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RENDEZVOUS

Internship: Excellent Training for Rural Leaders

by Jim Carlson, RMBM Executive Director

Pastors and leaders in rural ministries have known for years that our work is an extension school of the College of Hard Knocks, where you take the tests first and learn the lessons later. Not only are some of the "courses" devastating, many of them could be avoided if the worker had the benefit of supervised, on-the-job training.

Beginning with Sid and Linda Bartell several years ago (now pastoring in St. Regis and Westend), the Mission developed a practical, challenging, and comprehensive internship program for rural pastors. The internship gives a prospective pastoral couple a supervised, hands-on, guided church ministry opportunity while protecting them from many of the risks of flying solo.

Designed for mature Christians who may have families and established careers, an internship takes at least two years to complete, and must be done on site. Obviously, this involves a tremendous commitment and conviction that the Lord is calling the candidate to rural ministry.

Emphasis during the internship is on spending time with an experienced pastor and his leadership team, becoming involved in the church’s ministry, and completing an intensive slate of specific reading, reporting and projects.

Formal Bible training is expected of a pastoral intern. Bible Training Centre for Pastors has provided this schooling for our interns thus far, though other avenues of training would also be acceptable. We’ve found that candidates can readily weave the requirements of internship with BTCP course work.

To date Sid and Linda Bartell and Steve and Tracey Lockrem have completed the internship program. While the Bartells are holding the fort in St. Regis and Westend, the Lockrems are serving the Lone Rock Bible Church.

Current Mission interns include Rod and Debbie Higgins, serving the Drummond Community Church with Pastor Dave and Kathy Simmons, and Russ and Shannon Scheffel, working with the Lone Rock Bible Church with the Lockrems and the Jim and Mary Carlson.

Mission interns are proving to be an excellent source of trained leaders for rural churches.

The Mission would be delighted to visit with those whom the Lord may be calling to rural ministry. It’s our desire to help train and equip rural church leaders, a role we’re happy to fill as the Lord builds His kingdom in the "little places" of the Rocky Mountain West.