Year 2: The Pastoral Residency

Practical training for Pastors College graduates.

The Trinity Fellowship Pastoral Residency program exists to provide further training for Trinity Fellowship Pastors College graduates. The program especially focuses on:

  1. Practical ministry opportunities in Trinity Fellowship, Addis Ababa.
  2. Continued formal and informal study in preparation for ministry.
  3. Discerning and cultivating specific pastoral gifting.
  4. An intentional pursuit of holiness, especially in light of the qualifications for a pastor found in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–16.
 

Application Process

Anyone who desires to participate in the Trinity Fellowship Pastoral Residency program must fulfill the following requirements:
 
  1. He must have successfully graduated from the Trinity Fellowship Pastors College.
  2. He must receive a recommendation for the residency from both Michael Granger and Josh Pannell.
  3. He must complete the Pastoral Residency application. https://forms.gle/45k9coN5vtFK12t78
 
Application Evaluation: Applicants will be evaluated according to the following criteria. Note: capacity and progress are the criteria, not perfection.

  1. Gifting and Calling Requirements: Does the applicant sense a call to pastoral ministry? Does he demonstrate a capacity to fulfill the role of an elder, as explained in BCO 2.2? Can he feed, lead, care for, and protect the flock?
  2. Character Requirements: Does the applicant demonstrate sufficient growth and progress in the qualifications for an elder found in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–16, as explained in BCO 3? Is he spiritually mature? Does his life bring honor to the gospel, the church, and Christ? Does he manage his home well? Does he have disagreements with the Statement of Faith or the Book of Church Order? Does he have a gift of leadership?
  3. “Christian First” Requirement: Does the applicant demonstrate that he views himself first as a Christian and second as a pastor, as explained in BCO 4?
  4. Theological Requirement: Does the applicant have a general agreement with the Statement of Faith and Book of Church Order of Sovereign Grace Churches? Does he have any significant theological or practical disagreements?
  5. Academic Requirements: Has the applicant completed the Trinity Fellowship Pastors College? Has he demonstrated seriousness in the way he approaches his preparation for ministry? Has he completed his assignments on time and with excellence? Has he attended class faithfully?
  6. Faithfulness Requirement: Does the applicant demonstrate “faithfulness in the little things”? Does he treat small tasks with significance and complete them as one who is serving the Lord? 

Pastoral Residency Objectives

Residents who successfully complete the Pastoral Residency will be able to:
  1. Preach and teach the Word with excellence.
  2. Counsel with confidence and authority.
  3. Establish community groups in a local church.
  4. Plan and execute a church service.
  5. Lead a church into the congregational life of membership (i.e. membership interviews, membership classes, etc.)
  6. Understand and apply the Sovereign Grace Churches Statement of Faith and Book of Church Order.
  7. Delegate responsibility.
  8. Compete administrative tasks necessary for planting and running a church.

Residency Emphasis

Each pastoral intern will choose one of the following residency emphasis to focus on throughout the year. This emphasis program allows for each student to pursue development in their personal pastoral giftings and calling. Each residency emphasis will be assigned a Practical Ministry Emphasis to enable them to serve Trinity Fellowship.
 
1) Preaching and Leadership. Emphasis on developing technical skills in preaching and leading a church and pastoral team. This track is especially intended for those pursuing roles as preaching pastors and lead pastors. 
Practical Ministry Emphasis: Mid-Week Services and Prayer/Worship Services at Trinity Fellowship.
 
2) Discipleship and Counseling. Emphasis on developing competency in counseling and applying the gospel to church members based on specific needs (anger, lust, worry, etc.). This track is especially intended for those pursuing roles as discipleship pastors.
Practical Ministry Emphasis: Leading Community Groups at Trinity Fellowship, Addis Ababa.
 
3) Teaching and Theology. Emphasis on developing theological precision for the purpose of This track is especially intended for those pursuing higher education, training future pastors, and roles as teaching pastors.
Practical Ministry Emphasis: Teaching Sunday School and Assisting Josh at the Pastors College.

Classes and Reading Schedule

Pastors must be lifelong learners. As such, pastoral residents are afforded the opportunity to continue their education through elective classes and required reading.

  1. Reading. Throughout the year, each pastoral resident will be assigned approx. 100-200 pages of reading per week. Reading will be catered to each residency emphasis.
  2. Mentor Group. Pastoral residents will participate in regular book discussion groups.
  3. Book Reviews. Each pastoral resident will write a 5-page book review each month.
  4. Classes.
  • Original Language Study. Josh will teach Greek Syntax and Exegesis. Homework assignments will be required throughout. These classes are required for those in the Teaching and Theology residency emphasis but optional for those in other tracks.
  • Ordination Requirements Study. Josh will teach through the Sovereign Grace Statement of Faith and Book of Church Order to prepare pastoral residents for ordination examinations. Homework assignments will be required throughout. These classes are required for all pastoral residents. Students are required to bring their copies of the Sovereign Grace Churches Statement of Faith and Book of Church Order to class.
  • Student Presentation. Each week, one Residency Emphasis will present what their group is learning in their reading, discussion, and ministry experience to the other pastoral residents. 
  • Specialized Classes. Throughout the year, specialized classes will be taught on specific topics, allowing pastoral residents to dive more deeply into areas of theology and ministry. Homework assignments and reading will be assigned for these classes.


Teaching and Theology

Discipleship and Counseling

Preaching and Leadership

Oct 16-22

Biblical Productivity, Mahaney; Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Duckworth

Oct 23-29

A New Testament Biblical Theology (pts. 1-5) 
G.K. Beale 

467 pgs.

No Quick Fix
Andy Naselli

109 pgs.




Martin Luther
Eric Metaxas

496 pgs.

Oct 30-Nov 5

How People Change
David Powlison

230 pgs.

Nov 6-12

Nov 13-19

God’s Two Words

Law and Gospel in the Lutheran and Reformed Traditions
Jonathan A. Linebaugh

240 pgs.



Counseling Under the Cross: How Martin Luther Applied the Gospel to Daily Life 
Bob Kellermen

221 pgs.

Nov 20-26

Nov 27-Dec 3

Crime and Punishment
Fyodor Dostoevsky

528 pgs.

Dec 4-10

Dec 11-17

Galatians, Tom Schreiner

Dec 18-24


A New Testament Biblical Theology (pts. 6-10) 
G.K. Beale 

405 pgs.


The Gospel for Disordered Lives (pts. 3-4)
Robert D. Jones

340 pgs.


The Life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Ian Murry


496 pgs.

Dec 25-31

Jan 1-7

Jan 8-14

A Theology of Paul and His Letters (ch. 1-9) 
Douglas Moo 

242 pgs.

When People Are Big and God is Small Ed Welch

256 pgs.

Preaching and Preachers
Martin Lloyd Jones

352 pgs.

Jan 15-21

Jan 22-28

The 10 Commandments, Peter Leithart

Jan 29-Feb 4


Romans 6
Martin Lloyd-Jones

277 pgs.

Feb 5-11

Feb 12-18

A Theology of Paul and His Letters (ch. 10-21) 
Douglas Moo 

288 pgs.


Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure
Martin Lloyd-Jones 

300 pgs.

Feb 19-25

Feb 26-Mar 4

A Practical Theology of Suffering, Grief, and Depression, Walt Alexander

Mar 5-11

A Theology of Paul and His Letters (ch. 22-25) 
Douglas Moo 

121 pgs.

Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who Suffer from Depression
Zack Eswine

144 pgs.

Spurgeon’s Revival Year Sermons
Charles Spurgeon

152 pgs.

Mar 12-18

1-2 Corinthians, Jeff Purswell

Mar 19-25


The Forgotten Spurgeon 
Ian Murray

269 pgs.

Mar 26-Apr 1

Apr 2-8

The Last Adam
Brandon Crowe

215 pgs.

Parenting First Aid
Marty Machowski

251 pgs.

Lectures to My Students 
(ch. 3-11, 16, 21-23) 

Charles Spurgeon

152 pgs.

Apr 9-15

Redemption Accomplished and Applied (pt. 1)
John Murry

79 pgs.

Apr 16-22

Personal Spiritual Renewal, Tim Ker

Apr 23-29





Death in Adam, Life in Christ: The Doctrine of Imputation
J.V. Fesko

279 pgs.

Love That Lasts: When Marriage Meets Grace
Gary and Betsy Ricucci

176 pgs.

Redemption Accomplished and Applied (pt. 2)
John Murry

102 pgs.

Apr 30-May 6

Gospel-Centered Marriage Counseling
Robert W. Kellermen

272 pgs.

Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church
Paul David Tripp

240 pgs.

May 7-13

May 14-20

Marriage and Family Counseling, Andy Farmer

May 21-27









Justification (Vol 1)
Michael Horton

375 pgs.

Gospel-Centered Family Counseling
Robert W. Kellermen

258 pgs.

When People Are Big and God is Small 
Ed Welch

256 pgs.

May 28-June 3

June 4-10

With These Words: Five Communication Tolls for Marriage and Life
Rob Flood

145 pgs.

Assigned Sermon Listening

June 11-17


Extreme Ownership
Jocko Willink

284 pgs.

June 18-24

June 25-Jul 1

Jul 2-8









Justification (Vol 2)
Michael Horton

493 pgs.

This Momentary Marriage
John Piper

192 pgs.

The Care of Souls: Cultivating a Pastor’s Heart
Harold L. Senkbeil

312 pgs.

Jul 9-15

Jul 16-22

Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness
David Powlison

256 pgs.

Augustine on the Christian Life: Transformed by the Power of God
Gerald Bray

219 pgs.

Jul 23-29

Jul 30-Aug 5

The Confessions
St. Augustine of Hippo

304 pgs.

Aug 6-12

Aug 13-19






Revival and Revivalism
Iain H. Murray

480 pgs.

Shame Interrupted
Ed Welch

352 pgs.





Revival and Revivalism
Iain H. Murray

480 pgs.

Aug 20-26

Aug 27-Sep 2

Sep 3-9

The Death of Porn
Ray Ortlund

144 pgs.