Raising Gospel Workers at Salt Church
“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:37–38
We’re praying for a flood of lifelong disciples of Jesus across the Illawarra and beyond. We long to see thousands of new disciples who worship Jesus for the first time, and also lifelong disciples who become more like Jesus every day. To see this happen we need leaders to share in the responsibility of shepherding God’s sheep at Salt Church and beyond. We need more gospel workers.
Apply to join the harvest programWe’re All Gospel Workers
At one level, Jesus calls all his disciples to be involved in gospel work:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28:18–20
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58
The “work of the Lord” all Jesus’ disciples are to be involved in is the work of making disciples and teaching them to obey and love Christ. This is not a task for a special class of Christians; it’s for all Christians. So all of us at Salt should be taught, trained, encouraged and equipped to do as much kingdom-building work as we have opportunity and time for, around our other responsibilities like paid work, parenting, study, etc.
Dedicated Gospel Workers
We’re also seeking to raise up and develop men and women at Salt who can dedicate more time to gospel work, and who could even explore the possibility of becoming full-time gospel workers.
We have 3 unique pathways for those who could become more involved in gospel work, or who could consider full-time gospel work. Below is a short summary, followed by more detailed information about Harvest Leadership.
3 Pathways
| Harvest Leadership | MTS (2-year) “Curriculum” |
MTS (2-year) “Scholarship” |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Time Commitment | 8 hrs/week | Full-time | Full-time |
| Duration | 1 year (can be extended longer if desired) | 2 years | 2 years |
| Especially Ideal For | People who can give more time to serve & lead at Salt Church | People exploring full-time ministry | People exploring full-time ministry |
| Ministry Focus | Leading a team & being coached to grow as a leader and disciple | Leading several teams & being trained to be a full-time gospel worker | Leading several teams & being trained to be a full-time gospel worker |
| Theological Study | No formal study, but lots of informal theological training | No formal study, but lots of informal theological training | Timothy Partnership ASTC (online) |
| Funding | Volunteer | Support raised | Support raised |
| Centrelink Eligibility | None | Possible tax-benefits as a Salt Church employee | Possible access to Youth Allowance or Austudy, depending on study load & eligibility |
| Study Outcome | None | None | ASTC Certificate |
Harvest Leadership
Our Salt Church leadership team believes the best way to grow disciples at Salt Church and across the Illawarra is to create long-term partnerships between volunteers and our staff team.
Harvest Leadership is about equipping you and other volunteers to serve long-term alongside our staff. We want to involve you in shepherding the sheep, and leading God’s church with us at Salt Church.
A Quick Look at Harvest Leadership
- Time Commitment: 8 hrs/week (flexible schedule)
- Duration: 1 year (can be extended longer if desired)
- Ministry Focus: Leading a team & being coached to grow as a leader and disciple
- Theological Study: No formal study, but lots of informal theological training and growth
- Funding: Unpaid volunteer
- Purpose: Grow as a leader to shepherd others at Salt in partnership with Salt’s staff team
- Best For: Mature Christians wanting to grow & serve more
Who Can Do Harvest Leadership?
Harvest can work well for many different people – parents, retirees, uni or TAFE students, and full-time workers who can reduce their work commitments for the sake of serving Jesus.
Harvest is especially ideal for people who have no intention to pursue full-time paid gospel ministry, but who want to be as involved as they can in gospel-work at Salt Church. It can also be a great step to take before starting an MTS apprenticeship, to help you decide if an apprenticeship would be beneficial, or for after an MTS apprenticeship if you decide full-time gospel ministry is not the best way for you to serve God.
Harvest is for adult men and women:
- Who trust Jesus as their Saviour and follow him as their Lord
- Who call Salt Church their home, regularly attend a Sunday gathering and a Small Group, and who gladly submit to the leadership of Salt Church
- Who have demonstrated godly character over time, being teachable, humble and eager to learn from God and others
- Who are currently serving in ministries at Salt Church and demonstrate gifting in leadership
What’s the Commitment?
Harvest involves committing at least 1 day (8 hours) per week for at least one year to be developed to become a more effective gospel worker. That 8 hours could look like giving a full day during the week, 2 half days, 2 evenings and some hours on Sunday, or many other combinations.
After a year you could finish Harvest Leadership or continue on it for many more years. By the end of a year we’re confident you’ll love God more and be a better leader in ministry.
If You Join Harvest, Salt’s Staff Team Commit to:
- We want you to love God more and know him better – so we’ll train and teach you about God
- We want you to be a godly leader – so we’ll help you grow in maturity and repent of sin
- We want you to be confident and skilled in leading your ministries – so we’ll give you training, feedback, group conversation support, and on-the-job ministry experience
What We Ask You to Commit To:
- We ask you to trust us to train you
- We ask you to serve as a leader, taking on responsibility for a flock as an under-shepherd
- We ask you to make a 1-year commitment of at least 8 hours a week to train and serve with us
- We ask you to put aside other things you could prioritise in your life in order to train and serve with us, such as saying no to taking on extra work or social commitments
How Is Harvest Leadership Funded?
This is a volunteer program requiring you to give up your time: either by working / studying part-time, or by doing Harvest in your spare time around work / study and your other commitments.
What’s Involved?
- Leading a ministry team: the majority of your time will be given to leading a ministry team at Salt Church and shepherding some of the flock, in partnership with our staff team.
- Growing as a leader: Around 30 mins per fortnight is given to meeting with and being trained by the staff member or volunteer leader who oversees your ministry area. They will be focusing on developing your competence to lead and work through your team.
- Growing as a disciple: Around 1 hour per fortnight / month will be given to meeting with a coach. This will be either a staff member or a godly member of Salt. They will be focusing on developing you as a disciple, praying with you and helping you grow in your character and convictions about God so you can be a more godly leader and Christian.
Applying for the Harvest Leadership Program
If you’d like to apply for Harvest Leadership, use the form below to let our leadership team know, so we can explore whether Harvest would be appropriate for you. We may also organise an interview to talk more together.
Apply for Harvest Leadership
After we’ve reviewed your application, our leadership team will let you know if you were successful. If you are, we will work together with you to find a good ministry for you to lead, and will allocate a coach to help develop you. If you’re not, we will still want to support and encourage you to keep serving Jesus with us!