We are still seeking a ministry trainee to join us in September and time is running out. The role is self-funded for one year with the option of extension for a further year by mutual agreement. Below is a full copy of our advert:
Ministry Trainee Scheme 2017-18
Thank you for your interest in the Ministry Trainee Scheme at Oldham Bethel Church. We hope you get a sense of how training will work in our context. If having read through the information here you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Our Church
Oldham Bethel Church is an FIEC and North West Partnership church in the Glodwick area of Oldham. Oldham was recently dubbed ‘most deprived town in England’ and is physically and spiritually needy. Glodwick is a residential area on the edge of the town centre. It is overwhelmingly populated by Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslims and houses Oldham’s largest mosque. It was also the epicentre of the 2001 Oldham race riots.
The church has around 25 members and a regular congregation of c. 50 people. We are a
multicultural church with people from the UK, Europe, Caribbean, Middle East, Africa and Asia. We have a number of members and adherents from Iran so translate significant portions of our church service into Farsi. We have had the joy of seeing many Persian people come to know and love the Lord Jesus personally, subsequently going on to be baptised at the church. Many of our members and adherents are asylum seekers and thus have significant financial, emotional and practical needs.
The church is run by a team of elders (including one full-time pastor) who are all appointed by the church membership. Supporting the elders, we have a team of deacons who are also appointed by the church members. The deacons handle many of the practical matters related to the running of the church under the guidance of the eldership.
Our Aims
We exist as a church of disciples who make disciples of Jesus Christ by allowing God’s word to work by his Spirit. We are committed to four fundamental values: Gospel, Bible,
Community and Mission. We are also committed to training a new generation of church
leaders, pastoral workers and theologically grounded, thoughtful church members.
Our mission-field is predominantly, though not exclusively, Muslim people. In our context, these may be first generation Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslims, British born Muslims of Asian descent and Middle Eastern Iranians. Many of our outreach activities are geared toward these demographics. Nonetheless, we are also seeking to reach the indigenous white British population and engage in care home outreach and open air ministries that reach others in Oldham. The ministries to those within the church are geared towards building the body up in knowledge, love and maturity in order to equip and encourage them in works of service.
The trainee scheme
Our hope for the ministry trainee scheme is that we will be able to provide you with solid training for future ministry and you will encourage and build up the church through your service, even leaving behind sustainable work that will benefit Oldham in future years. We are, therefore, looking for servant-hearted people to serve in existing works, and to work with the church to generate new ministries, both to build the local church in Glodwick and to serve the wider church in future ministry roles. The training itself will focus on three areas: theological training, ministry training and practical service.
Job Description
Pay: As this is a voluntary training scheme there will be no remuneration in respect to your involvement with the ministry of Oldham Bethel Church. Placement requires you to raise your own financial support for the year. The church will pay for the NW Training Course fees and for you to attend one conference in the year agreed in consultation with the elders.
Accountable to: The elders of Oldham Bethel Church
Role: The role is split into three areas:
Theological training
Training will be provided by the North West Training Course on Thursdays in Leyland. By train, Leyland is reachable within an hour and half and around 1 hour by car. The training given assumes that preparation and additional study will have been done by you in advance. The church will pay the fees for you to attend this course (this does not include travel costs).
Ministry training
Your main area of training will depend on your gifts and the opportunities in the church. You will receive training and opportunity in active evangelism (particularly in reaching Muslims) children’s and youth works, leading Bible studies and (as appropriate) deliver sermons. You will observe others and will be supported in doing some of this yourself. The elders will be responsible for your pastoral care and you will meet with them regularly for reflection and feedback. Time will be allocated for this at the weekly elders meeting. There will be opportunities to take part in other aspects of church life such as pastoral visitation, home groups as well as periodically accompanying the pastor to fraternals and other ministry meetings as appropriate.
Practical service
Your training in practical service will involve seeing how a church functions behind the
scenes and learning what is required practically for ministry to function in a church. As such you will get training and experience in a variety of practical tasks (eg preparing rooms for meetings, cleaning the hall, serving refreshments etc.) The training may change through the year depending on the needs of the ministry at Oldham Bethel Church.
Other tasks
From time to time you will be asked to do other tasks not listed above which contribute to the running and organisation of the church. This will always be done by negotiation.
Brief person specification
We are looking for someone who has: a love for God and desire to make Jesus Christ known to others; a love of God’s Word, a desire to know it and a commitment to seeing it taught faithfully; a love for God’s people and a willingness to actively serve others.
To apply or find out more, please email info@oldhambethelchurch.org.uk including a summary of your testimony, details of your Christian background and any previous ministry experience such as children’s work, leading/preaching or service with other para-church organisations.