PASTORAL
RESIDENCY
What is the For Columbus Pastoral Residency?
The residency assists local churches that want to develop future senior pastors, campus pastors, and church planters. Pastoral Residents are given responsibilities in their own local church and are instructed and mentored by Rich Nathan, who served as the Founding Pastor of Vineyard Columbus for nearly 40 years.
Participants will receive small group mentoring in leadership and theology, opportunities to apply lessons in ongoing ministry within their local church context, and spiritual formation. The residency is designed for leaders with significant ministry experience who are gifted and called to plant a church, lead a church campus, or become a senior pastor of an existing church in the next one to five years.
The pastoral residency program is an in-person, cohort-based, Central Ohio learning community experience.
How will the residency be operated?
Residents are immersed in a rich, hands-on formation experience — engaging deep reading and guided discussion, teaching and preaching practicums with real feedback, thoughtful writing and debate, and practical ministry application through onsite, real-world learning environments.
This residency is designed to shape pastors who can think clearly, lead faithfully, and minister effectively.
Five Characteristics of the For Columbus Pastoral Residency
Prepares pastors for a lifetime of pastoral service as a senior pastor or church planter
Deepens theological understanding and leadership skills of those who already have significant ministry experience
Involves pastoral employment of the resident by a local church
Provides 15 months of valuable and intentional investment in residents
Offers personal mentorship by a seasoned senior pastor
Just as teaching hospitals provide real-life experience for young, talented doctors, a pastoral residency provides an irreplaceable learning laboratory for pastors and ministry leaders to grow in leadership, preaching, theology, and godly character.
Frequently Asked Questions
We are facing a growing leadership pipeline crisis in the American church. A landmark 2022 Barna study found that the median age of a U.S. pastor is 51, with 84% over the age of 40. At the same time, nearly two-thirds of churches — about 62% — report that they do not have a developed leadership pipeline and lack the time and capacity to build one.
Many of these same churches deeply desire to invest in the next generation, raise up future leaders, plan for healthy succession, and multiply mission through church planting across our region. But those goals don’t happen by accident; they require intentional, high-quality training and formation.
That’s where the For Columbus Pastoral Residency comes alongside your church. Our residency strengthens your leadership future by providing structured training, hands-on ministry experience, and theological depth for emerging pastors — without adding strain to your staff or systems.
Learn more about partnering through the For Columbus Pastoral Residency by contacting us here.
The application form is coming soon. Residencies will begin in the fall of 2026 and end in December of 2027.
-
Completed application
-
Significant ministry experience in a local church
-
Field placement in a local church
-
Churches are invited to make a recommended donation of $500 per month to support the For Columbus Pastoral Residency. These gifts help sustain the residency program that forms pastors through theological training, practical ministry experience, and peer learning. Donations are made to For Columbus and support the program broadly rather than a specific resident.
This is a full-time residency. The bulk of the resident's time will involve serving in various leadership roles at the resident's local church. In addition, the resident will spend 10+ hours weekly: 5 hours in person and 5-8 hours for reading and preparation.
Applications are due by May 31. Acceptance will be communicated by July 10.
Rich Nathan was the Senior Pastor of Vineyard Columbus for 34 years, and during that time, the church grew to be the largest Vineyard Church in the world. It planted over 30 churches and was known for its strong Bible teaching, ethnic diversity, ministry to the poor, leadership development programs, and its engagement with the city of Columbus.
After handing the church off, Rich created a pastoral residency program to train church planters and senior pastors. He is the author of three books: Empowered Evangelicals (with Ken Wilson), Who is My Enemy? Welcoming People the Church Rejects, and Both-And (with Insoo Kim.) Rich served on the National Board of Vineyard USA for 25 years and currently serves on the Board of the National Association of Evangelicals and the Board of Convoy of Hope.
Rich has been married for 50 years to his wife, Marlene. He has two children and six grandchildren.