Ben Wilhite

Christian Gap Year to Grad Degree – Joel Becker – Arrowhead Camp (PA)

November 8, 2023October 29, 2023

Front Lines Podcast - Joel Becker - Arrowhead Camp

A conversation with Joel Becker, who is currently serving as the Program Specialist, with a significant role shepherding The Launch Initiative (TLI) gap year, and Leadership in Disabilities (LID) internship programs at Arrowhead Camp, a long-time frontline ministry partner of Eleven:6. Joel’s story is a powerful example of how an intentional and strategic approach to stewarding God-designed potential and purpose accelerates and amplifies the process.

How to Choose the Best Staff for Gap Year, Internship, and Residency Programs

October 31, 2023September 29, 2023

Choose the right gap year or internship program staff.

Gap year, internship, and residency programs each provide students with unique learning environments that require equally unique teachers and staff. Here’s what to look for.

For Credit or Not? Evaluating Your Internship, Gap Year, or Residency Program

September 29, 2023

Upgrade your ministry internship to include academic credit, boost recruiting.

Many ministry leaders are transitioning their training programs to offer academic credit and degree pathways for their students. If you have a ministry internship, a Christian gap year program, a church residency, or other similar training program, you may be considering doing the same.

In Ministry or a Classroom? Where Leaders are Really Made

October 31, 2023September 22, 2023

Ministry experience improves job training and future job prospects.

A recent survey of over one thousand job seekers showed that 55% of entry level job listings require three or more years of experience. That is a rise of nearly twenty percentage points from just a few years ago.

Training vs. Educating: Why You Can’t Pick Just One

September 21, 2023

Emerging leaders have a host of options when it comes to professional training and ministry education. Bible schools and seminaries of all types and sizes have long been a trusted resource for those seeking ministry training. In more recent years, ministry internship, Christian gap-year, and church residency programs have grown in popularity and there is increasing demand for more frontline training programs. But rather than choosing between the academic and ministry training environments, why not offer a model that includes the best of both? Doing this will set you apart as a training program and give your students more complete training to launch them into ministry and leadership.

How to Retain Ministry Interns Over the Long Haul

August 28, 2023August 28, 2023

Ministry internship mentoring is essential.

The following are some simple steps you can take now to help retain your new ministry interns over the long haul. Not only will taking these steps serve your interns by helping them succeed, but they help you, your program, and your ministry, as well. Programs with higher retention rates have healthier budgets and more graduates out in the real world sending referrals back into them.

Ministry Internships: Goals That Improve Recruitment and Retention

August 21, 2023August 21, 2023

Ministry internships -- set learning objectives for ideal outcomes.

Are you helping your ministry interns achieve the right goals? The point of education — and discipleship — goes beyond merely passing on knowledge (information). The Great Commission calls us to make disciples by “teaching them to obey” what Jesus has taught (transformation).

Your Ministry Internship: 3 Common DIY Mistakes That Cost Money

August 10, 2023August 4, 2023

Ministry leaders tend to be more entrepreneurial than most. And ministry leaders who take on the task of leading ministry internship, church residency, and Christian gap year programs tend to be even more do-it-yourself! We applaud your particular set of skills and passions. But there are some things you should stop trying to do yourself. These things are costing you money and, more importantly, they keep you from focusing on what you are really great at. Here are a few common examples: Being Your Team’s IT Professional Software is expensive. But it’s also a necessity in this modern world. You … Read more

Ministry Internship Programs: How to Raise Enrollment Without Spending More

August 10, 2023July 31, 2023

Ministry internship program recruiting costs less

The budget is tight for your ministry internship program, but enrollment needs to go up. So what do you do? Having worked with Christian ministries and churches for over twenty years, we’ve learned some simple steps that you can take to raise enrollment without raising expenditures. Here’s what we’ve learned through the decades.

Gap Year Programs: Why They Save Time & Money

August 10, 2023July 27, 2023

Christian gap year program students smiling.

Here are some of the common misconceptions that people have about gap year programs and the research that helps address them. Learning to communicate these truths can significantly boost your recruitment.

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