
“Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.”
WHY RESIDENCY?
FOR US, IT’S PERSONAL
My early days in the pastorate were guided by the tutelage of my then Pastor and Grandfather, the Reverend Willie Jenkins, Jr. Upon the culmination of my training and just before he released me to my first charge in Oakland, my grandfather’s commissioning words were, “You now know where the landmark is. And you understand how to talk to the old and how to talk to the young and bring them together. So, go now and serve the Lord.”
Those few short years invested by my Pastor’s side, coupled with the wisdom garnered therein, have not only fueled the past twenty-five years of life and ministry for me, but also that of dozens of other pastors I have shepherded. For young pastors in the early days of ministry, guidance and training from wiser, more seasoned leaders is the essential foundation upon which fruitful ministry is built, and, as we survey the current ministry landscape in America, maybe now more than ever, its importance cannot be overstated.
For young leaders to make it in ministry today, life-on-life mentorship is not just essential…
It is everything.
Pastor Ricky Jenkins
Southwest Church Indian Wells, CA

WHY NOW?
THE CURRENT
PASTORAL LANDSCAPE
Read the Barna studies that speak to these growing issues in the Church.
1 — ”The Aging of America’s Pastors”
2 — ”Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year”
“THE PLACE GOD CALLS YOU TO IS THE PLACE WHERE YOUR DEEP GLADNESS AND THE WORLD’S DEEP HUNGER MEET.”
-Frederich Beuchner
OUR PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE
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How will you learn to shepherd and lead God’s people? Where can you continue honing the skills needed for ministry? Our program will give you hands-on, practical ministry experience as you become a member of the Southwest staff during your time as a resident.
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In partnership with Hope International University, the residency program will provide a wide-ranging theological education that is both foundational and relevant for ministry in our current cultural moment.
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Who will be there to coach, support, and invest in you as you develop the heart and character needed for a lifetime of ministry? In our program, you’ll gain exposure not just to the Southwest staff team but to other ministry leaders from across the globe who all share the same goal of pouring the hard-earned wisdom of decades in ministry into the next generation of leaders.