About The Dan Arnett Ministry Institute (PDF)

Apply for The Dan Arnett Ministry Institute (Online Form)

Our Ministry Institute aims to:

1. Deepen Biblical Knowledge: Provide a comprehensive and rigorous study of the Scriptures, guiding participants to understand, interpret, and apply the Word of God in their lives and ministries.
2. Cultivate Theological Understanding: Equip individuals with a solid theological foundation grounded in biblical theology, fostering a thoughtful and informed faith that can engage with contemporary challenges.
3. Foster Spiritual Formation: Facilitate a transformative journey of spiritual growth, emphasizing prayer, worship, and personal discipleship to cultivate a Christ-centered life.
4. Develop Ministry Skills: Offer practical training in various aspects of ministry, including preaching, teaching, pastoral care, evangelism, and leadership, empowering individuals to serve effectively in their unique callings.
5. Encourage Servant Leadership: Instill the values of servant leadership, humility, and compassion, reflecting the example of Jesus Christ in all aspects of ministry and community engagement.
6. Promote Community and Fellowship: Create a supportive and nurturing community where participants can connect, collaborate, and build meaningful relationships with fellow believers, fostering a sense of belonging and accountability.
7. Equip for Cultural Engagement: Prepare individuals to engage with and impact the broader culture, addressing contemporary issues with a biblically grounded and Christ-centered perspective.
8. Facilitate Discernment and Calling: Provide opportunities for participants to discern their unique calling and giftings, guiding them toward fulfilling God’s purpose for their lives in ministry and service.

As a Ministry Institute within a Baptist Church, our ultimate goal is to raise up a generation of committed disciples and leaders who, equipped with sound biblical knowledge and a passion for Christ, will actively contribute to the growth and impact of the local church and the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

Internship

The Ministry Institute offers two unique formats. Our internship program is available for short durations for individuals and students who desire on-site training during the week. This format follows a traditional internship program with a paid stipend and includes:

1. Duration: A specified time frame for the internship, whether it’s a summer, semester-long, or year-long program.

2. Supervision and Mentorship: Assigned supervisor or mentor who oversees the intern’s work, provides guidance, and facilitates professional development.

3. Work Assignments: Meaningful and relevant work assignments that align with the intern’s academic or career interests and contribute to the organization’s goals. Involvement in projects or tasks that contribute to the organization’s objectives, allowing interns to make meaningful contributions.

4. Training and Development: Opportunities for skill development through on-the-job training, workshops, seminars, or other learning activities.

5. Regular Feedback and Evaluation: Scheduled feedback sessions to review the intern’s performance, discuss strengths and areas for improvement, and set goals for growth.

6. Exposure to Different Departments: Rotation or exposure to different departments or functions within the organization, providing a comprehensive view of its operations.

7. End-of-Program Evaluation: A final evaluation session to assess the overall performance of the intern, discuss achievements, and provide constructive feedback.

How many hours a week will I work? What would my schedule look like?

The weekly hours and schedules are determined by the ministry supervisor in conversation with the Institute.

The three categories are:

4–8 hours per week, 8–12 hours per week, or 12–16 hours per week

Is it paid?

All interns are either given scholarship money or are paid an hourly rate (ministry-specific). Information about this can be obtained further along in the interview process.

Paid mission trips The goal of Bethel’s practical internship is to send every intern on a complementary mission trip at least once during the duration of their internship. A recent Barna study showed that 51% of regular churchgoers in the U.S. do not know the Great Commission. Our trips are designed to expose followers of Jesus to the Biblical basis of missions, explore the current state of our world, and encourage participants to engage in practical ways to step into their role and help see the Great Commission fulfilled.

Continuing Education. Bethel’s ministry internship aims to equip, train, and grow future church leaders. Interns will receive continuing education through local training sessions, attending the SBC annual conference, and other pertinent conferences.  

Books and Resources. We believe that leaders are readers. Throughout your time, you will be given several books and other valuable resources. Bethel’s internship program will cover the cost of these books and resources.

Residency

The residency program is a less formal but more extended program for those who desire a more flexible alternative to church leadership. The residency does not include a paid stipend, but residents will be provided books, ministry opportunities, mission trips, and other beneficial opportunities.

This residency aims to provide an atmosphere within a local church to train, equip, and affirm men for pastoral ministry and leaders for service in the local church. Here are some benefits of considering this residency:

• Gaining practical ministry experience: Church residencies provide hands-on experience in various areas of ministry, such as worship, outreach, discipleship, counseling, and administration.

• Developing leadership skills: residents often have the opportunity to lead and manage projects or teams, which can help them develop leadership skills and grow in confidence.

• Networking: Interning at a church can provide opportunities to meet and connect with other pastors, ministry leaders, and professionals in the field.

• Spiritual growth: Many church residences offer spiritual development opportunities such as Bible studies, prayer meetings, and retreats, which can help leaders grow in their faith and relationship with God.

• Discernment and clarity: residents can help individuals discern their calling and gain clarity about their future career goals, whether that involves full-time ministry or not.

• Feedback and mentorship: residents often receive feedback and guidance from experienced pastors or ministry leaders, which can help them grow and improve their skills and abilities.

HOURLY REQUIREMENTS:

10 + hours per week.

Compensation

 Paid mission trips The goal of Bethel’s practical internship is to send every intern on a complementary mission trip at least once during the duration of their internship. A recent Barna study showed that 51% of regular churchgoers in the U.S. do not know the Great Commission. Our trips are designed to expose followers of Jesus to the Biblical basis of missions, explore the current state of our world, and encourage participants to engage in practical ways to step into their role and help see the Great Commission fulfilled.

Continuing Education. Bethel’s ministry internship aims to equip, train, and grow future church leaders. Interns will receive continuing education through local training sessions, attending the SBC annual conference, and other pertinent conferences.  

Books and Resources. We believe that leaders are readers. Throughout your time, you will be given several books and other valuable resources. Bethel’s internship program will cover the cost of these books and resources.

OVERVIEW

Nothing fancy happens in the Bethel internship program. Instead, we want to unveil regular, day-to-day ministerial life and provide individuals with an ecclesiological and pastoral grid for ministry. For example, how should the church be organized? Who should lead the church? Does the Bible discuss church membership? How does church polity affect the functionality of the local church?

A ministerial internship at a church allows an individual to gain hands-on experience in ministry and develop their skills as a pastor or leader. During the training, the individual will work closely with the church’s pastoral team to learn the church’s day-to-day operations, including preaching, teaching, counseling, and leading worship services.

The intern will work on various ministry projects throughout the internship, including sermon preparation, leading small groups, and planning events. They will also be allowed to shadow the senior pastor and other pastoral team members to observe their leadership styles and techniques.

The intern will receive regular feedback and evaluations from their supervisor and mentors as part of the internship. This will help them to identify their strengths and weaknesses and work on areas where they need improvement.

In addition to their ministry work, the intern will participate in regular training sessions and workshops to develop their pastoral skills further. These sessions may cover pastoral counseling, leadership development, and conflict resolution topics.

Bethel currently offers pastoral, worship, and children’s ministry internships.

INTERNSHIP STRUCTURE AND WORK

We offer the internship program three times a year. It lasts approximately five months, from January to May, from August to December, or a summer term from May to July. We usually expect an intern applicant to have completed his undergraduate degree. Still, beyond that, our interns can be anyone sensing a call to serve in the local church through the power of the Holy Spirit.

BOOKS

We believe that leaders are readers. Throughout your time, you will be given several books and expected to write a one to two-page summary detailing key personal insights and critical evaluations of some of the following resources:

General  

• The Unsaved Christian, Dean Inserra
• The Trellis and the Vine, Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
• Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J.I. Packer
• Dangerous Calling, Paul Tripp
• The Holiness of God, R.C. Sproul
• Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis
• The Joshua Mandate, Al Jackson
• The Prodigal God, Tim Keller
• The Emotionally Healthy Church, Peter Scazzero
• The Advantage, Patrick Lencioni

Pastoral Ministry

• What Is a Healthy Church? Mark Dever
• The Care of Souls, Harold Senkbeil.
• Letter to a Young Pastor, Eugene Peterson
• Practically Trained Pastors, Brian Croft
• Preaching and Preachers, Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Worship Ministry

• Doxology and Theology, Matt Boswell
• Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin
• Worship Leaders, We are not Rock Stars, Steven Miller
• Corporate Worship, Matt Merker
• Worship: The Reason We Were Created, A.W. Tozer
• Look and Live, Matt Papa

Student Ministry  

• Leading from the Second Chair, Bonem, and Patterson
• Creating A Discipleship Culture in Your Youth Ministry, Rod M Whitlock
• Lead Them to Jesus: A Handbook for Youth Workers, Mike McGarry
• How We Read The Bible: 8 Ways to Engage the Bible With Our Students, Matt Laidlaw
• The Indispensable Youth Pastor by Mark DeVries and Jeff Dunn-Rankin
• Youth Ministry Nuts and Bolts by Duffy Robbins
• Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry: A Practical Guide by Cameron Cole

Kid’s Ministry  

• Zealous: 7 Commitments for the Discipleship of the Next Generation, David Michael
• Caught in Between (Middle School Ministry), Dan Scott
• It’s Personal, Reggie Joiner
• When Relationships Matter, Michael Joyner
• Keeping Your Children’s Ministry on Mission, Jared Kennedy

Book Review

A one-page- single space book critical book review should include the following components:

• Bibliography information
• A short biographical sketch of the author
• A brief summation of the book
• A critical analysis of the author’s thoughts. “Critical” does not necessarily mean saying something negative about the book. Instead, it implies carefully weighing the claims and arguments used to support them. The central part of the review should consist of an evaluation of the work. Be sure to interact with the main ideas of the book.
• Conclusion – In a final paragraph, give your overall evaluation of the book. In light of its strengths and weaknesses, state the value of the work for your research, general knowledge, or ministry. 

MONTHLY REPORT

Gospel Conversations: Who have you shared Jesus with this month? What was the context, location, time, etc? Were you able to share the entire Gospel? Did the person respond to Jesus as their Savior?

Invitational Culture:  Who have you invited to church this month? What was the context of the invitation? Did you offer to meet them at the door? Has the person showed up for worship yet?

Check-ins/Meetings

Resident/intern will check in weekly with their designated liaison/mentor and monthly with their supervisor/pastor. These meetings will discuss book assignments, ministry overview, and spiritual encouragement.

Residency

Simply put, a residency is a plan for turning members into missional leaders.

Residency candidates generally fall into one of two categories. Shane is the more traditional “called” staff leader, and Jake is the lay leader that Christ puts in every church.

Missional leadership residencies are the most general type of ministry residencies. There is no specific destination in view, so these residencies focus on character, missiology, and general leadership. Residents may become parachurch leaders, missionaries, church planting team members, nonprofit leaders, church elders, and so forth.

Ministry residencies have three components: hands, heart, and head. Hands refer to the experiences that a growing leader needs. Some experiences might apply to a variety of missional leaders. The heart component addresses the spiritual life and character of the aspiring leader, while the head refers to the things the leader must know to be successful.

Leading with your hands:

• Organize and lead an initiative or event.
• Disciple a new believer.
• Share the Gospel.
• Baptize a new believer.
• Plan worship services.
• Research, write, and deliver sermons.
• Counsel couples in marital distress.
• Conduct weddings and funerals.
• Resolve conflict among team members.
• Forge a partnership with a civic, community, or nonprofit leader.
• Plan and lead meetings.

Leading with your heart

The heart category also includes emphasizing and modeling spiritual disciplines. Discussing matters like prayer, time in the Word, fasting, and so on will help aspiring leaders understand the role these important disciplines play in the ongoing spiritual health of a fruitful and faithful missional leader.

Leading with your mind

The head category focuses on shaping your mind toward the deep riches of the Gospel. What books are you reading? What Scriptures have you fixed your mind upon this week? What podcasts, music, or shows has the Lord used to awaken your mind in Christ? Leading with your mind is a study in the discipline. Without a plan, you are planning to fail.

ORGANIZATION

The Ministry Institute will be led by a team consisting of the Senior Pastor, Chairman of Deacons, and Chairman of the Stewardship Team. This team will make formal recommendations on stipends, approve mission trips and conferences, and accept applicants for both the internship and residency programs.