At Banstead Community Church we have a trainee pastor programme. Its aim is to train and equip men for pastoral ministry.
Our conviction is that BOTH the local church AND a theological college are needed to give someone the best training they can possibly have to equip them for pastoral ministry.
A theological college is great for providing teaching in Biblical Studies (OT & NT surveys plus biblical languages); Biblical Theology; Doctrine, Church History & Apologetics and so on, but it is the local church that is the best place for them to learn about the church and how to pastor and preach.
So, our programme focuses on teaching the trainee pastor about the church, how to pastor and preach through a mixture of mentoring, reading, writing assignments, discussion, observation, and practical ministry experience.