ALVERSTOKE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

(Looking to take on one apprentice for September 2008)

Background — Alverstoke Evangelical Church is located on the coast in Gosport, Hampshire, just across the harbour from Portsmouth. We have a wide spread of ages with about 120 meeting on a Sunday morning and 70 in the evening. We meet in a Secondary School but we also two teams involved in other works on a Sunday. One team is involved with seeking to regenerate a church and the other leads a children’s work on an local estate.

Our emphasis is on regular, consecutive Bible exposition, evangelism and discipleship. We also seek a growing experience of the Spirit’s work among us. We have a leadership team with two pastors full-time. The preaching ministry is shared by the leadership team and others. We also have a trainee who has been with us for one year already.

General role — This is a voluntary position to which the apprentice willingly commits themselves. Our commitment is to provide training opportunities dependent on the apprentice’s gifts and experience. We aim to give a good experience of as many areas of church life as possible and opportunities to serve would develop. An apprentice would definitely spend time within the youth sections of the church as well as involvement with adult ministry.

Aims for an apprentice

a) To develop a fuller Biblical understanding including:

An overview of the Bible, one that also sees the development of various themes from first to second testament.
An appreciation and understanding of the theology of the Bible, understanding how particular doctrines are under question today.
An understanding of the gospel and the need to communicate this.
A growing understanding of how to see what the Bible says and to convey this accurately and interestingly in the current world.

b) To develop their personal life in such a way as to:

Have a consistent walk with God where the Bible is understood, meditated upon, and enjoyed in a way that God is experienced through the text.
Know that prayer is a necessity and a joyful opportunity, and for their praying to be developing in depth and concern.
See Jesus Christ more clearly and be changed by this sight.
Order their lives in such a way as to prioritise the gospel and to work hard—making the most of life’s opportunities.
Follow God as He guides their lives.

c) To experience life within the local church by:

Gaining an experience and taste of serving in a local church in its various facets.
Serving others, behind the scenes as well at using more noticeable gifts such as teaching.
Working with others among young people in the church’s youth works, schools clubs and groups and other relevant opportunities.
Involvement in the Home Group scheme and the evangelistic courses.

d) To begin to see God’s guidance more clearly

We hope that an apprentice’s experience of gospel ministry and work within a local church would help equip them for gospel work. Whether this leads to full-time gospel ministry or not is not our primary concern. Our concern is that the person has a sense of what God is guiding them to do and that in whatever situation they find themselves, they will want to share the gospel, and be confident in what that gospel is.

Weekly Involvement — The apprentice would spend approximately a day during a week with one of the leadership team. This would include teaching, planning, interactive study, and supervising of their training. A personal mentor would also be assigned. There would be about a day a week of personal study and a day off a week. The rest of the time will be split between various tasks including practical work, preparation and involvement with youth work and other ministries. As a part of the volunteer’s agreement there will be 30 days holiday a year (including Bank Holidays). The trainee commits themselves to be fully involved in the life of the church including Sunday services and the midweek programme.

Duration — Our preference is for a one year appointment with the possibilities of a second year if deemed worthwhile by the church and the apprentice.

Personal attributes — Any applicant must have a personal faith in, and a consistent walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. They must be someone who has a passion to make the gospel known, a willingness to learn, to serve in the most ordinary of tasks and to humbly accept godly input and guidance from others.

Practical details

Board and accommodation will be provided if possible together with living expenses of up to £5,000 per annum. This is dependent on the needs and situation of the individual concerned.
Any costs for training, conferences, travel, reading material etc will be covered by the church.
We would consider the possibilities of external attendance at a Training Course such as Cornhill if we believed this was suitable. The church would pay for the costs involved with this.

For further information — please contact Colin Dyer at 143 Privett Road, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 3SS. Tel: 023 9234 6145 or email: colin.dyer@ntlworld.com