THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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Historically, most all of the training for professional vocations had a component where practical, hands-on experience was given to the student through residency programs (like medical doctors) or apprenticeships (like guilds and craft unions). While many times there was a strong academic component to the vocational training, there was an even stronger emphasis placed on the experiential. This practical experience is not to replace the academic, which is essential, but to enhance it. Could one imagine a scenario where a surgeon was sent into an operating room to perform surgery with only his academic training and without having first worked under a mentor who was an expert in that particular surgery. If this is important for our physical bodies, how much more important is it to our spiritual lives that the practitioner, who is responsible for so many souls and their spiritual wellbeing, should be prepared to do his job well. It is this conviction about training the up-and-coming generation of pastor(s) that led to the Grace For You Residency Program. In this brief summary, we will explain how the program works.
The Grace For You Residency Program began at Grace Baptist Church (GBC) in Springfield, Tennessee as the vision of the Pastor, Dr. Steve Freeman. It began as a modest version of what it has evolved into today. The first thing in order,
1 and the primary thing in importance, is that Grace For You Ministries has used, and intends to only use, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) students exclusively to populate the program. There have been three outstanding examples of men who have come to receive training through Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, TN. The first was Robbie Ridgeway, an NOBTS PhD student. Robbie served in the program from January 3, 2014 to January 3, 2016. Robbie is now pastoring a growing church in Beaumont, Texas. The second resident was Jeff Smoak, an MDiv graduate from NOBTS. Jeff served from January 3, 2016 until January 25, 2017 and is now pastoring a fast-growing church in South Carolina. The third, and by far the one who has received the most comprehensive training, is Drake Nosco, also an MDiv graduate of NOBTS, who has served from January 25, 2017 until January of 2020 and now pastors Grace Baptist Church, Nashville, TN. Across these five years of experience, the Residency Program has innovated and grown into a fine training ground for men, called of God, to pastor His Churches.
While these three men have all served at GBC in Springfield, Tennessee, there is no limitation geographically where future residents could serve. As a part of the development of the Grace For You Residency Program, it is the intent of Dr. Steve Freeman to not only place residents in churches in the state of Tennessee, but to visit every State Executive in the five states that are in the geographical region assigned to NOBTS. This will include Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Also, there will be work put into producing networks of churches for future successful graduates of the Residency Program. By establishing these networks, Churches will be available to receive the residents as pastors as soon as they complete the program. This endeavor will also include the seeking of scholarship funds through the states as well as from private donors who would be interested in the Residency Program.
At present, the plan is to enroll seven incoming MDiv students to NOBTS who have a call to Pastoral Ministry and an interest in pursuing the Residency Program upon graduation with their MDiv. The first enrollment would be in 2020. The students would pursue the first two years of their degree, hopefully on campus at NOBTS, and then would finish their MDiv through the NOBTS Mentoring Program where they could earn up to 32 hours of credit. This work can be done the first year and then the Resident will remain on staff at the church for at least another year, making the entire time of Residency twenty-four (24)
2 months (See the Pastoral Residency Agreement in the Pastoral Residency Program Handbook). The continuing enrollment would be as follows:
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As one can see from the chart, fourteen churches will be recruited to handle the residents for the two beginning years of the program. Grace For You Ministries will recruit the first seven Churches. Beyond this group of fourteen Churches, another multiple of networks can/will be established.
When the student enrolls for their first year as an MDiv student 1 and is identified as such, a sponsoring pastor will be allowed to choose their future Resident and will then walk with the student throughout their entire program. This will give the church an opportunity to get to know the student and support them as the church sees fit and is able, however, there is no anticipation of financial support at this point. After two years of academic work, the student will then transition to full time residence at their assigned church field, at which time the church would start financial support.
Each Resident will receive compensation amounting to $40,000 per year, paid by the Church of Residency (or from State or private donor funds), as long as the Resident is in the program, which is an anticipated twenty-four (24) months. (See the Pastoral Residency Program Handbook for details regarding the employment of the Resident).
This is a brief, concise summary of the Pastoral Residency Program. For all of the details of the program, one should read the Residency Program Handbook. It should be noted, that this is an intensive, comprehensive program where the
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Other students may be considered based on their particular circumstances. For instance, a student who is earning a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry could be considered. Also, someone who has entered the expedited five year program, whereby they can earn their undergraduate degree and their MDiv in five years could be considered. These students will be evaluated as they appear.
Resident will fill the role of the Associate Pastor in Residence and shall be assigned duties of an Associate Pastor that include, but are not limited to, preaching, personnel and staff supervision, financial training, etc.
