Residency
Purpose
The Well’s Residency program is a 10-month, seminary level learning experience aimed at growing emerging leaders toward a better understanding of Bible, theology, leadership, character development, and servanthood. Like a medical residency program, we seek to give our residents a solid foundation in the Scriptures, preparing them for a lifetime of service to our Lord.
Since inception in 2004, we’ve graduated about 140 students, comprised of a good mix of men and women, including numerous married couples who experienced the program together. The majority of our residents are local to Fresno, but some have relocated from out of state in order to be a part of this incredible experience. Some of our students have full-time ministry aspirations, while others simply desire to bolster their knowledge and skill in whatever church ministry area God calls them.
We are changing Residency this year to be an even more intense hands-on introduction into ministry. The target resident would be someone who has ministry aspirations and is ready to take those aspirations to the next level by making Residency their primary focus for 10 months.
I invite you to apply for what will be the best 10 months of your life.
Thanks,
Mike Slayden
Residency Director
slayden@thewellcommunity.org
Topics of Study
Bible: From the Old Testament historical books, we will cover Genesis – Nehemiah. From the New Testament, we will cover Acts and Romans.
Spiritual formation: Personal spiritual development, including assigned readings, mentoring, and missions/ministry experiences.
General Format of Residency
- Morning Meetings: Four mornings a week (Tuesday – Friday) from 6:00am to 7:30am beginning Tuesday, September 10, 2013 and finishing Friday, May 5, 2014.
- Residency Retreats and Focus Weekends: One weekend retreat or one focused weekend each semester.
- Breaks: One week for Thanksgiving, from November 26 – 29, resuming December 3, 2013. Three weeks for Christmas, from December 24 – January 10, resuming January 14, 2014, and one week for Easter, from April 15 – 18, resuming April 22, 2014.
- Residency Israel trip June 2014
Residency Requirements
- You must be a high school graduate or have your GED
Involvement in the “full current” of your home church. This may look slightly different depending on your home church. At The Well this would look like:
- Attend Residency classes regularly and faithfully: Students will be allowed five absences during the year. After five absences, students will be requested to leave the program. Two tardies will count as one absence.
- Being in a leadership position in a Life Group: Students are not necessarily required to be the main leader, but must be in some form of leadership within the group.
- Raise funding for and attend the Residency Israel trip in June 2013: A $500 non-refundable deposit will be required to join Residency. This deposit will be applied toward the cost of the Israel trip. In addition, a regular payment schedule for the Israel trip will be established and students will be required to meet those payment deadlines.
- No new dating relationships during the 10-month Residency program
Application Process
On this page is a link to the application and reference forms. The application needs to be filled out in its entirety and returned along with two references. Give the reference forms to one pastoral reference and one former Resident. If you do not personally know a former Resident who can speak on your behalf, we can arrange an interview with a former Resident in lieu of this requirement. Once your reference forms have been completed and returned to you in a signed and sealed envelope, return them, along with your application, to the Equipping Department at The Well office. Consideration of your application will be given only when 100% of your information has been turned in.
We will contact you as soon as all application materials are received.
Thank you for your interest in The Well's Residency program.
Application Downloads
Email your completed Leadership Application to patty@thewellcommunity.org. Have your references email their reference forms to the same address.