The Programme

Shape of the Year

The King’s Internship is designed around the school academic year and structured in 3 terms with 2 week holidays at Christmas and Easter. There is a quieter week mid-term and each intern gets a full weekend off to get away once each term.  Each term has at least one week long block of teaching in addition to weekly input and a mission trip. The 3 terms vary somewhat depending on the time of year but the diagram below gives a general idea of the sorts of things interns will be involved in including a mid-year retreat with interns from other churches across the UK.

Example shape of the Year [show]

Shape of the week

Interns are expected to work the same hours as a resident member of the congregation – i.e. a full time job plus attending church and cell. Teaching and study occupies several mornings in the week, placements internal and external to the church may occur in afternoons or evenings and Friday mornings are devoted to local outreach and community service.  During university term time King’s has 1 morning and 2 evening services which all staff and interns attend. Out of term time we only have a morning service. Each intern’s timetable will be slightly different depending on their placements.

Sample shape of the Week [show]

Theological Teaching

The theological teaching on Kings Internship is delivered partly in intensive blocks and partly as a regular weekly programme. The trainers are highly qualified and experienced. The teaching is both accessible and challenging so that each intern can learn to the depth and level appropriate to them. On average the teaching level is roughly equivalent to first year University/College degree level in theology. The programme covers five main areas:

• Introduction to Hermeneutics and OT Studies
• The New Testament, Paul’s Theology, John’s Gospel and Revelation
• Church History and Historical Theology
• Mission Studies
• Pastoral Studies and Leadership

Alongside this is training relevant to practical ministry. Each intern is expected to reflect on the integration of theology with their practice of ministry. Interns have the option of writing assignments in order to develop a portfolio of their learning which may be used as evidence of accredited prior learning by academic institutions.

Placements

Intern placements fall into 2 categories, those internal to the church and those in partnership with external organisations.

Internal Placements

Depending on the gifts, skills and interests of the intern they may be given responsibility in 2 or more of the following areas:

• Student Ministry  & Leadership
• Alpha
• Children’s  & Youth work
• Worship
• Arts & Media
• International Student Ministry
• Hospitality & Practical Service
• Administration

External Placements

Over the years King’s has built up a good working partnership with a number of Christian charities and organisations in the North East. These provide interns with the opportunity to explore areas of ministry they are interested in and gain experience of working with  more diverse groups of people. All interns do a minimum of 2 external placements – 1 with vulnerable adults and 1 with children or young people. These are typically tailored to suit the future plans of individual interns.  Organisations we have partnered with to date include:

• Aquila Way {housing project in Gateshead}
• A Way Out {ministry to addicts and prostitutes in Stockton}
• Prison Ministry {in both men’s and women’s prisons in Durham}
• Traidcraft
• UCCF
• Youth for Christ
• LoL Youth Ministries
• Local School Christian Unions {In a variety of state and private schools}

 Placements are decided in negotiation with individual interns to provide the best possible combination for their interests whilst still serving the needs of the church community.

Leadership Development and Pastoral Care

The Internship is designed to provide opportunities for interns to grow and be stretched in a supportive environment. To that end interns not only have weekly meetings with the Church staff but are also placed in a resident cell group and given a ‘support person’ (an older Christians from the congregation to meet and pray with once a month).  Interns also meet fortnightly in single sex discipleship groups with a staff member to discuss and pray about their experiences, and set termly targets to facilitate intentional personal growth.

Partnerships

As well as the organisations we partner with to provide placements King’s is a member of the Evangelical Alliance, partners with the Living Leadership group in attending Formation Conferences and is an Ichthus link church. Many of the intern’s mission experiences will be in partnership with other Ichthus churches including attending a week of the Ichthus summer project in London.