When Samuel Jones wrote a new manual of church polity for the Philadelphia Baptist Association to adopt in 1797, Jones explained that an aspiring pastor must have two calls. One is the “inward call, which is zeal for the glory of God in the salvation of the souls of men.” The other is “the call of the church.” While many aspiring pastors and congregations assume the first call, they neglect the second call. Thus, Jones explains the privileges and duties congregations have in affirming and equipping those who aspire to the pastoral office.
They must be called of the church, whose duty it is to look out for useful gifts; and when they have reason to hope that they discover some appearance thereof, they should move such to the trial of their gifts.
Congregations and their elders have a “duty to look out for useful gifts.” Church internships are one way to look out for such gifts. “Commit these things to faithful men,” Paul explains (2 Tim 2:2).
Just as congregations have a privilege to look out for useful gifts, men aspiring for ministry have a duty to ask their congregation and elders if they have useful gifts. Church internships are one way to evaluate men for minsitry in the context of life in a local church.
Internships can look different in different churches.
- The intership at Emmanuel Bible Church lasts for ten weeks in the summer.
- The internship involves four main areas: reading, writing, reflecting, and relationships.
- The goal is simple: expose men to essential areas of church life and minsitry and deepen their thinking about matters relating to church history, ecclesiology, worship, and missions.
- If one is going to serve the church, one must know the church. And knowing the church, helps one love the church.
Healthy pastors make healthy churches. This is the mutual privilege of pastoral internships.
