Overview of an Internship with the Desert Springs Church (July 1998)
This program is designed to give those preparing for full time pastoral ministry an opportunity to serve our church family in a supervised, formal internship. The Leadership Values we hold here as a local church are listed in order for the applicant to gain a clear picture of our leadership philosophy.
- Integrity: Leaders are trustworthy, morally sound, pure of heart, godly in character, and vigilant to avoid bringing disrepute to the Lord, the church, and their calling (Matt. 25:14-30; 1 Tim. 3:1-13). Trust: Recognition of the Holy Spirit's anointing, gifting, and calling are the primary qualifications for leadership in the church (Acts 6:3).
- Biblical: All leadership practices, policies, and decisions are submitted to and shaped by Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16).
- Spirit-Filled: Leaders seek God for direction, expecting to hear his voice and lead the people in fulfilling his word. In other words, our strategy of ministry is led and empowered by the Spirit of God (Acts 13:1-3).
- Service: Leadership authority is rooted in calling and service (Matt. 20:25-28). Titles are played down in recognition of servant-leadership function. You are what you are, not what you say you are.
- Equipping: God fulfills his purposes through the whole church; a significant part of the leader's task is to identify, train, deploy, monitor, and govern the body's members (Eph. 4:11-13).
- Loyal: Leaders work together in committed teams, willing to listen to each other and defer to each other in order to fulfill God's purposes (Acts 15:1-4).
- Humble: Appropriate self-disclosure, meekness, and submissiveness to God's will closes the gap between and among those in professional and lay ministry, and reflects the humility of redemption (1 Tim. 1:15-16).
- Teachable: Leaders are willing to receive instruction, correction, and encouragement from others (Prov. 9:9; 13:1; Gal. 2:11-14).
- Merciful: As recipients of God's mercy, we freely extend it to the broken among us--especially the poor, needy, and imprisoned (2 Cor. 5:18-21).
- Vision: Vision is the ability to see things that are not as becoming reality (Heb. 11:1). A vision of Christ and his kingdom is all-consuming; it give leaders and the people they lead the meaning and purpose for which they all long (Prov. 25:18; Acts 2:17; Heb. 2:2-3).
On the following list please rate yourself using this scale:
- = Excellent
- = Good
- = Fair
- = Not sure
Ministry
- ____ Conviction of God's calling to the ministry
- ____ Ability to relate well to others
- ____ Ability to win the respect of others
- ____ Ability to take initiative with organizing and directing
- ____ Ability to gain people's trust
- ____ People gathering skills
- ____ Ability to be a team player; loyalty
- ____ Identification with DSC's vision, mission, values, and priorities
Personal Spiritual Life
- ____ Working knowledge of Scripture
- ____ A sound prayer life
- ____ Ability to deal with problems in personal relationships
- ____ Freedom from major sin
- ____ Family life in good order
Identify three areas from the lists above that you will work on during your internship. Articulate specific goals for yourself in these three areas.
Complete the Self-Appraisal Check List and then make a list of five areas you would like to gain experience in during your internship below.