Champion Forest

Are you a senior in college or a recent college graduate (and within 10 years of your high school graduation?) Do you have experience leading in ministry, and are you strongly considering making that your full-time career? The Damon Shook Residency Program is designed for you.

The Champion Forest Residency Program is named in honor of Damon Shook (who served as our Senior Pastor for twenty-eight years.) who led the church to be about Missions, Evangelism, Reproducing Discipleship, and the Bible. He studied ferociously so that he could build people up in God's Word.

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting his character in the things you do and say – living lives that lead others away from sin], having been deeply rooted [in Him] and now being continually built up in Him and [becoming increasingly more] established in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude."

Colossians 2:6-8 (AMP)

This local body of Christ desires to continue the legacy of Damon Shook and Champion Forest Baptist Church through the residents that are trained and equipped for the ministry.

The Residency provides biblical training, discipleship, and real-life ministry experience for college graduates and students working on their Master's degree or PhD studies. It helps people prepare for vocational ministry by developing their natural gifts and sharpening their skills. This 12-month long deep dive into the Word of God provides both theological training and hands-on experience in ministry. It is a "residency" in the same way that young doctors go through residency; the church is a teaching hospital and the Residency allows you to learn from and work alongside more experienced church leaders.

Learn more.