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equipping the next generation of leaders
“When the apostle Paul instructs the leaders of the church to equip the saints for the work of service (Ephesians 4:11-12), he certainly would have expected this to include training pastors, missionaries, and lay elders.”
-Rocky Wyatt, President, XL Ministries
internship opportunities
Jesus’ call to discipleship can be summed up in two words: “Follow Me.” To follow Him means to turn from your own way and walk closely with Him. While classroom instruction has its place, true discipleship is life-on-life—knowing someone well enough to speak into their life and letting them see how you follow Christ in everyday moments.
This is the heart of the XL Ministries internship program. Over 24 to 36 months, interns engage in Scripture-based assignments and receive hands-on mentorship from a pastor or approved church leader. Rather than sending future leaders away to seminary, XL Ministries equips local churches to train and disciple their own leaders—right where they are.
Pastoral Internship
The XL Ministries Pastoral Internship focuses on two primary tracks: lead/associate pastor and youth pastor. While the program is broadly applicable to any pastoral role, interns choose the specific path that aligns with their calling.
Scripture shows that ministry training happens as we actively fulfill the Great Commission. As the gospel is shared, God saves and equips individuals to serve in every role necessary for a healthy church. Through discipleship, we teach believers to obey all that Christ has commanded. Those called to pastoral ministry will display both spiritual maturity and the biblical qualifications outlined in Scripture. As they grow and are affirmed by the church, they will be ready to step into pastoral leadership. For this to happen as God intends, churches must embrace their vital role in intentional, biblical discipleship.
Missions Internship
The XL Ministries Missions Internship is designed to help local churches train missionaries before they pursue further specialized training and head to the field. XL Ministries holds the conviction that the primary responsibility—and privilege—for preparing missionaries belongs to the local church (Ephesians 4:11–12).
We believe missionaries must be grounded in solid biblical and theological training before they leave their local church. This includes both men and women. While we affirm that only men are to serve as pastors and elders, we also recognize the unique realities of the mission field—especially for single women and wives, who may be the only ones able to teach indigenous women. In order to plant healthy churches, all missionaries, men and women, must be theologically sound and able to both teach sound doctrine and refute false doctrine.
getting started
XL Ministries internships don’t start by going away to a campus or signing up for an internet course. Getting started begins in your home church, and the internship is conducted at your home church. The church’s pastors and/or elders become mentors for people from within the church they serve.
Step One
A church application begins with a conversation. We at XL Ministries believe that it’s important to discuss our shared doctrinal beliefs and explore how both your church and XL Ministries can work together in training your next generation of leaders. Click the button (Connect with Us) and one of our leaders will reach out to you to discuss partnering together.
Step Two
Once we’ve been able to connect with you about the internship, we will email you a link to the actual church application.
Once you fill that out, it will go to our board for approval. That approval process usually takes two weeks.
Step Three
After a church has been approved to offer the XL internship program, the pastors or elders of the church can recommend someone as an intern. A recommended intern should be someone the pastors or elders have heard teach and believe is gifted to teach. Once a recommendation has been made, XL will invite the potential intern to apply.
xl ministries ordination training manual
For each internship, the XL Ministries Ordination Training manual is used to help guide the intern through their education. It is composed of four areas of focus:
- Bible Knowledge — Includes the heme and outline of each book of the Bible, plus the key chapters, passages, people and dates for the book.
- Systematic Theology — Written assignments that cover theology proper, Christology, pneumatology, bibliology, and several other essential areas of focus.
- Biblical Counseling — Walks through the role of counseling with unbelievers as well as believers, addresses various guidelines and standards for counseling, and provides a list of helpful resources.
- Apologetics — Interns will answer questions that steer them towards the understanding that must be clear in their own minds regarding the reasonings and arguments for the truth of God’s word.
This manual is a critical resource towards successfully completing the training as a pastor or missionary.
missions Internship
“Who bears the responsibility before God to ensure the next generation of leaders is equipped? Paul’s instructions are clear: God has assigned the leaders of every local church the responsibility to identify and equip the next generation of the church’s leadership."
~Tom Pennington, Pastor-Teacher, Countryside Bible Church
diving deeper
The pastorate isn’t just another job—it’s the weighty responsibility of shepherding Christ’s flock. Just as no trade is learned without training, so too must a pastor be equipped through faithful instruction, guidance, and hands-on experience. An internship provides not only theological knowledge but also the wisdom, mentorship, and real-life ministry practice necessary to faithfully serve God’s people.
The XL Ministries internship is more than just training; it’s a hands-on experience where interns learn both the practical and theological aspects of ministry. From teaching the Word of God to running a camp, interns receive mentorship from experienced pastors, while gaining invaluable feedback that helps them grow in their faith and leadership.
A common question that we receive is how does the intern get placed in a church after they have graduated from their internship. However, because of the huge lack of trained and qualified men serving in churches today, that is not usually a problem for them. Oftentimes, they end up staying in the church that they graduated from, but even when that does not happen, there are many needs across the world that they are able to fill.
