Wilshire Baptist Church

The pastoral residency program at Wilshire, the flagship of our Pathways to Ministry emphasis, has become a nationally recognized model for excellence in clergy preparation. Wilshire identifies itself as a "teaching congregation," just as some hospitals are "teaching" hospitals with medical residents. The rigorous training afforded in seminaries and divinity schools focuses primarily on essential academic and biblical knowledge. What's missing is practical teaching about the work of the church. Wilshire seeks to fill that gap by offering recent seminary or divinity school graduates two years to learn the ropes of local church ministry in a safe and healthy practicum. In the long term, we believe, this will extend the ministry of pastors and prevent early burnout among young clergy.

Our Needs

This nationally recognized program was launched in 2003 with a grant from the Lilly Endowment, followed by two additional grants over our first decade. Today, the program continues with gifts to Wilshire's Pathways to Ministry program and the George A. Mason Pathways to Ministry Endowment.