First Baptist Cleveland has a passion for developing leaders for the greater Church.

The Lockerman Leadership Institute, announced on Sunday, August 4, 2019, is a program designed to develop and equip leaders to do the work of ministry. The Institute provides practical training, discipleship, direction, wisdom, and opportunities to people called to ministry.

Most notably, the Lockerman Leadership Institute emphasizes placing bivocational pastors in the surrounding region,  who may lack seminary training and experience, alongside leaders like Dr. Allan Lockerman, Pastor Jordan Easley, and Dr. Ernest Easley in order to effectively equip them to shepherd their churches for the betterment of the kingdom of God.

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV

Dr. Allan Lockerman

Pastor Jordan Easley

Dr. Ernest Easley

Michael Head

The First Baptist Cleveland Lockerman Leadership Institute Residency Program includes three components:

Theological Framework

For the student who has gone through track one and is now able to get the whole LLI resident experience in a full-time capacity. Stipend and potential housing available.

Ministry Experience

Each resident will be placed and work directly in a ministry department at the church, as well as working together on multiple church-wide events, to get a full exposure of pastoral ministry.

Biblical Community

In addition to classroom and ministry experience, the residency will also feature both formal mentoring and groups, as well as informal events to explore the city of Cleveland.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you expect out of this residency program?

This residency will provide you with a chance to learn and apply ministry in the context of the local church. Each resident will work within a specific department, attend residency classes and experience Christian community. The advantage of this approach is that it requires students to apply what they learn in real time.

Which departments are hiring this summer (2022)?

  • Children's Ministry
  • Communications/Media
  • Worship
  • First Students
  • First College

When is the residency program?

May 15 - August 7, 2022

Who is eligible?

The residency program is open to young adults ages 20-25.

Are these paid positions?

Yes! Residents will receive a stipend of $225 per week to offset living expenses such as gas and food.

Can I have a second job?

Due to the nature of the residency program, we ask that applicants not work an additional job while in the program. The program requires many late hours and sometimes last minute requests that may conflict with your ability to work a second job.

I’m not from Cleveland, TN; where will I stay?

If you’re not from Cleveland, your department will place you at a host home for the semester.

What if I still have questions?

Contact Michael Head with any further questions about the program.
Apply Now

Documents & Downloads

Summer Calendar 2022