Residency

Train for rural ministry where it actually happens.

Duration: 1–2 Years | Wellsboro & Mansfield, PA, with placement in surrounding rural churches

Staring Dates: Rolling Admissions

The desire is clear. The path isn’t.

You feel the weight of pastoral ministry.

You want to be faithful.

And maybe you’ve started to see that your life won’t be spent on a stage—but in a small, forgotten church that needs a shepherd who stays.

That’s why we created the Brainerd Residency.

This is a full-immersion ministry training experience designed to prepare men for long-term, Word-centered leadership in rural churches. It’s not hypothetical. It’s not rushed. It’s real training, in real churches, with real people—under real pastors.

The Residency Rhythm

Fall Intensive (2 Weeks)

Everything begins with a two-week in-person intensive in Wellsboro, PA. You’ll gather with other residents for biblical instruction, relational connection, and practical preparation for the field. We’ll train you in the convictions and outcomes that shape healthy rural churches—and help you get ready for what’s ahead.

Field Placement

After the intensive, you’ll be sent into a rural church to live and serve. You’ll join that church’s weekly life—preaching, teaching, visiting, leading, and learning under the guidance of a local pastor. Along the way, you’ll complete assignments and readings that connect directly to your context and ministry.

Ongoing Mentorship

Throughout your time in the field, you’ll be supported by a local pastor and a Brainerd mentor—men committed to walking with you through the complexities of real ministry. They’ll give you feedback, ask hard questions, and help you grow in wisdom and endurance.

Quarterly Intensives

Every few months, you’ll return for a multi-day gathering with the full residency cohort. These intensives give space for sharpening, reflection, encouragement, and further training from Brainerd leaders.

What You’ll Experience

  • Preaching & Teaching
    Prepare and deliver real sermons—with real feedback—in real congregations.

  • Pastoral Care
    Walk through counseling, crisis, and everyday shepherding under the guidance of an experienced pastor.

  • Leadership Development
    Learn how to lead biblically and courageously in churches that are small, under-resourced, or in transition.

  • Theological Formation
    Work through key convictions and ministry outcomes that shape a healthy rural church—and a healthy pastor.

  • Community Life
    You’ll live in the community you serve—learning what it means to be known, trusted, and rooted in a small town.

Who are We Looking For?

Men who are:

  • Discerning a call to pastoral ministry

  • In agreement with the Together for the Gospel Affirmations & Denials

  • Hungry to be shaped by God’s Word

  • Willing to live and serve in rural churches

  • Ready to be tested in real-life ministry

Whether you’re coming out of seminary, exploring a second career, or seeking a faithful path into vocational ministry—we want to walk with you.

Who Might Benefit?

The Seminary Graduate Who Knows the Word—but Needs to Learn the Work

Seminary gave you theology—and that matters. But it didn’t train you for the funeral home at 6 a.m., or the three-sermon weekend with no office, or the Sunday when half the church is at a cattle auction. The residency takes what you’ve learned and helps you apply it—to real people, in real churches, under real oversight.

The Hands-On Learner Who Wants Real Ministry Training

You don’t want to just watch from the sidelines. You want to serve, learn, and grow through experience. This residency gives you the structure, guidance, and feedback you need to become a faithful shepherd—not just a ministry enthusiast.

The Man Who Senses a Call—and Wants to Test It Faithfully

You’re serious about the weight of pastoral ministry and want to explore your calling with wisdom, community, and real exposure. This residency gives you time, space, and support to seek clarity under the authority of the Word and in the context of the local church.

Why Rural?

Because rural churches are not side projects.

They are God’s chosen means for making Christ known in places most people forget.

They need trained, trustworthy pastors who aren’t looking to pass through—but to dig in and build something that lasts.

If you’re ready to be equipped, humbled, tested, and shaped—

If you want to be sent into the harvest, not just study it—

The Brainerd Residency is for you.

Ready to take the next step?

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes! Whether you are married or single, we provide housing. If you have children we will find housing on a case by case basis.

  • In addition to housing, we provide a modest monthly stipend to help offset the cost of living. Residents are encouraged to raise additional support as needed.

  • We hope to connect our residents with a rural church seeking a pastor. We may also have church planting opportunities. There is no guarantee that a resident will be encouraged to pursue ministry or provided with job opportunities.

  • Residents will be permitted to teach and may have opportunities to preach after attending a Charles Simeon Trust Workshop early in the residency. 

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