Initiative for Ministerial Excellence:
Ministry Residency Program

The Fellowship's ministry residency program began as part of the Initiative for Ministerial Excellence. The first cycle of the program placed 10 seminary graduates from Fellowship partner schools in teaching congregations for their first ministry placements following seminary.

“The purpose of the Initiative’s residency program is to address the concern that ministers in their first ministry placement following seminary often experience great difficulty,” said Terry Hamrick, the Fellowship’s coordinator for leadership development. “We believe the long-term interests of our congregations and the possibility for ongoing pastoral excellence are best served by more intentional first placements, where ministers spend their first two years after seminary in a context that allows them to hone their ministry skills and encourages the rhythms and practices for long-term health and excellence in ministry.”

Currently, the Initiative is seeking churches that would like to serve as teaching congregations as part of the residency program. The IME team, in collaboration with the schools, will select the teaching congregations. For more information, contact Steve Graham, or call (800) 352-8741. Download brochure

The Fellowship’s Initiative partner schools include Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary, Campbell University Divinity School, Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology and Logsdon School of Theology at Hardin-Simmons University.

• Meet Peachtree Baptist, a church that has experienced the rewards of being a teaching congregation
• Take a look at Peachtree Baptist’s history as a teaching congregation
• An internship program model developed by Peachtree Baptist
• Meet Daniel Glaze, former CBF resident
• Meet Wilshire Baptist Church, a church that embodies the concept of a teaching congregation

Apply: