Student Field Education Residency Application

Student Field Education Residency Application

Apply for the CBFNC Field Education Program to nurture your calling through supervised ministry practice within local congregations.
Ministry is not learned only in classrooms. It is learned in relationships, in congregational life, in leadership meetings, in moments of care and conflict, and in the faithful work of showing up for people week after week.

CBF North Carolina (CBFNC) is deeply committed to nurturing the calling of individuals and to supporting congregations as they grow in health, resilience, and faithfulness. The Field Education Residency Program brings these two commitments together by creating formative ministry experiences that serve both emerging leaders and local churches.

This program exists to help students bridge the gap between theological education and real congregational ministry. It offers more than financial support—it offers intentional formation, guided practice, and space to grow as a minister-in-formation within the life of a real church or ministry setting.

Through this program, students are:
- Paired with CBF partner congregations and organizations committed to teaching ministry, not just assigning tasks
- Supported financially so formation is not limited by economic pressure
- Invited into the rhythms of congregational life, including leadership and decision-making spaces
- Guided through supervision, reflection, and cohort learning alongside peers and mentors
Students also learn one of the most essential—and often under-taught—dimensions of ministry: how to care faithfully for people within congregations that hold a range of theological convictions, histories, and hopes.

This program assumes that:
- Congregations are theologically diverse
- Ministry requires humility, curiosity, and pastoral presence
- Thriving congregations are shaped by leaders who can listen well, lead wisely, and serve faithfully
For students discerning a call to congregational or ministry leadership, this program provides:
- Real experience rooted in congregational life
- Formation that honors both conviction and compassion
- Supportive community and mentoring
- Space to grow in confidence, competence, and vocational clarity
This is not simply preparation for ministry.

It is formation for faithful leadership that nurtures people and strengthens congregations.
Personal & Academic Information

Tell us about yourself and your academic background.
Full Name*

First NameLast Name
Email Address*
example@example.com
Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Divinity School*
Degree Program*
Year in Program*
Sense of Call & Vocational Discernment

Reflect on your calling and interest in ministry.
Describe your sense of call to ministry and how this field education placement fits into your vocational discernment.*
What draws you toward congregational or ministry-based leadership at this stage of your formation?*
Formation & Learning Goals

Share your learning objectives and experiences.
What do you hope to learn or practice through this placement (skills, leadership, self-awareness, theology-in-practice)?*
Describe a time when you were called to care for or lead people whose theological views or ministry expectations differed from your own. What did you learn about yourself and about pastoral presence?*
How do you understand the responsibility of serving a congregation with its own history, convictions, and decision-making authority, while remaining grounded in your own developing sense of call?*
What questions or curiosities do you bring regarding congregational leadership, governance, and decision-making?*
Availability & Capacity

Tell us about your weekly availability and logistics.
Indicate your weekly availability for 10–15 hours per week during September–mid-May.*
Please describe any geographic or transportation considerations that may affect your placement.*
Experience & Readiness

Share your relevant experience and growth areas.
Describe your relevant ministry or leadership experience.*
Identify strengths you bring to ministry and areas where you hope to grow.*
Commitments for Faithful Congregational Ministry

Please read and affirm the following commitments before submitting your application.
I commit to respecting the autonomy of the congregation I serve, honoring its history, leadership structures, and discernment processes, even when they differ from my own preferences or perspectives.*

I agree
I commit to practicing faithful pastoral care for all people in the congregation, seeking to listen deeply, act with compassion, and serve with integrity, even when theological differences are present.*

I agree
I commit to approaching theological difference as an opportunity for learning and growth, remaining open, reflective, and grounded rather than defensive or dismissive.*

I agree
I commit to engaging congregational life with professionalism, confidentiality, and accountability, recognizing the trust placed in me as a minister-in-formation.*

I agree
References

Provide contact information for your references.
Academic Reference: Full Name*
Academic Reference: Email Address*
example@example.com
Academic Reference: Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Ministry/Supervisory Reference: Full Name*
Ministry/Supervisory Reference: Email Address*
example@example.com
Ministry/Supervisory Reference: Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Applicant Affirmation

Affirm your commitment to this placement.
I affirm that I am seeking this placement as a formative learning experience and that I am committed to engaging ministry with integrity, curiosity, and accountability.*

I affirm my commitment to this placement
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Student Field Education Residency Application

Personal & Academic Information

Sense of Call & Vocational Discernment

Formation & Learning Goals

Availability & Capacity

Experience & Readiness

Commitments for Faithful Congregational Ministry

References

Applicant Affirmation