Church Partnership Program

Ministry Practicum (CMIN 1493-4963)

Instructions and Guidelines

CPP Affiliates and Northwest University collaborate to develop leaders through the Church Partnership Program as part of the CPP Affiliate’s Internship or Staff Development Program. Each semester students have the opportunity to earn up to three credits of Ministry Practicum through CPP affiliates that have approved ministry practicums.Because Northwest University awards academic credit for the satisfactory completion of ministry practicum learning experiences, local affiliates must work closely with university leadership to ensure standards and requirements are understood and maintained.

Principles involved in the practicum learning experiences

  1. College-level. The Church Ministry (CMIN) Practicums are college-level courses that entail:
  2. Exposure to multiple ministry experiences rather than a narrow focus on skills applicable only to one ministry setting,
  3. Practical training in the theory and principles of why things are done and are effective rather than merely the details of what to do,
  4. Interaction with ministry professionals to learn current ministry principlesand skills
  5. Contemplation balanced with action, where students reflect on ministry activities with leaders and peers in a weekly journal.
  6. Begins Broad – Ends Focused. The Practicum experiences are designed to initially build a broad base of ministry experiences and later focus on the specific area of ministry desired by the student. Level 1 Practicum is a “tour” of the Affiliate’s ministries. Level 2 allows the student to focus on one or two preferred areas of ministry. Implications:
  7. Level 1: Students initially participate in all church ministries, including those to which they may feel no or little leading or interest. These initial experiences emphasize observation more than responsibility as they rotate through the available ministry venues and tracks. Observations and participation over several occasions (typically four to eight weeks) are required to fully understand workers’ responsibilities and the ministry’s role in the total church program.
  8. Students already involved in particular ministries may need time off to be exposed to other ministries.
  9. It is critically important for students to understand the pertinent leadership, operational, and strategic aspects of each ministry. This involves interaction at all levels of the ministry from planning to action.
  10. Level 2: Advanced students then focus their time and energies into one or two ministries where they develop the skills and competencies to become leaders in that ministry. These students carry a much higher level of responsibility and leadership within specific ministries.
  11. Accountability. Practicums are structured with accountability systems. The CPP Practicum Template (developed by CPP Coordinator) includes a specific description of student learning and participation expectations. Ministry leaders evaluate students on their skills, attitude, and journal reflections – not merely on their attendance. Records are maintained through systems such as weekly journaling, online posting, and/or regular interactions with leadership.
  12. Integration and Oversight. Practicums are integrated with the program’s academic studies using the Weekly Internship Schedule Grid). The more familiar individual ministry leaders are with the degree requirements and courses, the better they can help students apply their “book studies” to their Practicum experience.Affiliates must specify who will serve as the Practicum Coordinator, responsible to ensure integration and oversight of the practicum learning experiences.
  13. Students’ Personal Development. Along with skill development, practicums focus on students’ personal, spiritual, relational, and character development. These very personal aspects of ministerial formation require students to be in an open and transparent two-way relationship with ministry supervisors or mentors who can observe students engaging in life and ministry over the length of the training program. Leaders help clarify students’ spiritual, personal, and professional giftings while identifying the strengths and weaknesses that will augment or impede their ministry effectiveness. Development leaders must have sufficient maturation and experience themselves to be able to speak into their students’ lives, usually requiring at least three to five years in active ministry. Students establish developmental plans early in their practicum sequence and affiliate leaders regularly and honestly hold students accountable throughout their programs. This process is described in detail in “Student Personal Development Plans (PDP)” on the Internships and Practicum in Eagle (link)

Steps to Establish a Ministry Practicum Process

  1. What is the length of your CPP?  1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years
  2. How many semesters each year will you supervise and make available Ministry Practicum credits?

 Both fall and spring semesters fall semester onlyspring semester only

  1. Who will serve as the Practicum Coordinator to oversee and monitor on at least a weekly basis the effectiveness of the training conducted during the Ministry Practicums? ______
  2. What Level 1 Practicum tracks will you offer? These are ministry areas in which students will predominately observe the ministry over several weeks, helping as possible, but being sufficiently free to observe and interact with those serving and being served. The goals are for students to understand how the ministry fits within the overall scope of the church or ministry, qualifications of its leaders and volunteers, unique budget and time constraints, and short and long-range plans and goals for the ministry (Track names below are suggestive and may be replaced).

Ministry Track Name
(add lines as necessary) / Practicum Level (1 &/or 2) / Track Leader / Best days for Practicum observation
  1. Youth Ministry

  1. Children’s Ministry

  1. Worship and Media

  1. What Level 2 Practicum tracks will you offer? These are ministry areas in which students will actively participate and focus their attention towards the end of their CPP training. They are being trained to be able to have leadership within that ministry or similar tracks in other ministry locations. The goal of Level 2 is to focus on one preferred area of ministry (or one per semester) so the student can develop the skills and competencies needed to lead this or similar ministries at other locations.

Ministry Track Name
(add lines as necessary) / Practicum Level (1 &/or 2) / Track Leader / Best days for Practicum observation
Fall Practicum –
Spring Practicum –
  1. What Level 3/4 Practicum tracks will you offer? Applies only to CPP Affiliates offering a B.A. Year 3 and 4 Practicums usually include the student taking a staff role (paid or volunteer) of leadership in a specific area of ministry. Affiliates that operate a multi-site format have found it beneficial to place 3rd and 4th year interns over primary areas of ministry at their satellite campuses.
  2. Ministry Track Leaders’ responsibilities include:
  3. Ministry Track Intake Meeting for meaningful interaction with the Track Leader and his/her staff at the beginning of time in each ministry. The purpose of this Intake Meeting is to clarify the ministry track’s goals, vision, physical needs and fiscal challenges in the mind of the intern. This includes both written and/or verbal information to students.
  4. Designing a written strategy allowing students to participate in the ministry while still leaving room for freedom to investigate the broad range of ministry involved in the track. This strategy must also include weekly interaction with Ministry Track Leader or assigned representative.Our goal is to cause minimal interruption or distraction to the track and its staff,however, students are receiving academic credit for this training and Track Leadersare the key personnel serving this training function.
  5. Reporting to the Practicum Coordinator if students’ attendance, attitude, or actions give indication that they would not be considered as a potential volunteer in the track’s ministry.
  6. Conduct Ministry Track Exit Interview.
  7. Assign grade based on performance in Ministry Track, Exit Interview, and review of Student’s Weekly Reflection Journal.
  8. Practicum Coordinator’s responsibilities include:
  9. Develop Ministry Practicum Syllabus (based on template in Eagle) to ensure sound and creditable training throughout the practicum process. The structure of the practicum syllabus helps students honestly face their initial degree of preparation for ministry and identify the professional and personal characteristics they must intentionally develop over the course of the internship. Most affiliates provide students with a two-year developmental process, beginning with several tests taken during UCOR 1053 (Identity and Vocation). The process continues with the establishment of a Personal Development Plan (PDP) at the beginning of each semester and a PDP Self-Assessment at the end of each semester. The process culminates with the student producing both a resume and ongoing Personal Development Plan at the end of the internship.
  10. Orientating the Track Leaders as to their responsibilities to the practicum students and ensuring each Track Leader has a written plan for interns in their track.
  11. Scheduling Level 1 students to their track rotations during the semester based on the number of tracks, number of students, and the respective capacities of each track. Some tracks are more complex and may require more time than others. Some tracks have limited capacity.
  12. Assigning Level 2 students to their track(s). This may involve recommendations and approval from Track Leaders, waiting lists for certain tracks, or coordinating with students because of capacity issues. Students are not guaranteed a particular Level 2 track. Students must be counseled regarding what they have learned and the skills they have developed during their Level 1 experiences, and receive the approval of both the Practicum Coordinator and Ministry Track Leader. It is certainly appropriate for those Level 1 students who worked the hardest and focused the most to have first choice to particular Level 2 tracks.
  13. Weekly monitoring of students. Are students experiencing the expected access to the Track Leaders and their staff? Are students completing their Practicum Journals to expected standards? Are students learning about ministry within the church?
  14. Weekly monitoring of Track Leaders. Are leaders providing effective training experiences for practicum students? Are students disrupting the track ministries? Are students prompt and helpful to the track’s ministries?
  15. Submitting practicum grades to NU for each student at the end of each semester.
  16. CPP Student Responsibilities – Detailed in Ministry Practicum Syllabus

Affiliate Coordinators: Submit your request for Practicum approval with the CPP-Ministry PracticumTemplate(On CPP Internships and Practicum Page in Eagle).

Last Updated – Friday, April 24, 2015