No. We offer one annual cohort that begins in August and concludes the following June — running roughly 40 weeks. The next cohort runs August 9, 2026 — May 23, 2027.

Yes. We currently have partnerships with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) that allow cohort participants to receive credit toward an M.Div. or related degree.

To receive seminary credit, you’ll need to be enrolled at one of these institutions and complete the additional requirements they specify. Reach out for more details on how this works.

Absolutely. The cohort is designed to help you discern your calling. Many participants enter the program unsure about vocational ministry — and the year of reading, conversation, and pastoral observation helps clarify their direction.

Even if you ultimately don’t pursue vocational ministry, the cohort equips you to be a stronger lay leader, small group leader, deacon, or church member.

Yes. The Missional Cohort is open to both men and women who are pursuing God’s call to global missions or church planting in non-pastoral roles.

The Pastoral Cohort is limited to men, as Idlewild affirms the biblical pattern that the office of pastor/elder/overseer is reserved for qualified men (BF&M Article VI).

A college degree is ideal but not required. We welcome applications from those with diverse educational backgrounds — what matters most is your aspiration to ministry, your character, and your willingness to engage rigorous reading and writing.

If you wish to receive seminary credit, the partnering seminary may have its own degree requirements (typically a completed bachelor’s degree).

Yes. We welcome applications from non-native English speakers. The cohort involves significant reading and writing in English, so a strong working command of the language is helpful — but we’re happy to talk through what this looks like for your situation.

Reach out to MinistryPathway@idlewild.org and we’ll walk through your specific context with you.

The Cohort itself is not a paid position — it’s a formation program, not a job. Participants are expected to maintain their normal employment or financial arrangements throughout the year.

The Ministry Internship — an optional add-on for select cohort members — is a paid, part-time temporary role at Idlewild. Interns are compensated for their scheduled intern hours. Cohort reading, writing, and meetings are separate and don't count toward those hours.

Yes — in fact, the cohort is specifically designed for that. Most participants are working full-time jobs throughout the year. The weekly meetings happen in evenings and on Sundays, and the reading and writing fit into roughly 10 hours per week of personal study time.

The Ministry Internship, by contrast, requires a more substantial weekly commitment of administrative hours and may not be feasible alongside a full-time job — we’d talk through this with applicants on a case-by-case basis.

Cohort members participate in the life of the church primarily through reading, writing, observing, and serving — not through specific ministry oversight or assignment.

You’ll attend pastoral staff meetings, observe service preparation, engage in subject reviews, and serve through your normal channels in the church (small group, ministry team, etc.).

If you want a more hands-on ministry role with specific responsibilities, the Ministry Internship may be the right next step for you.