Residency FAQs
The ASI Team has created this guide for recruiters and supervisors to answer common questions we have received in the past. This guide is not exhaustive but should provide some clarity to the program and address questions about development, concerns about support-raising, and the overall process and timeline.
What will I be doing day-to-day as a resident?
Your day-to-day experience is dependent on what area of the ministry you are serving in. If you are accepted, you will be placed with a supervisor who will give you all of your work and be in charge of developing you as a leader.
Overall, the Residency Program is meant to prepare participants for their next step in ministry. As this is an intensive season of learning and growth, the expectation for residents is similar to the expectations of a graduate school. Residents will be working vocationally in ministry and maintaining a coursework load.
Realistically, a resident can expect to work, at minimum, 40 hours per week, and can expect to study, at minimum, an additional 10 hours per week for their development.
You can expect to spend time weekly with your supervisor in a development meeting, weekly with our whole staff as we worship, learn, and serve together, and weekly participate in Sunday worship. In addition, you can expect to do real, meaningful ministry in support of whatever department you are hired into.
What is the difference between internships and residencies?
Residencies are typically for college graduates and beyond. They are full-time, support raised positions, and have a two-year commitment. Residencies are designed as a time of learning from a specific person in a specific ministry. They help the resident explore their potential calling for future ministry.
Internships vary in length of commitment from three months to one year. Internships can be paid or unpaid, and can be anywhere from five to forty hours per week depending on the intern and the supervisor.
The Austin Stone Institute primarily focuses on residencies but can help develop effective internships as well.
Does ASI provide housing for residents?
No. However, we strongly recommend that unmarried residents find other residents to live with during your time in Austin. The spring support training is a great time to meet other residents and discuss housing possibilities. ASI residents must coordinate and secure adequate housing for the duration of their time in Austin, and are welcome to engage their supervisors for help!
What does a residency consist of?
A great residency has three components: theological training, community formation, and skill development.
Regarding theological training and development, all first-year residents are required to participate in the Men’s and Women’s Development Program (MWDP). Additionally, Austin Stone leadership desires every resident to have at least read through the Bible cover-to-cover during their time here at The Stone.
Another objective of the Residency Program is that every resident has a robust experience in a structured disciple-making community. Each resident will be plugged in to a missional community and will pursue accountability through a Life Transformation Group (LTG) that meets weekly.
Finally, every resident will have a clear supervisor in their chosen area of ministry who is helping train them in practical skill development. While character formation and theological training will always happen “along the way” at The Austin Stone, one of the primary functions of the supervisor is to intentionally cultivate specific skills that will prove valuable in the resident’s future ministry.
How are residents discipled?
The approach outlined above constitutes our approach to discipleship in ministry: one-on-one mentorship with a supervisor of the same gender who will shepherd the resident and ensure they are growing in their affections for the Lord during his or her residency.
There are many other opportunities to learn and grow at The Austin Stone, and we recommend that each Resident work with their supervisor to identify additional opportunities for discipleship.
What will we learn in the ASDP classes?
The Austin Stone Development Program works through several areas of core Christian doctrine:
- Doctrine of the Word
- Doctrine of God
- Doctrine of Man
- Doctrine of Christ and the Holy Spirit
- Doctrine of the Application of Redemption
- Doctrine of the Church
- Doctrine of the Future
Additionally, the program addresses several core ministry philosophies at The Austin Stone and many other topics.
Who is Reliant and how are they affiliated with the Austin Stone?
Reliant is an evangelical Christian mission agency who is a trusted partner with hundreds of missional churches and Gospel-centered nonprofits. Reliant partners with missional churches like the Austin Stone to mobilize support-based missionaries for the great commission.
Reliant actually employs all residents and “assigns” them to The Austin Stone Community Church. We partner with Reliant because they specialize in equipping and sending church-based missionaries like our residents. This partnership allows the Austin Stone to focus on ministry and Reliant to serve the Resident in aspects of employment and support team development.
Why do we support raise?
We have residents raise support for their ministry training for several reasons.
First, we believe raising financial support is grounded in the Bible. There are countless illustrations in the New Testament of churches and individuals financially supporting the work of those called to the task of ministry. While some individuals may receive their support from a congregation, others receive their support through the generous partnership of many believers and many churches. As a resident, you are not only raising funds, you’re developing your ministry support team for the future!
This leads to the second reason: relationships. Raising support allows the opportunity for relationships to grow and for specifically gifted people to engage in ministry to the resident in various ways like providing prayer, finances, and encouragement. Developing a support team is about much more than finances - it’s about helping individuals in our church and other churches participate in the joy of ministry in relationship with ministers and missionaries.
Finally, support raising allows for a resident to grow in his or her faith, seeing and experiencing God’s provision in unique ways many have never had. While this may seem like a daunting task, we have seen over the course of the last decade that God uses support team development to grow Residents in their trust in Christ!
How do we support raise?
ASI, in partnership with Reliant, provides full support raising training. Every resident attends this training in-person so that we can provide the best face-to-face preparation possible.
Our training includes developing a theology of support raising, demonstrating a biblical perspective on ministry partnership, practically setting support goals, and training vision casting skills to equip residents for success in developing a ministry team. Additionally, each resident is given personal coaching and regular communication during the support raising season.
Following training, our residents are deputized by Reliant to raise funds for their ministry leading up to the residency start date in August. Each resident can expect to spend three to five months developing a ministry team and raising support depending on the number of weekly hours he or she is able to invest.
All residents are expected to be fully funded before commencing their Residency.
How much do we support raise and what does it cover?
Residents raise funds for the total cost of their employment (salary, insurance, some taxes, and program costs). It is Reliant‘s practice to work with predetermined salaries for living in Austin and help each resident to establish a customized budget and a support goal that takes into consideration their individual circumstances. It is the each resident’s responsibility to raise 100% of his or her determined goal.
Due to the intensity of the program, working a second job during the residency is strongly discouraged, and often not permitted for most residents.