Our Purpose

Has God called you to serve his church?  Where will you seek preparation for the high call of ministry?  Seminaries have much to offer, but we believe that local churches play the most important role in the training of ministers.  What if the two worlds of the seminary and the church combined to offer an educational experience that is richer than either could offer by itself?  What if seminaries partnered with local churches to enable pastoral training to take place primarily in the context of a local church, with the added benefit of credit hours to be applied toward a Master of Divinity degree? At Cornerstone Community Church, we have just such a program in place.

We offer to a limited number of qualified men the opportunity to participate in a one-year pastoral apprenticeship that runs from August to July of each year (with several breaks interspersed for holidays and during seminary J-terms).  Our goal is to train these men in the development of knowledge, character, and skills required for service as pastors and missionaries who will faithfully serve Christ and his church as we participate together in the fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20).

Our Method

Apprentices are expected to give five hours of service to the church per week, working closely with Pastor Lee Tankersley.  They are also expected to attend a weekly two-hour meeting with the program director, Aaron O’Kelley, for theological discussions based on readings in various areas of biblical studies, systematic theology, and applied theology.  Preaching, teaching, and small group leadership opportunities are also provided.

Apprentices who desire will be able to receive up to eighteen hours of seminary credit through Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for participation in this one-year program.  This includes nine hours of Supervised Ministry Experience as well as credit for the following three-hour courses: Pastoral Ministry, Christian Leadership, and Administration/Education in the Church.  Students who desire to take advantage of the close proximity of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary extension center during the time of the apprenticeship will have no problem being concurrently enrolled in two seminaries, and they will find that credits are easily transferable from one school to the other.  Cornerstone Community Church will pay each apprentice a stipend of $1,500 for the year to be used toward seminary education.

The current reading list for apprentices includes such works as The Doctrine of the Word of God by John Frame, Dominion and Dynasty by Stephen Dempster, The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter, Between Two Worlds by John Stott, Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper, Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches by John Hammett, and many more.

Our Unique Benefits

1. 1. An accelerated education schedule; students who receive all 18 credit hours of our program can also take advantage of the Southern extension center, online classes, and J-term classes on campus (either in Wake Forest at SEBTS or in Louisville at SBTS) to earn up to 42 hours of credit toward a Master of Divinity in one year! 
   2. Preaching opportunities in a real, congregational setting rather than in the artificial setting of a classroom.  This also includes helpful critique from pastors, the program director, and ordinary church members;
   3. Experience with day-to-day pastoral ministry;
   4. A reading list that is more rigorous than most Master of Divinity programs;
   5. Teaching opportunities in a local church;
   6. Learning in a small-group, seminar format rather than in a large lecture hall;
   7. Close friendships with fellow apprentices and with program leaders that will last a lifetime;
   8. Personal connections that will aid in future ministry placement.  
   9. Financial assistance through the stipend as well as scholarships (through the Tennessee Baptist Convention and the Tennessee Baptist Foundation) that are available only to full-time seminary students who are residents of Tennessee. 

Our Requirements

1. 1. All apprentices who are not already members of Cornerstone Community Church must join the church as either full members or associate members.
   2. Apprentices must be male and must be pursuing a future in ministry.  
   3. Apprentices must commit to be present for all required meetings and to fulfill all of their responsibilities with excellence.
   4. Apprentices must demonstrate strong moral character throughout the duration of the program.  
   5. Those interested in receiving more information should contact Aaron O’Kelley.  You can also submit an application online (cccjackson.org) or pick up an application at the church.  Applications are normally made available in early March and are accepted until early April.  The elders review all applications and conduct interviews before selecting candidates for admission.