland who will help them along the way.