| Track | Purpose | Tasks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ministry Assistant |
Orientation to MCC and Leadership |
|
1-2 years |
|
Pastoral Intern (enrollment in a Master’s degree program or local church internship experience pre-requisite) |
Integration to MCC and Leadership; fulfill requirements for potential service as an Elder of MCC as per MCC By-Laws (Article VI, Section 3; see below1) |
|
1 year |
|
Pastoral Associate (Pastoral Internship required as a pre-requisite; this role is not an Elder of MCC; ordination to pastoral ministry possible after 1 year of serving as a pastoral associate) |
Implementation of Leadership at MCC and training for local church ministry at MCC or beyond |
|
1-2 years |
Pastoral Internship1
The Master’s Community Church’s Pastoral Internship is based upon our corporate By-Laws (Article VI, Section 3) and rooted in the New Testament practice of training generations of men for church leadership. The internship is open to male church members in good standing and normally lasts one calendar year. Paul’s phrases in 2 Tim 2:2 provide a rationale for the internship: “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” The internship is designed to be flexible based upon the gifts, desires, and life situation of the intern, and may or may not result in becoming an elder of MCC once the internship is complete.
MCC Leader Interview Questions2
The following questions will be used to interview various MCC leaders to learn from their experiences. It is to be understood that leadership development at MCC cannot be done without understanding the decades of ministry that have preceded.
Describe your current leadership role at MCC.
How did you come to serve in that position? What was your internship or training like?
How did you first find out about MCC, and what first attracted you to join MCC as a local church?
How have you seen the body of MCC grow spiritually?
What have been personal or family highlights for you at MCC?
What has changed the most at MCC since you first began attending?
How has your area of ministry service changed in the last three years?
Topical Leadership Questions3
The following questions will be answered in writing and will be discussed at elder meetings. These questions are not intended to trick the intern but to provide him with a basis for answering the kinds of questions he might be asked if he is ordained as an elder.
Personal
What are your specific and regular practices regarding the spiritual disciplines
(personal prayer, Bible Study, meditation, stewardship, learning…)?
Why do you believe God wants you in the pastorate? How does your wife feel about your commitment to Pastoral Leadership?
Closely examine each of the Bible’s qualifications for pastors and deacons (1
Timothy 3, Titus 1:5-9, Acts 6:1-6, 1 Peter 5:1-4). Which are your strongest qualities? With which requirements do you have the most trouble?
What activities characterize your evangelistic interest? How are you hospitable to nonbelievers?
How is the pastor to be held accountable? What relationships in your life
currently provide accountability for responsible attitudes and behavior, both personally and as a pastor?
Church Leadership
Describe your leadership style. What have been some strengthens and weaknesses in working with others? What strengths do you contribute to a team of spiritual leaders?
When you have met with opposition, has it been mostly related to your style of
leadership, your personality, your beliefs, or something else?
What principles dominate your interpretation of any particular passage of Scripture?
What is your understanding of the role of the church covenant in the fellowship of the church?
What does the Bible teach is the purpose of the church’s weekly gathering?
What are the biblical responsibilities of elders? Are there any distinctions between elders, pastors and overseers? If applicable, what distinctions exist between staff and non-staff pastors?
What are the biblical responsibilities of deacons? How are deacons and elders to
relate?
What elements foster fellowship in the church? What hinders it? How do you connect the generations of the church?
What is your missionary vision for the church? How are you currently
demonstrating missionary interest and involvement?
Please explain your views on church discipline.
How would you handle a case of scandal or immorality by a church member?