To help church planters and pastors get started in the right direction, CBOQ is offering internship opportunities. Internships are fully funded by CBOQ and offer a unique way for CBOQ churches and church plants to have additional help while giving an intern valuable experience.
Church Planting Internships
What is a Church Planting & Evangelism Internship?
It is our belief that an excellent internship program can help CBOQ invest in church planters who will in turn plant churches within our Baptist family. We are committed to the care and growth of interns by aiding in their spiritual, character, and skill development. The priority is to develop well-rounded Christian leaders who will succeed in shepherding and church planting in the future. Church planting interns can be students currently at seminary or someone who desires to give a dedicated period for experiencing church planting ministry.
What does a Church Planting Internship involve?
Church Planting and Evangelism Internship is a time of intentional discernment, training and getting equipped in Church Planting. You will spend the year following a Church Planter getting firsthand experience in cross-cultural church planting and learning the day-to-day life of a church plant pastor.
Typically running from September to mid-May (part-time) and May to August (full time), the church planting internship is designed to help you:
- Cultivate church planting experience
- Develop a robust philosophy of ministry for church planting
- Gain practical skills for planting new congregations
- Discern your own gifting and skills as a future church planter
As an intern, you will be working on:
- Community engagement
- Preaching and some pastoral care
- Leading worship and teamwork
- Vision casting and goal setting
- Time for prayer and reflection
Pastoral Internships
What is a Pastoral Internship?
It is our belief that an excellent internship program can help CBOQ invest in future pastors who will in turn pastor churches within our Baptist family. We are committed to the care and growth of interns by aiding in their spiritual, character, and skill development. The priority is to develop well-rounded Christian leaders who will succeed in shepherding and leading in the future. Pastoral interns can be students currently at seminary or someone who wants to explore their calling to ministry.
What does a Pastoral Internship involve?
Pastoral Internship is a time of intentional discernment, training and getting equipped in Pastoral Ministry. You will spend the year working side by side with an experienced pastor getting firsthand experience and learning the day-to-day life of a pastor.
Typically running from September to mid-May (part-time) and May to August (full time), the internship programme is, above all, meant to be a learning experience for the Intern. It is more than an extra person doing pastoral ministry allowing a church to catch up on things needing to be done. Therefore, every activity, ministry, and function assigned must be surrounded by a learning outcome. This requires planning on the part of the church, which includes the creation of an Internship Oversight Committee, with key lay people who will speak into the life and ministry of the Intern. A committed Senior Pastor is a must for leading the church in its desire to intentionally see a new pastor grow and learn.
Suggested areas of development. (Note: While there is no expectation that all these areas will be covered during the internship, an effort should be made to cover as many of them as possible.)
- Talking with a child about faith
- Handling a benevolent request
- Baptism
- Lead a staff meeting
- Communion
- Visitation of shut-in
- Hospital visitation (a meeting with the hospital chaplain would be an asset.)
- Nursing home visitation
- Funeral (and or a visit to the local funeral home)
- Plan a worship service
- Wedding
- Children’s Sunday school and or camp (VBS)
- Youth group
- Budgeting and reading a financial balance sheet
- Adult Bible study
- Community activity (meeting with local political leaders would be an asset)
- Personal money management
It is important to help the Intern develop a weekly rhythm to ministry, balancing work, personal, and spiritual formation time. This will grow the Intern’s ability to self-manage.
FAQs
Does this internship assist me in my journey toward accreditation with CBOQ?
Yes! Upon satisfactorily completing the internship you’ll receive commendation that counts towards accreditation with Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec.
Is this internship paid or voluntary?
Interns will receive $5,000 – $10,000 for the one year internship with the option of housing provided by the host congregation.
Who should apply for an internship?
- Interested in exploring church planting
- Willing to consider accreditation with CBOQ as a church planter
- Be legally entitled to work in Canada
