In 2022 our Pastor, Dr. Brian D. Sheppard, began to see a significant number of Ministers leaving their calling. Many of those men and women were not ready for the obstacles they would have to overcome being in their first church and surrendering to the call that had been placed on their lives. If there were a program that would allow a safe place for new ministers to receive training and correction in an environment that understood there would be faults and failures, he believed we could produce ministers ready for the difficulties of their first church ministry. 
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What about the things you can not learn in a classroom? What do you say when you are standing in a hospital room with a hurting, grieving family who has just lost a loved one? How do you address improprieties in the church? What do you do when you don't know what to do? These were all areas that Dr. Sheppard felt ministers could learn in a residency program. 
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In August of 2022, this vision became a reality. Our church declared unanimously that we wish to disciple future ministry leaders of men and women who have been called to a particular ministry. While most who are called into the ministry have a firm standing in the faith, the traditional classroom setting is not the ideal environment to train individuals in the ministry. The church will stand as a place where each individual can minister under the advisement of seasoned ministers and learn how to be efficient and effective in their calling.
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The Residency Program includes but is not limited to, Children & Youth, Worship Arts, Media Arts, Discipleship, Biblical Counseling, College & Career, and Senior Adults. If you feel you may be called to enter into a residency, click here!