POSITION DESCRIPTION
CROSSROADS COMMUNITY CHURCH

Position: Pastoral Intern

Date Prepared: May 21, 2023

Basic Function 

This pastoral internship role is a training program (not necessarily a steppingstone to a permanent position at Crossroads) designed to give first-hand ministry experience to the candidate as he wrestles through a call to full-time, vocational ministry. The ideal candidate should already demonstrate above-average involvement in a local faith family and should have lay leader experience leading a ministry and/or small group/LifeGroup. Internship will last 12 months.

Overview of Pastoral Internship

Our desire is to provide a practical, well-rounded pastoral internship experience that will engage the HEAD, HEART and HANDS of the selected candidate.

• HEAD: We will challenge you to grow intellectually and through a simple curriculum and ongoing mentorship.
• HEART: We want to inspire your heart for God’s people and grow your personal love and devotion for Christ throughout this entire process.
• HANDS: We want to give you a hands-on experience in ministry…get ready to roll up your sleeves and dive in.

Specific Ministry Responsibilities:

Some of the experiences and activities you will likely be called upon to do in this internship include:

• Counseling/Discipleship
• Personal Evangelism
• Involvement on and leadership of ministry teams
• Preaching and teaching
• Sunday programming & sermon planning
• Vision casting and public speaking
• Conflict resolution
• Mentoring/coaching others
• Helping officiate weddings and funerals
• Baptizing born-again believers
• Reading/study of ministry-related books and resources

There will be regular updates with various staff and pastoral mentors. There will be various assessments throughout the process to help the intern discern his spiritual gifts and strengths and evaluate how this lines up with full-time, vocational ministry (and perhaps even church planting.) After an 8 to 9-month period, Crossroads and the intern will meet and evaluate the intern’s sense of calling to vocational ministry and help him map out next steps at the conclusion of the internship.

• If the intern feels a strong call to vocational ministry, he is welcome to explore a pastoral or ministry position that may happen to be open at either of our campuses at such time. However, the candidate should understand there are no promises of such a role being available and having served as a pastoral intern does not guarantee him a staff role should one even become open.
• It is possible that at the conclusion of the internship that there may be a stirring to explore church planting. Application into and a transition to our church planting residency may prove to be a strategic option if both the intern and Crossroads agree it’s a strong next step.
• Should the intern not wish to pursue church planting or vocational ministry and/or there is not an open role at Crossroads that candidate would be suited for, Crossroads will work with the intern to help transition out of his internship over the next few months into what God has next for him.
• It is possible that the leadership at Crossroads may decide that the intern does not fit the culture of Crossroads or doesn’t possess the necessary gifting and aptitude to take on a vocational ministry role at Crossroads. Crossroads will work with the intern to help transition out of his internship over the next few months into what God has next for him.
  There are no promises for full-time employment or approving the intern for the church planting residency at Crossroads at the conclusion of the pastoral internship period.

Personal Qualifications Required:

• Must maintain a vital and growing personal walk with the Lord through committed Bible study, prayer, and time spent contemplating God’s Word.
• Must be a man who maintains proper priorities in his home and lives according to the qualifications in 1 Timothy 3.
• Commits to the principle of tithing 10% of gross income and does/will financially support the ministries of Crossroads Community Church by the giving of their first fruits.
• Currently plugged in and serving in a local faith family (this includes regular attendance, serving/leading, giving and involvement in a LifeGroup (small group.)

Strengths, Giftedness, Experience, & Miscellaneous Requirements:

• Prior ministry experience required. (NOTE: prior experience need not be vocational in nature, but candidate should be leading as a lay minister in a local church or ministry at a minimum.)
• Interest in pursuing ministry as a vocation with gifts/interests in preaching, leadership, evangelism, or pastoral care.
• Possesses a shepherd’s heart and a Christ-centered love for people.
• A passion for the Kingdom of God and a passionate desire to see others experience Kingdom life must be clear from past experiences.
• Possesses a demonstrated leadership ability and is willing to continue to develop as a leader.
• Has a demonstrated level of teachability and humility.
• Regardless of areas of giftedness, must still have a heart for outreach. Must be consistently pursuing and fostering personal evangelism opportunities within and outside the church for purposes of winning others to Christ. Demonstrates this as a priority to others.
• Understands ministry is not a “9 to 5 job” and is willing to dedicate a minimum of two nights per week to ministry-related activities. Night demands are balanced with flexibility that is present with the position so as to promote a healthy work/life balance.
• Agrees fully with the Converge Great Lakes Statement, as well as the Crossroads Community Church Statement of Faith.
• Believes in and has submitted to Believer’s baptism following his commitment to Christ.
• Commits to resolve conflict via Biblical guidelines spelled out in Matthew.
• Understands confidentiality is a MUST – takes very seriously the importance of maintaining confidentiality – commits to keep information confidential, including from family and close friends.
• If a current member, candidate actively lives out and models for the church a strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Crossroads.
• Must be a person people can relate to and find easy to approach with their questions or concerns.
• Comfortable with boldly recruiting and skillfully training volunteers.
• Organizational and administrative skills.
• Basic software skills are required. Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.
• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited Christian school and/or graduate degree from an accredited seminary is preferred but not required. However, ideal candidates will already have some theological training and will be prepared to speak to how he obtained such training and how he intends to obtain additional training if necessary.

Relationships and Contacts:

• Reports to the Staff Pastor and Senior Pastor.
• Frequent contact with ministry leaders as he works through his internship.
• Works closely with other staff members (including ongoing mentorship by various staff members throughout the residency.)
• Reports out to the Elder/Pastoral Leadership Team as requested.
• Works with outside contacts to continually examine and improve the effectiveness of the ministries he is involved in at Crossroads.
• Must be intentional about building relationships with people within the Crossroads congregation and expected to be in attendance at Sunday service on a consistent basis.