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Equipping the saints for the work of ministry to build up the body of Christ
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Overview

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:1-2) 
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The Ministry Apprenticeship program exists to help men and women of mature faith explore their aspirations and develop gifts for vocational ministry, as well as robust lay leadership. By working alongside and under the direction of pastors and leaders, apprentices at Zion will be further equipped for service of various kinds to and within the Body of Christ through observation, hands-on ministry experience and study & reflection.
Although first priority is ordinarily given to members of Zion Baptist Community Church who are seeking experience in vocational ministry (e.g. pastors, chaplains, missionaries, etc.), as well as those enrolled in a seminary or Bible school program who are seeking field education experience, anyone desiring to be challenged and equipped for gospel ministry in any capacity is encouraged to apply. Zion will work with successful applicants to adapt the focus of ministry and observation experiences, readings, responsibilities, and time commitments to the qualifications, ministry aspirations, gifts, and availability of the apprentice.

Supervision

Apprentices will be supervised and directed by the Lead Pastor, including regular meetings to discuss study material, review goals, and debrief experiences. Additional mentoring opportunities may be arranged with other staff and lay leaders of the church, depending on the aspirations, strengths and weaknesses, and goals of the apprentice, as well as the availability of other leaders.

General Expectations & Responsibilities

Each apprentice is expected to:
  • Be able to affirm the ZBCC Statement of Beliefs and Members’ Covenant (available on our website). Apprentices are generally expected to become members of Zion during the time of their apprenticeship in order to fully engage in the life of the congregation.
  • Attend all worship and prayer gatherings of the church, staff meetings and staff prayer times, Ministry Council meetings, mentor and supervisor meetings, ministry leaders’ events hosted by the Alberta Baptist Association, as well as funerals, weddings and rehearsals, and other relevant meetings/events that arise.
  • Responsibilities of apprentices are generally adjusted according to the qualifications, ministry aspirations and gifts of an applicant, but include three main areas of focus:
    1. Observation (approx. 25%)
    2. Ministry Experience (approx. 50%)
    3. Study & Reflection (approx. 25%)
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Observation

We seek to provide an opportunity for future pastors and church leaders to reflect on the nature of the church and vocational ministry. Apprentices will be able to observe pastors and leaders in their work, to gain a wholistic view of local church ministry in practice, through worship and prayer gatherings, staff and Ministry Council meetings, and by participating in things like hospital visits, wedding and funeral preparations, etc., and debriefing observations and experiences.
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Ministry Experience

The purpose of the ZBCC apprenticeship program is not to build and staff ministries within our own church. Although apprentices will be involved in ministry which supports the ongoing work of the church and advances our mission, efforts are planned and organized around creating helpful experiences to explore aspirations and develop gifting. Ministry experience may include preaching and other teaching opportunities, leading prayer gatherings, youth and children’s ministry, one-to-one discipleship, home/hospital visitation, inner-city mercy ministry, neighbourhood engagement, and more.

Study & Reflection

Throughout the course, ministry apprentices will be required to complete a selection of readings, including books, chapters, articles and online courses/seminars. These will be tailored to appropriately match goals set with and for the apprentice, but will ordinarily be related to the themes of aspiration and character, the church, preaching, pastoral theology, mission, navigating change and conflict, and worship. 
For each reading (or theme) apprentices will write a paper (750 words max.) which demonstrates critical interaction with the material, with a focus on application to church life and ministry, for discussion with the supervisor/mentor at a weekly meeting.
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Readings will typically include selections from among the following:

Aspiration & Character

The Path to Being a Pastor (Jamieson)
The Imperfect Pastor (Eswine)
Dangerous Calling (Tripp)
When People Are Big and God is Small (Welch)
Letters to a Young Pastor (C. Miller)

The Church

What is a Healthy Church? Or Nine Marks of a Healthy Church (Dever)
A Praying Church (P. Miller)
Life Together (Bonhoeffer)

Preaching

Preach (Dever & Gilbert) or Expositional Preaching (Helm)
Peculiar Speech (Willimon)
Preaching & Preachers (Lloyd-Jones)
Simplicity in Preaching (Ryle) Or Small Preaching (Pennington)
Preaching (Keller)
Online Course: Charles Simeon Trust - First Principles

Pastoral Theology & Care

Pastoral Care: An Essential Guide (Patton)
Pastoral Theology in the Classical Tradition (Purves)
The Care of Souls (Senkbeil)
Untangling Emotions (Groves & Smith)

Mission

The Open Secret (Newbigin)
Faithful Presence (Fitch)

Worship

Worship by the Book, ch 1 (Carson)
Worship Matters (Kauflin)
Perspectives on Christian Worship: 5 Views (Pinson, ed.)

Conflict & Change

Who Moved My Pulpit (Rainer)
A Guide to Church Revitalization (Mohler, ed.)
Engage All Generations, ch 18 (Seibel)
A Gentle Answer (Sauls)

Financial Assistance

Thanks to a generous estate gift left to our congregation, Zion has created an endowment fund to offer financial assistance in the form of a monthly stipend, to allow apprentices to invest themselves more fully in this opportunity for a season. Books, study materials, and other ministry-related expenses will be provided. 
Financial assistance may vary, depending on a variety of factors including need and the availability of funds, with terms discussed and agreed upon with the apprentice prior to the commencement of service. 

Apply & Info


Request more information and/or apply by contacting
Lead Pastor - Nick Thiessen: nick@zbcc.ca / 780-433-8756


Applicants will be required to provide:
    • Résumé
      • Please include educational background and any relevant paid/volunteer ministry experience.
    • Cover Letter
      • Please include the name of the church that you currently attend and your involvement, as well as what you hope to learn/gain from an apprenticeship at ZBCC.
    • Two Letters of Recommendation
      • These letters should speak to your character, experience, and skills, and should discuss both strengths and weaknesses. Please ask your references to state how long and in what relational capacity they have known you. If you are married, one of your two recommendation letters should be a letter from a pastor/elder who can describe your marriage and speak to its suitability for ministry. 
      • Non-members of ZBCC: One letter must be from a pastor/elder of the church of your membership.
      • All letters must be confidential and sent directly to the e-mail address above.