pastoral

residency

Deepen Your Ministry Formation.
Discern Your Vocational Call.
Develop Your Leadership Skills.

What is it?

A 9-month apprenticeship in the heart of Silicon Valley for those discerning a call to ministry.

  • Dates: August 16 – May 16

  • Commitment: 20 hours per week

  • Housing is Provided

Why a residency?

Just as medical students practice in a clinical residency, pastors benefit from immersive training under skilled leaders. This residency combines hands-on ministry experience with intentional spiritual formation, helping you grow in both character and competence.

What you will experience:

  • Whether you pursue seminary, step into church ministry, or bring your formation back into another vocation, this residency gives you lasting skills for a lifetime of Christian service.

    • 9-month immersion in a thriving multi-congregational church

    • Explore and exercise your gifts by serving within a specific ministry department

  • You’ll engage in practices and studies that root your ministry in Christ.

    • Beginning with Belovedness

    • Embodied Prayer

    • Redemption History as the Metanarrative (Biblical Literacy)

    • Steward to Serve

    • Becoming Disciplemakers

    • Emotional Intelligence

    • Time and Resource Management

    • Development and Strategic Planning

    • Communication Skills 

    • Servant Leadership/Stewarding Influence

Why here?
Silicon Valley

At the epicenter of innovation, achievement, and cultural change, Silicon Valley is a place of striking contrasts:

  • Tech giants like Apple, Google, and Meta stand alongside staggering levels of loneliness and anxiety.

  • 25% of Bay Area residents live at or below the poverty line, while others experience extreme wealth.

This residency invites you to practice the slow and simple way of Jesus in a region where human need and cultural influence collide.

why westgate church?

WestGate has been serving Silicon Valley for over 50 years, and is here to stay. We are a multi-congregational community of people learning and living the way of Jesus. Here, you’ll find:

  • Experiential Learning – hands-on opportunities in real ministry contexts

  • Mentorship – guidance and care from seasoned pastors and leaders

  • Collaborative Partners – connections with networks and ministries beyond our church

Interested in Applying?

Apply here