Field Experience
Field Experience provides an opportunity for students to put into practice what they have learned in the classroom. Combining classroom learning with personal ministry experience creates a foundation for a lifetime of ministry service. Engagement in Field Experience provides benefits for PI students and their churches.
Benefits for Students
- Explore various ministry opportunities
- Develop ministry skills over time
- Relate classroom learning to practical application
- Increase awareness of the relationship between spiritual gifting and various areas of ministry
- Engage in ministry reflection
- Benefit from scheduled mentoring sessions with ministry leaders
Benefits for Church
- Student workers/ministry
- Clarify objectives and tasks for student workers
- Identify mentoring times and processes
Purpose Institute prepares Apostolic men and women for ministry in the church and in the world as a means of fulfilling God’s mission. PI students will have Field Experience placements in both places. Students receive mentoring in both church and community settings of service. During Field Experience ministry supervisors assist students in completing their Field Experience ministry plan (called a Placement Covenant), mentor them in the area of service, discuss their spiritual and ministerial growth during the experience, and identify areas for growth and service in the next Field Experience placement.
Each Field Experience Credit represents a minimum of 5 hours of ministry involvement.
Students earn credit in the following categories:
Local Church Participation – Involvement in local church ministries: e.g. Children’s, youth, worship, teaching, and first impressions.
Disciple Making – Personal efforts to lead people closer to Christ: e.g. evangelism, teaching a home Bible study, and campus ministry.
Missional Engagement – Community involvement locally or globally: e.g. community service, nursing home, ministry to those in need, and overseas missions trip.
Students must earn 6 Field Experience Credits (2 in each category) in order to obtain a four-semester Foundational Diploma. Therefore, PI recommends that students complete 2 credits (a total of 10 hours) in each of their 1st, 2nd and 3rd semesters in order to meet the deadline for graduation.
Students must earn an additional 6 Field Experience Credits (2 in each category) in order to obtain an eight-semester Advanced Diploma. PI recommends that students complete 2 credits in each of their 5th, 6th and 7th semesters in order to meet the deadline for graduation.