Pastoral Residency

Pastoral Residency 

The Well Pastoral Residency is a two-year apprenticeship designed for recent college graduates who desire to grow as ministers in a diverse state college setting, supported by guidance from a mentor and a collaborative, encouraging team. Next year, The Well will invite two new residents, one male and one female, to join our team at the University of Arizona, dedicating 20 hours per week to ministry and coaching.

These new residents will join our two current second-year senior residents, forming a cohort of four under my caring mentorship. Each residency year runs from August 1 through May 31, providing an immersive experience for growth in both ministry skills and spiritual formation.

What is The Well?

The Well Campus Ministry was planted at the University of Arizona, becoming official in December of 2022. In the three and a half years of our existence, we are humbled by the ways God has transformed us in size and in heart. 
 

We meet for a large gathering weekly on campus with worship, teaching and discussion. Throughout the week we engage with students in small group Bible studies and student leadership training opportunities. We build community and joy with service projects, semester retreats, and fun activities. As a Pastoral Resident you will have the opportunity to molds and lead these events, using your gifts for God’s glory.

The University of Arizona

The Well is fortunate to exist in the setting of the University of Arizona, a state college campus in Tucson offering a unique environment for pastoral training. Enrollment data demonstrates both the scale and diversity of the student population:

Total enrollment: 54,384 students (43,294 undergraduates, 11,090 graduate

students)

International students: approximately 7,000, representing 141 countries

Ethnic diversity: first-year students include 30 percent Hispanic or Latinx, 8

percent Black or African American, 10 percent Asian, and 70 percent White

(students may identify with more than one category)

Geographic diversity: students come from nearly all fifty states and multiple continents.

We are proud to say that The Well Campus Ministry fully reflects this diversity, with students from countries such as the Congo, Liberia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe,Kenya, China, Mexico, and various Native American tribes. Spiritually, The Well is also deeply diverse. While our ministry is rooted in the heritage of the Churches of Christ, our students come from numerous denominations and range from non-believers and the spiritually curious, to those growing in faith, to students so spiritually mature that they may minister to you more than you minister to them!

When you consider the ethnic, socioeconomic, and spiritual diversity within The Well and its real life ministry setting, you will easily see the tremendous pastoral training opportunity here. This environment provides a unique context in which to learn how to minister effectively across cultures, languages, and life experiences. Our aim is to prepare you to engage deeply in this dynamic ministry setting, creating spaces where the gospel can be understood, embraced, and applied across differences, all while navigating these complexities with skill, grace, and gospel-centered wisdom.