Contact: Dr. Warren Bird, 845-368-4379, warren.bird@leadnet.org; Twitter @warrenbird 

DALLAS, Jan. 28, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Seventy four percent of large churches offer formal internships or residencies for promising lay leaders or pastors-in-training, according to Leadership Network. A recent national study of church internships and residencies, perhaps the largest ever, looks inside the leader training process of more than 300 churches and summarizes the findings in a just-released, richly illustrated report, "Leaders in Training: Internships and Residencies Help Churches Shape Future Leaders," sponsored by Southeastern University (SEU.edu). The project was overseen and authored by Warren Bird, Ph.D., director of research for Leadership Network.

Key findings include:

1. Leaders want to see other leaders developed.
    
2. Leaders help rising leaders mature.
    
3. The number of intern/resident programs has increased rapidly in recent years.
    
4. Most churches offer multiple programs and multiple specialties.
    
5. The best interns/residents come from within the congregation itself.
    
6. Upon completing the program, over a third become church staff.
    
7. Almost half the participants receive academic credit.
    
8. Churches show a high degree of confidence about the success of their program.
    
9. The primary term is "intern" followed by "resident."
    
10. Paying for the program is a study in extremes.
     
11. Early Fall and beginning of Summer are the most popular times to begin.
     
12. The biggest audience for these programs is recent graduates.

To download this free graphic-rich report, go to www.leadnet.org/intern.

ALSO: A free video press conference webinar, with overview of the report followed by Q&A with project director Warren Bird, Ph.D., is scheduled for 11:30-12:00pm Eastern, Thursday February 4. For invitation and details, emailresearch@leadnet.org.

For interviews Dr. Warren Bird at warren.bird@leadnet.org or Twitter @warrenbird.

Leadership Network's role is to foster innovation movements that activate the church to greater impact for the glory of God's name. The nonprofit founded in 1984 now serves over 200,000 leaders around the world. See www.leadnet.org.

The report sponsor is Southeastern University, www.SEU.edu, a Christ-centered institution of higher learning committed to equipping the next generation of leaders so that they can go into the world as influential servants in their careers and their communities.

RELATED LINKS
www.leadnet.org