Helping Pastors Thrive creates opportunities for enhancing pastoral identity and leadership through peer and mentor-based learning. Funded by the Lilly Endowment, Helping Pastors Thrive is a ministry of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina.
Application For The pastor-in-residence program
The Application can be accessed through the link below.
Pastor-In-Residence programs are designed as a four week period spent on campus in either a Fall or Spring semester. Actual dates will be negotiated with each applicant and school. Applications are currently being accepted for Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 residencies. Generally speaking, the four-week residency will fall between January and March for Spring terms, and September and November for Fall terms. The Helping Pastors Thrive program will support up to four Pastors-in-Residence each calendar year, one residency on each of CBFNC’s partner theological schools.
Those selected as Pastors-in-Residence will be provided with on campus or near campus housing (if needed)*, reimbursement for transportation and parking, and a meal allowance intended to cover the costs of food and meals during the four-weeks. Pastors-in-Residence will also be provided access to university resources including access to the library, on-campus parking, and when available, a dedicated space or office for work and study. Each Pastor-in-Resident will be assigned a faculty or staff advisor who will serve as the program’s guide and on-campus contact.
As Pastor-in-Resident, participants will be a part of the larger learning community on campus, and are free to take advantage of on-campus activities, including worship, special lectures and arts events that are open to the public. The Helping Pastors Thrive program will provide a cash supplement to the pastor’s congregation to cover expenses incurred by virtue of the pastor’s absence. The supplement may be used to support pulpit and program supply needs.
BECAUSE EACH CAMPUS AND EACH POTENTIAL PASTOR-IN-RESIDENCE IS UNIQUE, AN ACTUAL DETAILED AGREEMENT OUTLINING RESPONSIBILITIES AND SUPPORT WILL BE NEGOTIATED BY THE HELPING PASTOR THRIVE PROGRAM IN COOPERATION WITH THE DIVINITY SCHOOL OR SCHOOL OF DIVINITY, AND THE PASTOR-IN-RESIDENT.
Pastors applying to the program must agree to the following expectations:
The program is designed to best benefit those who have extensive experience in pastoral ministry. While there is no stated minimum, years of service will be considered in the selection process. Therefore, applicants must demonstrate a commitment to pastoral ministry that is evidenced in their tenure and service to congregations.
Applicants must be willing to fully participate in the residency by stepping away from the day to day demands of their pastoral role. To support that time away, the residency provides for and requires temporary relocation on or near the campus.
Once selected, the Pastor-in-Resident will work with the Helping Pastors Thrive program and a designated faculty or staff advisor on campus who will serve as a campus liaison (1) to identify needs and secure housing and other essential campus resources; (2) to create a four-week learning or work plan that will guide the residency; and (3) to determine how the resident might best contribute to the learning community on campus. While the Pastor-in-Residence is primarily focused on his or her learning goals and outcomes, there is an expectation that the resident will interact with current students and faculty as a resource and mentor.
*A Pastor-in-Residence who lives near the campus may elect to live at home as long as significant time each day is spent on-campus apart from regular pastoral responsibilities.
