RVLI Magazine

RIVER VALLEY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE 2019-2020

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 02

Pastor Rob and Becca

16

Creative Focus

04

What is RVLI?

18

Track Lead Story

06

FAQS

20

Student Life

08

Student Story

21

Schedule

10

Academics

22

River Valley Church

11

Tuition

24

Alumni Story

12

SEU Classes

26

Our Leader

14

Pastoral Focus

28

What’s Next?

LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

RIVER VALLEY

PASTORS ROB & BECCA

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“THE NEXT GENERATION ISN’T JUST TOLERATED; IT IS EMBRACED, CHAMPIONED AND LOVED.” At River Valley, the Next Generation isn’t just tolerated; it is embraced, championed and loved.

Our heart has become “what can we do for you?” rather than, “what can you do for us?” We truly want you to do more than we ever could. You are right behind us, pushing us forward. Through River Valley Leadership Institute, we strive to help each student grow through a balance of encouragement, discipleship and development.

Our goal through RVLI is to give you the change the world. The best is yet to come!

OUR PASTORS

competency to advance the Kingdom of God and

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RVLI IS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN INTENTIONAL AND PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT THROUGH WHAT IS RVLI? HANDS-ON MINISTRY EXPERIENCE WHILE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN COLLEGE CREDIT.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT RVLI exists to equip new leaders in their process of discovering and developing their God-given gifts through

intentional

leadership

development,

personal growth, and hands-on ministry experience.

HANDS-ON MINISTRY EXPERIENCE The mission of River Valley Church is to lead people into an authentic, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. We believe the greatest vehicle for expanding the Kingdom of God is through the local church. Each week, RVLI students will have the opportunity to implement what they are learning and have access to a wide range of highly experienced and nationally recognized leaders to help them take their leadership journey to the next level. As students discover their purpose in ministry, it is our job to help launch them into all God has for them.

COLLEGE CREDIT We believe academics are a crucial part of the RVLI experience which is why we strive to create valuable learning experiences. Students can earn an Associates or Bachelors Degree in Ministerial Leadership after two to four years in the program.

Students will take online classes and engage others through track-speciďŹ c cohorts while implementing what they learn in real-time ministry contexts.

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F R E Q U E N T LY A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S

WHAT WILL MY WEEK LOOK LIKE? The schedule of each week varies depending on your track. All interns are required to serve on the weekend at their campus as well as attend the monthly RVLI Leadership Labs, monthly RVLI cohorts and other ministry specific events. For those participating in SEU, please refer to the Weekly Schedule on page 21.

DO YOU OFFER HOUSING FOR INTERNS JOINING FROM OUT OF STATE? RVLI has limited dorm/apartment-style housing and is offered on a first-come first-serve basis; however, those coming from out of town have priority over local students. Interns are required to pay monthly rent. For more details, contact our staff.

WHAT TRACKS CAN I CHOOSE FROM? We have different tracks you can choose from depend-

HOW LONG DOES RVLI LAST?

ing on your desired ministry focus. Those tracks include

We have two internship seasons on the RVLI calendar;

Pastoral, Youth, Kids, Lifegroups, Women’s Ministry, Pastoral Care, Global Project, Live Production, Film,

June-August and September-May.

Worship, Marketing, Social Media/Photography, and Graphic Design.

AM I ABLE TO EARN COLLEGE CREDITS DURING MY INTERNSHIP?

DO I HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THREE LEVELS OF THE PROGRAM? Multiple levels are not required, but after the first year we are confident you will want to continue your leadership development within RVLI.

Yes, you can enroll in Southeastern University (a regionally accredited university*) to work towards a degree.

After two years in the program you can complete your AML (Associates of Ministerial Leadership) or after four

DO I NEED A CAR?

years in the program you can finish with your BSML

Yes. Some ministry opportunities will require reliable

(Bachelors of Science in Ministerial Leadership).

transportation during the week and on the weekends.

CAN I BE ENROLLED IN A COLLEGE OR AM I ABLE TO BE CREDENTIALED UNIVERSITY WHILE BEING IN RVLI? AS A MINISTER THROUGH THIS Yes. This internship is most beneficial when coupled INTERNSHIP? with an educational component. If you choose not to go through SEU, we would highly encourage you to enroll in North Central University.

Yes. Through your classes with SEU you can begin your credentialing process to become a minister with the Assemblies of God.

*Southeastern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Southeastern University.

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THERE IS SURELY A FUTURE HOPE FOR YOU, AND YOUR HOPE WILL NOT BE CUT OFF.

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PROVERBS 23:18

JESSIE SIERADZKI I didn’t know about RVLI until my friend came back home to Michigan after her first year interning at River Valley Church. It seemed like an incredible opportunity, but I wasn’t interested in moving to another state to pursue it for myself. I had just graduated high school and had I didn’t have much direction beyond that. It seemed like my options were either to go to film school costing a fortune, or going to traditional college and choose a major I wasn’t sure about. But that summer while I was serving at camp, God spoke to me and told me to pray about my future. As I did I heard Him clearly say that RVLI was my next step. I interviewed to join the River Valley Film Team as an intern, and accepted a position beginning in the fall.

My experience in RVLI has been greater than anything I could have imagined. I expected I would be watching over someone's shoulder or organizing equipment, but that wasn't the case. My first week included

2019 FILM INTERN

no idea where I wanted to go. I knew I wanted to study filmmaking, but

filming music videos with River Valley Worship in a music studio. I was welcomed in by everyone around me, especially those on the film team.

The way God has grown me by pushing me past my comfort zone is astonishing. I’ve learned to work on a team, confidently asking for help and seeking opportunities to improve my skills. I couldn’t be more grateful for this program. RVLI has given me the opportunity to broaden my horizon and experience a life-giving environment of learning and growth. I am here to pursue the things God has called me to with no fear but hope for the future.

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ACADEMICS

SOUTHEASTERN

NORTH CENTRAL

STUDY ABROAD

River Valley Church and Southeastern

If you would like to enroll in a

River Valley Church partners with 250+

University (SEU) have partnered to

traditional university experience, North

missionaries and ministries all over the

bring you a world-class educational

Central University is right in our

world. RVLI creates the opportunity for

experience. Through SEU, you have

backyard and is a great Assemblies of

you to study abroad while you are a

the option of earning an Associates or

God University that we highly

part of our program.

Bachelors Degree in Ministerial

recommend.

Leadership online alongside your

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internship experience with RVLI.

TUITION

RVLI EXPERIENCE $1000

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE $9580

Gain hands-on ministry experience while partnering

Combines RVLI Experience with the opportunity

with experts in the ďŹ eld of your choice. Engage ministry

to earn your degree with SEU (based on 15 hours

on a whole new level as you have the opportunity to

per semester).

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lead, innovate, and design new ministry paradigms.

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SEU CLASSES

ASSOCIATE OF MINISTERIAL LEADERSHIP (AML) • Foundational Core = 34 Credit Hours • Ministerial Leadership Core = 15 Credit Hours • General Electives = 12 Credit Hours

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MINISTERIAL LEADERSHIP (BSML) • Foundational Core = 56 Credit Hours • Ministerial Leadership Studies = 33 Credit Hours • Ministerial Practicum and General Electives = 33 Credit Hours

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PASTORAL

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PASTORAL FOCUS

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PASTORAL FOCUS

“THE BEST LEADERS DON'T LEAD FROM A PLACE OF TITLE OR POSITION, THEY LEAD FROM A PLACE OF INFLUENCE.” PASTORAL

Grow in your ability to lead and develop

CHOOSE YOUR TRACK

leaders and steward the church in the areas of discipleship, generosity and serving.

Gain experience in:

Communication,

counseling,

administration,

pastoral care, discipleship, sermon preparation and execution.

NEXT GEN Choose among Kids, Youth and 20+ tracks as you gain insight into what it takes to develop and lead the next generation Gain experience in: sermon preparation and curriculum design.

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Event + service planning, discipleship, small groups,

MISSIONS Cultivate a heart for the unreached people groups as you work with our Global Project leaders.

Gain experience in: Local + global outreach, global team planning, missionary

communication,

foreign

relations

+

communication and working with other cultures

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CREATIVE CREATIVE FOCUS

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CREATIVE FOCUS

“IT’S OUR FOUNDATIONAL BELIEF THAT ONE MOMENT IN HIS PRESENCE CHANGES EVERYTHING.” WORSHIP Grow as a musician or vocalist as you work with our Worship

team

facilitating

inspiring

weekend experiences.

Gain experience in: Songwriting, live mixing, music directing, musicality and worship development.

PRODUCTION Be developed as you create the atmosphere for people to encounter God in an authentic way.

Gain experience in: Stage design, lighting engineering, service production

CHOOSE YOUR TRACK

River Valley

and stage management.

CREATIVE Learn how to engage the Church through the power of story as you work with top level designers, filmmakers and photographers to communicate the Gospel in a creative way.

Gain experience in: Web development, graphic design and marketing OR Videography, photography, and social media.

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CREATIVE INTERNSHIP

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

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DARREN LEE

TRACK LEAD

“WE FOCUS NOT ONLY ON THE SKILL, BUT THE CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY IT TAKES TO BE IN MINISTRY.”

And

to

maximize

your

internship

experience,

regardless of your internship track, we expect our interns to be invested in the community of a campus.

Serving in the life of a campus provides a wide variety of practical ministry experience and expands your perspective of ministry.

God has also called us to be a global church. It’s even one of our values. This means the work you are investing through your internship will have an impact at churches and ministries around the world! On our Central Ministries team, we begin every project thinking, “How can we give this away? How can we resource the global Church?” Balancing the local church with global influence is an energizing and inspiring vision.

I believe the church should be the most empowering, innovative and creative environment for young leaders

Through my role as the Communications Director, I

to grow and discover all that God has called them to be.

understand how valuable RVLI is to our local and global

An internship through RVLI is an opportunity to step in

vision. Many of our staff are former interns and others

to that culture and jumpstart your ministry life.

are serving in churches or as missionaries around the world. The program is the perfect avenue for our team

RVLI carves out a pathway for you to put your learning

to train and develop future leaders for the Church. With

into real-world experience on a daily basis surrounded

such close proximity to staff and hands-on practical

by a team that believes in your call and sees the best in

experience in daily ministry, interns finish the program

you! And since our church culture has a bias towards

with strong skills and a sensitivity to the presence of

action, internships are full of opportunities to make a

God while serving the vision of the local and global

difference.

church.

River Valley Church is a local, multi-site church with a

I love being a Track Lead with RVLI because I get to help

global perspective. There is a lot to unpack in that

develop and grow the next generation of leaders who

sentence. We love the local communities we serve and

will impact the world. Seeing the growth and

your internship will be best experienced when you

development of students in the program is so fun to

embrace the life of the Minneapolis metro area and all

watch! By focusing not only on the skill, but character

it has to offer. It’s a vibrant community with a great food,

and integrity of what it takes to be in ministry, RVLI

music and coffee culture. But it’s more than that; it’s the

interns will bring an enormous value wherever they go.

community to which God has called us. It’s an international, multi-generational community that needs

Our Lead Pastor, Rob Ketterling, has a big vision and

Jesus and our multi-site model allows us to be in rural

there is no ceiling for what God can do with humble

areas, urban areas and everything in-between.

and hungry servant hearts. It’s an honor to prepare the future leaders of the Church.

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COHORTS

LIFETEAMS

Cohorts are a time for you to connect with interns within

Each campus has an amazing team of volunteers waiting

your track, hear from amazing leaders within our church,

for you to join them. Lifeteams make a difference in the

and grow in community with other interns. Cohorts allow

lives of every person who comes through our doors

for discussion based teaching, and are a great time to

from the parking lot to the platform. We encourage you

process what God is doing in and through you. Cohorts

to join a team, make new friends, and own the

happen once a month in the evening, and meet in coffee

atmosphere at your campus so those who are yet to

shops and homes.

come will be warmly welcomed and experience the life-giving presence of God!

LEADERSHIP LABS

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STUDENT LIFE

Leadership Labs are a time for you to be together with all

GLOBAL PROJECT

interns once a month and develop as leaders. There will be

Every month, teams of volunteers from River Valley

snacks, leadership teachings, small group discussions and

Church travel around the world to help meet physical

connections with interns from other campuses and tracks.

and spiritual needs and share the love of Jesus Christ. It

This will easily be one of your favorite experiences of RVLI.

is our goal that every person in our church goes on a Global Team within 4 years of coming to River Valley.

LIFEGROUPS

Lifegroups meet at all different times, days and locations and there are hundreds of different groups to choose from! Being in a Lifegroup will help you build healthy relationships with others, grow in your relationship with Jesus and serve through Local Projects.

Global Teams can cost as little as $400 for a weekend team or as much as $4000 for a longer 10–12 day team but no matter how long or how much, going is always worth it.

M

Classes

S

Weekend MInistry

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Staff Prayer and Track Lead Day

T Ministry Midweek Events

W Classes and Study Hall

T Day Off

F Weekend MInistry

S

LOOKING BACK RIVER VALLEY CHURCH IN 2018

4,010

Commitments to Christ

507

Water Baptisms

$5.6M

Missions Giving

302

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Missionaries Supported

LOO LO

SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

YTH Everyone Nights

OCTOBER 4-5, 2019

Sparkle Women’s Conference

JANUARY 17, 2020

YTH Everyone Nights

JUNE 8-9, 2020

River Valley Church Conference

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KING FORWARD OKING FORWARD

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“I AM THANKFUL FOR THE 4 YEARS SPENT IN RVLI CREATING A DISCIPLINE WITHIN ME TO ALWAYS PUT CHRIST FIRST.”

GABI O’ROUKE SHAKOPEE YOUTH PASTOR too easy to do that within ministry tasks as well. RVLI

was stepping into an incredible journey that would

taught me that before anything else, I am called to keep

shape my character, solidify my calling and cultivate a

my eyes fixed on Christ. This challenged me to see what

deeper heart for Christ within me. I stepped into RVLI in

God was doing in the mundane and exciting parts of

a season of questioning what God had next for me as I

my day. It also challenged me to never forget the “why”.

came off a very difficult season. As I stepped into my

As I am now in full-time ministry, I am thankful for the 4

first semester of interning, I was amazed at the leader-

years spent in RVLI creating a discipline within me to

ship within the campus I served at, what God was

always put Christ first and allow everything else to

stirring within me, and how He was refining me. It was a

follow. Second, I grew in my character. Character

season filled with healing, rediscovering who I was, and

development may sound great on paper, but it is not

allowing God to work out a lot within me.

easy when you are in the middle of it. RVLI taught me that your character is what sustains your calling. Far too

RVLI develops future leaders through a variety of ways.

many times we can get caught up in what we want to do

First, you get hands on experience doing ministry in the

instead of focusing on who we need to become to get

local church. Serving at a campus within the Youth

there. Through RVLI, God opened my eyes to who I

Ministry Track, I got a behind the scenes look at what it

needed to become, and I got the honor of walking

truly meant to be a Youth Pastor. Hands-on ministry

through a beautiful season full of refinement and

experience taught me the intangible things you cannot

encouragement. Lastly, through RVLI I grew in my

learn in a classroom and birthed a deeper passion

competency within ministry. I always had a desire to do

within me to see the local church expand around the

full-time ministry, and RVLI gave me the exposure and

world. Second, RVLI develops future leaders through

opportunity to see and learn what that truly meant. I was

Leadership Labs where interns get the opportunity to

a full time Pastoral Studies Student and loved my

hear from various leaders within our church and around

education throughout my college career, however, the

the world. Not only do you get to soak in wisdom from

hands-on experience that RVLI offers taught me more

leaders ahead of you, but you get to do it within the

about ministry in those 4 years than I could have ever

context of community, ask questions, and process

imagined.

ALUMNI STORY

Jumping into RVLI at the age of 19, I had no idea that I

together. Sitting through Leadership Labs, I was honored and amazed at the rooms I got to be in with

RVLI is truly developing the next generation of future

various leaders in our church. Leadership Labs would

leaders,

challenge me to think higher, continue to allow God to

woman, and so much more. Ephesians 4:11 tells us that

chisel away at my character, and to become more

“Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the

competent within my calling to ministry.

evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

Pastors,

missionaries,

businessman

and

to equip his

people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ”. This is exactly what RVLI is doing and

grew in who I was as a Christ follower. It is easy to get

it was an honor to be a part of it and it is an honor to

busy in the day-to-day tasks of life and forget why you

continue to see RVLI build and expand the church

are doing them in the first place. Unfortunately, it is far

through equipping and raising up future leaders.

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Through RVLI, I grew in many ways. First and foremost, I

OUR LEADER

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TERRY PARKMAN

NEXTGEN PASTOR In RVLI, we love to talk about how faithfulness to your

significant. That’s why we have designed ministry

next step unlocks your purpose. This is why I’m so

experiences unique to the call that God has for your life.

excited that you are considering RVLI for your next step!

Each ministry track gives you the opportunity to work

As an emerging leader, you have been designed to

side-by-side with experts in your desired field as they

change the world wherever you are through the gifts

work to develop you as a leader and as a follower of

and talents God has placed inside of you. Our heart is

Jesus. This open-access to River Valley leadership will

to help those gifts engage the world around you and

help you to not only see how ministry work is done, but

advance the Kingdom of God in ways we could only

it will give you a behind-the-scenes look at our process

imagine.

and approach to ministry.

We believe God created you for a greater purpose and

It’s your journey and we‘re excited to be a part of it!

gave you the desire to accomplish something

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WHAT’S NEXT?

1

APPLY

You can apply online at rvli.org.

2

INTERVIEW

You will be contacted after you apply to set up an interview.

3

SEU

To get started with the SEU experience, visit partners.seu.edu/rivervalley

HAVE QUESTIONS? CONTACT US rvli.org | institute@rivervalley.org | 952-255-8800 29

RVLI.ORG