During the internship, we'll tackle questions such as: What is a healthy church? How do we apply healthy church ministry principles in a low-income, urban community? Should the church engage with ministries of mercy and justice, and how should we do so? How might we best spread the Gospel?

And more...

There are five potential benefits in considering this internship:

1. The benefit of a supportive and living environment of a local church that assumes responsibility for the care, training, and education of the pastors; intern.
2. The receiving of practical understanding and training for the essential areas of pastoral ministry within the local church.
3. Gaining an official church position approved by the church that can go on a resume reflecting ministry experience. 
4. The opportunity for a local congregation to affirm an individual’s gifts and calling.
5. Exposure to a pastor’s daily schedule to help an individual evaluate the pastoral nature of their calling. 

ABOUT THE GARDEN CHURCH

The Garden Church has been serving in the Upton/Druid Heights neighborhood of West Baltimore since 2008. The first four years were formative and a time of learning. The church constituted in 2012 when 36 members covenanted together as The Garden Church, The church is a community which reflects Baltimore City and our neighborhood. Roughly half of the members live within a walk. We're made up of life-long locals and transplants. As a church with many backgrounds, we celebrate unity in diversity. People come from all walks of life and are united in Christ. At the same time, we keep an eye on our neighborhood and desire to see our neighbors reached with the Gospel. It is also The Garden Church's desire to plant more local churches in Baltimore neighborhoods. See "ONE HOPE" for more information.  

We welcome applications from anyone who desires pastoral ministry. We give preference to leaders from the context and/or those who desire to serve in this context and those who hope to pastor in a vocational setting.

• Those who are interested in church/pastoral/Christian ministry
• Those who can affirm our Statement of Basic Belief and Church Covenant
• Those who have preferably grown up in the inner city context or desire to serve in a similar context

Duration 

The internship runs for five months. It is part-time and allows the intern to work a full-time job. 

Compensation

There is no salary for this position. Interns work jobs outside of the internship to support themselves. The benefit of this structure allows for more opportunity. You don't have to quit your day job to be an intern. We work around your schedule. Books and occasional trips will be covered and provided by the church.

Hourly Requirements

Approximately 10 hours weekly (including church services)

1. Weekly two hour meeting with Joel Kurz. All interns must attend these meetings faithfully and come ready to discuss the readings for the week. Bring your books, copies of your papers, something to write with, and something to write on. Response papers should be emailed to Joel the Monday evening (9pm) prior to the week’s discussion. All papers are brief 1-2 page response papers. At this meeting, interns will discuss papers, goals and projects, Scriptural basis for pastoral ministry, and Q&A. 
2. Service Review: One hour commitment after Sunday services (during afternoon or evening)
3. Disciplined Prayer: Pray through Membership Directory during personal daily prayer time. Learn our system of soul care. Pray with staff from 1:00-1:30 each day if and when it works with intern’s own schedule.
4. Attendance Requirement (at least attend one time): Sunday service planning, deacons meetings, hospital, funeral, members’ home visit.
5. Attend All Church Gatherings: Sunday School, Sunday morning service, Sunday evening services, Wednesday evening services.
6. Attend all elders meetings for observation (total of 10 during duration of internship).
7. Disciple-Making: Initiate an “Ephesian Study” with another Christian
8. Evangelize or invite a non-Christian to read the Bible or discuss an important issue each week. If your invitation gets rejected, then it meets the requirement, but each week there must be an ask or a follow-up conversation from previous week(s).
9. Conference Attendance: Interns are encouraged to accompany Joel to one conference or training over the course of the semester.
10. Public Teaching: TGC will do its best to provide teaching opportunities for each of its interns. Those opportunities could include preaching on a Sunday night, teaching Sunday School, or leading Wednesday night Bible study.