FAQs:

What benefit is an SMI student minister to our organization?
Are SMI students employed by our organization or SMI?
Is our organization allowed to provide funding?
Can we have more than one SMI student contractor/minister?
In what areas do they normally serve?
Why can’t our church administrate the funds?
How many hours is the student expected or required to work?
What responsibilities if any does our organization have?
What qualifications do you look for in a supervisor/mentor?
What are the expectations or requirements of a supervisor/mentor?
How can we partner with SMI?

What benefit is an SMI student minister to our organization?
An SMI student minister is ideal for a church or ministry with a desire to invest in future ministers. SMI students can serve as interns or, as often times needed, additional staff with no financial strain or increased burden on the church or ministry budget. Sometimes referred to as Resident Ministers, SMI student ministers allow the church or ministry organization to access qualified volunteers who are called to ministry to maximize its staff as deemed necessary.

Are SMI students employed by our organization or SMI?
SMI students are technically self-employed contractors with SMI. They serve in a voluntary capacity with the church or ministry they serve.

Is our organization allowed to provide funding?
Yes. The organization may choose to compensate the student minister in exchange for his or her services. Many choose to provide a modest payment if their budget allows and do so through giving to SMI in order to outsource the administrative process.

Can we have more than one SMI student contractor/minister?
Yes.

In what areas do they normally serve?
Student ministers may be involved in various types of ministries. These ministries may include, but are not limited to:

Why can’t our church administrate the funds?
The church does not exist to administrate funds. Funds designated to an individual through a church are not tax-deductible to the donor because they provide a direct benefit to an individual and are not given toward the tax-exempt purpose of a church as allowed by the IRS. For a legal perspective on this issue, click here.

How many hours is the student expected or required to work?
Students are able to determine their schedules and perform ministry hours according to their availability and calendaring needs with flexibility . Students are required to commit to work consistently a set number of hours per week with a minimum of 10 hours per week. The maximum amount students may work and receive compensation is 40 hours per week.

What responsibilities if any does our organization have?
The church or ministry organization serves as a training center for the student minister to develop his or her ministry skills. The organization will be responsible for providing at least ten hours per week of ministry opportunities in which the student can gain valuable ministry experience. The organization will also be responsible for overseeing the student’s ministry activities and reporting monthly to the SMI office.

What qualifications do you look for in a supervisor/mentor?
It is our desire that supervisors/mentors be seasoned ministers who are able to invest professionally in our ministry directed students in a healthy manner through personal mentoring and spiritual guidance. These individuals are recognized as possessing maturity, respected for their integrity, embrace accountability and are intentional in their level of commitment to provide a successful mentoring relationship and experience. SMI obtains a signed agreement from these supervisors/mentors to meet regularly with the student, serve as the local supervisor of the student’s ministry and fulfill SMI’s expectations of the mentoring process through reporting and accountability.

What are the expectations or requirements of a supervisor/mentor?
SMI obtains a signed agreement from supervisors/mentors to meet regularly with the student, serve as the local supervisor of the student’s ministry and fulfill SMI’s expectations of the mentoring process through reporting and accountability. For further information, click here.

How can we partner with SMI?
We appreciate your interest in partnering with the ministry of SMI. You can partner with SMI by praying for us, by volunteering your services as a Supervising Mentor as described above, by informing others about our ministry – perhaps potential ministry students or denominational affiliates. You may also want to consider making financial contributions to SMI or include SMI in your church or ministry's annual budget. To support SMI financially, you may send a check to the SMI office or give online. For more information, click here.