NWCBC Pastoral Internship Program

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Overview：

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The purpose of the NWCBC Pastoral Internship is to help brothers who aspire to full-time  ministry learn pastoral ministry, discern their spiritual gifts, and be equipped to become church leaders  through a six-month, full-time commitment involving participation in church life, observation of pastoral  ministry, reading, and discussion. Unlike seminary study, this internship program is an intensive training in  ecclesiology. During the internship, participants will be involved in the actual life of the church, observe the  daily life of pastors, and receive formation in ecclesiology and pastoral theology to prepare them for future  ministry. In addition to observation, reading, and participation, interns will also spend a significant amount of  time in discussion with the pastor and elders. 

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Through these efforts, we hope to achieve three goals: 

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• First, we hope the interns will understand that the church is the place where the gospel and God’s glory  should be most fully displayed. We often neglect the central role of the church and instead chase after certain  ministry movements, organizations, or celebrity Christians. This weakens the church’s influence in the life of  believers and diminishes the gospel’s impact. 

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• Second, we hope the interns will develop a biblical understanding of the church and pastoral theology. Building and shepherding the church should not be based on popular methodologies or culturally attractive  approaches, but on the teachings of Scripture. 

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• Third, we hope that through reading, discussion, observation, and practice, the interns will come to  recognize their spiritual gifts, discern the calling God has placed in them, and gain a clearer vision for their  future direction.

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Structure and expectations of the internship program：

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We offer one internship cycle each year. The 2026 internship cycle will begin on July 1 and end on December  15, lasting approximately six months. Our ideal intern is a Christian brother who has completed an  undergraduate education, is interested in pastoral ministry—whether as a full-time pastor, a bivocational  elder, or a missionary—and is considering making such service his primary life calling.

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During these six months, the intern is fully committed to the program, which means he will spend at least  eight hours per day on internship activities. The intern’s main time will be devoted to reading, writing, and  discussion. Interns are expected to read a total of approximately 4,000–5,000 pages of books and write 60–70  reading reports. Each week, they will have at least two hours of seminar time with the church pastors (and  with pastors from other partnering churches in this program) to discuss the books they have read, the reports  they have written, and the insights and reflections they have gained. 

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In addition, interns will be expected to participate in (or audit) a variety of church meetings. During these  meetings, their primary role will be observation rather than decision-making. Whenever possible, they will  also be invited to take part in interchurch ministries, events, and training programs. Interns may be invited to  attend domestic church conferences together with the pastor. Some of these local meetings are held in the  evenings. Attending them will require additional time but will also provide valuable learning opportunities. Furthermore, interns will be expected to participate in church ministries in order to identify and exercise their  spiritual gifts. This MAY include leading Bible studies, teaching Sunday school, and facilitating small ministry  activities. 

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If an intern is not originally from our church, he will be required to join our church as a member. Because the  internship period is relatively short, interns should not expect the church they join to confirm their calling or  to send them out for ministry. 

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If, during the internship, it is found that an intern is unwilling to submit to the requirements of the program,  the church may, after discussion, terminate his internship. Our church does not make any commitment regarding employment, sending, or financial support for other ministries (such as pursuing further theological  education) after the internship concludes.

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If you have any questions, you are welcome to email wyang@nwcbchouston.org to ask.