POSITION DESCRIPTION
CROSSROADS COMMUNITY CHURCH

Position: Church Planting Resident

Date Prepared: May 21, 2023

Basic Function 

The church planting resident role is designed to give candidates an opportunity to get hands-on church planting and leadership experience as they wrestle through a call to church planting. The ideal candidate has previous ministry and/or pastoral experience. However, if you don’t have this experience, (but have a huge passion for church planting) we still encourage you to apply! The initial residency period will last 12 months. Upon successful completion of the residency (and if mutually agreed upon by Crossroads and the candidate) the candidate would then be brought on staff as a church planter for the purpose of preparing to launch a future Crossroads campus.

Overview of Church Planting Residency

Our desire is to provide a practical, well-rounded church planting resident 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
• Time with current Manitowoc campus church plant
• Community-specific ground work and demographic research
• 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 resident discern his spiritual gifts and strengths and evaluate how this lines up with full-time, vocational ministry and specifically church planting. After an 8 to 9-month period, Crossroads and the resident will meet and evaluate the resident’s sense of calling to church planting and help him map out next steps at the conclusion of the internship. It is our hope that at the conclusion of this residency that both the resident and Crossroads will be in mutual alignment that church planting is the right next step for the candidate.

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 his 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 is helpful, but not required. (NOTE: prior experience need not be vocational in nature, but candidate should ideally be leading as a lay minister in a local church or ministry.)
• Candidate is convinced of his call to vocational ministry and now strongly sensing a call to church planting.
• There should be a burden for the lost and a passion to see God’s Kingdom expand through church planting.
• 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.
• 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.
• If a current member at Crossroads, candidate actively lives out and models for the church a strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Crossroads.
• 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.
• Must be a person people can relate to and find easy to approach with their questions or concerns.
• 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.

Relationships and Contacts:

• Reports to the Staff Pastor and Senior Pastor.
• Works closely with other staff members (including ongoing mentorship by various staff members throughout the residency.)
• Must be intentional about building relationships with people within the Crossroads congregation.
• Builds relationships with various community leaders in prospective communities where resident may be called to lead a church plant.