Central Church Residency

Program Description

The Central Residency is a one-year, church-based, whole-life discipleship and formation program designed to prepare and propel the next generation of Christian leaders into their future. Residents will participate in two experiences.

1. A Central Leadership Experience, where they will receive seminary training, professional development, spiritual formation, and global engagement.
2. The Central Ministry Experience, where Residents will discover their gifts, receive hands-on experience, and learn from experienced leaders in the church.

Further, each resident will be assigned to one of four tracks and, within that track, assigned to a particular ministry and ministry lead. Throughout the year, Residents will serve within their particular ministry, and they will also receive tailored coaching and personalized counsel from their ministry lead.

Pastoral Track For men who aspire to serve a local church in the office of pastor. Those in this track will receive customized training on aspects of pastoral ministry such as Christ-centered expository preaching, effective church leadership, biblical church governance, faithful biblical exegesis, and more. Available roles include: Pastoral Resident.

Ministry Track For men and women who desire to serve as a key vocational leader of any kind within the local church. Those in this track will receive not only customized training specific to the particular ministry they serve within but also cross-training from the other life-stage ministries of the church. Available roles include: College Resident, Student Resident, Kids Resident.

Creative Track For men and women who want to help shepherd worshipers and steward the gospel through song, design, and technical skill. Those in this track will receive customized training focusing on intergenerational worship, biblical service design, effective production, strategic communications, compelling events, and gospel-focused songwriting. Available roles include: Worship Resident, Communications Resident.

Global Track For men and women who want to leverage their lives in ministry, missions, or the marketplace for the sake of the gospel. Those in this track will receive customized training focusing on engaging people with the message of the gospel, strategic church planting, international missions, faithful disciple-making, personal evangelism, marketplace presence, and biblical missiology. Available roles include: Church-Planting Resident, Missions Resident, Marketplace Resident.

Resident Rhythms

Each week, much of your schedule will be determined by your role, track, and ministry lead. But the section below will give you a broad feel for how your time will be allocated.

Central Ministry Experience: 30 hours

• Ministry Focus (25 hours: includes meetings, 1:1s, admin, projects)
• Sunday Focus (5 hours: hospitality, worship, programming)

Central Leadership Experience: 7–10 hours

• Seminary Training (2 hours plus coursework outside of work)
• Professional Development
• 1 hour weekly for Team Training
• 1 hour monthly for Track Training
• 1 hour quarterly for Tailored Training
• Spiritual Formation (2 hours)
• Global Engagement (5–10 days annually)