Missionary Residency


Missionary Residency with Four Corners Ministries is a three-year leadership development program designed to equip the next generation of cross-cultural church planters and missionaries.  This residency combines comprehensive theological education through Christ Our Redeemer Seminary (CORS) with intensive practical missionary experience, annual mission trips to Uganda, and cohort-based cross-cultural ministry in Auburn/Opelika, Alabama.


The missionary resident will develop a strong theological and missiological foundation for church planting, unreached peoples ministry, cross-cultural discipleship, and missiological leadership. The resident will also have the opportunity to serve short-term alongside experienced missionaries and indigenous church leaders at Abaana's Hope in northern Uganda. This role is ideal for individuals with a clear call to long-term cross-cultural missionary service, who desire rigorous theological formation, and who are committed to advancing the gospel among unreached peoples.

Position Overview

  • Title: Missionary Resident - Church Planting & Unreached Peoples Ministry
  • Primary Location: Auburn/Opelika, Alabama
  • Field Service: Northern Uganda - Abaana's Hope
  • 1-2 trips annually, 2-4 weeks each
  • Duration: 3 years (beginning in July of the first year)
  • Reports to: FCM Leadership Team & CORS Missionary Residency Program Director
  • Time Commitment: 45-50 hours per week
  • 25-30 hours: Seminary coursework (MDiv or MAMT degree, missional focus)
  • 12 hours: Cross-cultural ministry with internationals in Auburn/Opelika
  • 8 hours: Administrative support and preparation for FCM ministry
  • Selection: Final candidates selected by May 2026

Core Responsibilities

  • Theological & Missiological Formation
  • Complete with excellence the coursework for a Master of Divinity (MDiv) or Master of Arts in Missiology & Theology (MAMT).
  • Develop competency in biblical languages, theology, church history, and missiological thinking.
  • Apply theological learning to the complexities of contemporary missions.
  • Participate in study abroad opportunities during quarter breaks to gain diverse cross-cultural and biblical perspectives.


  • Cross-Cultural Ministry (Auburn/Opelika)
  • Engage in relational, intentional ministry with internationals in Auburn/Opelika.
  • Help facilitate English conversation groups, Bible studies, cultural orientation, and spiritual formation.
  • Learn and practice cross-cultural communication, friendship evangelism, and discipleship skills.
  • Participate in community outreach and immigration support initiatives.
  • Live in cohort housing alongside other missionary residents and international students, fostering daily cross-cultural immersion.


  • Uganda Mission Trips & Field Ministry
  • Participate in 1-2 annual trips to Uganda (2-4 weeks each) to serve alongside missionary families at Abaana's Hope.
  • Build and maintain a prayer and financial support team.


  • Administrative Support for FCM
  • Assist with communications, fundraising materials, and prayer letter distribution.
  • Support event planning for mission conferences, prayer meetings, or donor gatherings.
  • Help with database management, grant writing, or other organizational needs.
  • Provide feedback on missionary training and program development.


Qualifications & Skills

  • Essential Qualifications
  • A vibrant, authentic Christian faith and a call to cross-cultural missionary service are affirmed by the local church.
  • Prior cross-cultural ministry experience.
  • Eligible for admission to CORS (MDiv or MAMT program).
  • Passion for unreached peoples, church planting, and gospel proclamation.
  • Emotional intelligence, cultural openness, humility, and coachability.
  • Ability to live in community and navigate cross-cultural relationships with grace.
  • Physical fitness and adaptability for field ministry in a developing country.
  • Willingness to raise personal prayer and financial support.


  • Desired Qualifications
  • Teaching or preaching experience
  • Language learning ability or aptitude
  • Experience working with diverse populations or international communities
  • Background in community development or social ministry



  • Personal Qualities
  • Initiative and problem-solving ability
  • Teachability and openness to feedback
  • Servant leadership and team orientation
  • Flexibility and resilience in ambiguous, cross-cultural settings
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Commitment to spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, fasting)


Compensation & Housing

  • Annual Stipend: $20,000 - $30,000 (part-time salary commensurate with experience and fundraising)
  • Housing: Provided or subsidized housing near internationals.
  • Study Abroad: Opportunity to participate in CORS study abroad opportunities
  • Housing: Optional housing provision if available through donor network; residents are responsible for identifying and securing housing, with potential assistance from the FCM community
  • Support-Raising: CORS provides training in biblical stewardship and support-raising through their 4:15 Program. Residents are required to fundraise for the following:
  • Remaining Salary (typically $10,000 - $15,000 annually)
  • Graduate school books and materials
  • Ugandan mission trips
  • CORS study abroad trips (optional)


Timeline

  • Apply Now: Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
  • Interviews: Scheduled December – March 
  • Selection: Final candidates selected by May 
  • Residency Start: July 


  • About Four Corners Ministries

    FCM exists to "communicate and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ" and plant "an abiding network of gospel-centered, Bible-saturated, African-led churches" among unreached peoples in northern Uganda and South Sudan. Operating through Abaana's Hope (established 2012), FCM partners with the Acholi church to strengthen existing congregations, develop indigenous pastoral leadership, reach refugee populations, and plant new churches among unreached tribes.

  • FCM Core Ministries at Abaana's Hope

    • Pastor Training Center: Equipping African pastors to plant and lead Bible-saturated churches
    • Living Stones Christian School: Pre-K to 7th Grade classical Christian education serving the Acholi community
    • Child Development Program: Caring for vulnerable children and families
    • Women's Refuge Center: Support for women and girls in crisis
    • Life Beads: Providing jobs and discipleship for 36 Acholi women who handmake jewelry from paper.
    • Medical Clinic: Primary health care and maternal health services
    • Church Planting Initiatives: Reaching seven unreached Ugandan people groups and 60+ refugee tribes
    • Community Development Projects: Agriculture, water, and livelihood programs that demonstrate the Gospel

  • About Christ Our Redeemer Seminary

    Christ Our Redeemer Seminary (CORS) is a partnership of local churches in Auburn/Opelika committed to equipping Christlike leaders for God's global mission. Rooted in the Reformed evangelical tradition, CORS helps students reposition theology within the context of and in service of the missio Dei. This “missional theology” equips aspiring leaders to develop a missiological vision for contemporary ministry for any context. 


    The Missionary Residency Program is a three-year, full-time missionary training program designed to equip the next generation of cross-cultural missionaries. It is particularly for those called to church planting among the unreached peoples and places of the world. The missionary task is highly complex and challenging. It calls for thorough preparation. Therefore, the missionary residency includes robust training not only in the Bible, theology, and missiology, but it also covers the crucial aspects of cross-cultural ministry, such as language acquisition, cultural anthropology, contextualization, cross-cultural adjustment, and more.

  • Application Process

    1. Apply to Christ Our Redeemer Seminary. 
    2. Set up a conversation with FCM President Yancy Carpenter (yancy@fourcorners.org).
    3. Interviews will be scheduled December - March.
    4. Candidates will be selected by May.
    5. Attend orientation and onboarding.
    6. Upon selection, residency will begin in July with seminary classes starting in August. 

Apply Today!

Submit your application to Christ Our Redeemer Seminary

Note in the application that you are applying for the Four Corners residency.




For more information email Yancy Carpenter at yancy@fourcorners.org or CORS at info@christourredeemer.org.