Formation
1. The Seminary
a. All full-time students are required to enroll in Guided Internship or Field Education. Students under the master degree take the 3-year Internship which consists of three academic years (9 trimesters in all) and two summer field works (2 summers). Thus, one full year of Field Education is 33 to 34 weeks of weekend internship and 6 weeks of summer practicum (two trimester breaks during one academic year must be noted: mid-September and end of December).
b. All full-time students under the Basic Bible Course may apply for internship for exposure and experience in local churches or parachurch ministries. This is also applicable to part-time and commuting students.
c. The Dean of Field Education assigns an intern after a request has been processed. The “Field Education Covenant” shall be issued at the beginning of the internship, to be completed and signed by the church or parachurch field supervisor with the intern. The said covenant is to be returned to the BSOP field education department for filing.
d. The 1st and 2nd year interns are assigned to the Basic Ministry: evangelism, discipleship, visitation, Bible class, children work, youth work, song leading and sharing in fellowship.
e. The 3rd and 4th year interns are assigned to the Advanced Ministry: pastoral work, preaching, translation work in worship service, church planting, specialized ministries arranged with the local church or parachurch organization.
f. Every intern is assigned two sections of service in the local church or parachurch that takes 6 to 8 hours per week.
g. Direct supervision from the Dean of Field Education, either by visitation or counseling or instruction, shall be carried out with the assistance of other BSOP faculty members.
h. Checklist and evaluation forms are sent to the church pastor or field supervisors each trimester for update and feedback on intern’s performance.
i. The Dean of Field Education and the field supervisor shall evaluate the performance of the intern at the end of each internship by rating passed or failed.
2. The Church or Parachurch
a. A Church or a parachurch organization may request for BSOP Intern(s). Request letters for weekend internship should be forwarded by the end of May or before June.
b. The pastor or any church leader with direct access to the intern’s assigned field work shall be the Field Supervisor, who shall familiarize the intern with the church and its programs. The Field Supervisor shall outline in detail the intern’s assigned work and responsibilities as well as the intern’s areas of freedom, creativity and support system.
c. The Field Supervisor serves as a guide in helping the intern develop Christian character essential to the ministry:
i. submission
ii. humility
iii. proper attitudes toward superiors and peers
iv. discretion toward opposite sex
v. good interpersonal communication skills
vi. sensitivity to others and
vii. social poise
d. The Pastor or Field Supervisor shall strive to draw out the gifts of the intern to present opportunities to develop such talents; to treat the intern as a learner and not as a full-time church worker.
e. Discuss with the intern his work from time to time.
f. Although not mandatory, a monthly honorarium may be given to the intern. At present, the average monthly honorarium is One Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (PhP1,500.00). Overnight accommodation for the intern who ministers late into the night at the designated church or parachurch is encouraged.
g. For valid reason, an intern may directly ask for one personal excused absence in a trimester of weekend internship. Permission for absence should be requested by the said intern from the Field Supervisor. The Field Supervisor, after weighing the cause of such request with the needs of the ministry, shall decide at his discretion, whether or not to excuse the intern. The intern shall be responsible to inform the Dean of Field Education on absences and comply with the necessary forms.
h. The field Supervisor shall inform the Dean of Field Education as soon as possible when the intern performs poorly or is unfaithful in the assigned work, or has incurred unpleasant outcomes in the assigned task.
i. The Field Supervisor shall fill out the Practical Work Evaluation Forms from the seminary every trimester. He may work with the dean of Field Education in rating the passed or failed performance of the intern.
3. The Intern
a. One credit unit is awarded to a student who completes one trimester of weekend internship; two credits are awarded for completion of one summer field work.
b. The intern is expected to be teachable, accountable, available, and faithful learners. He is to make efforts to enter into the life’s situation of the church or parachurch.
c. Attendance in the designated church’s Sunday Worship is required. Discuss with the Dean of Field Education on conflicts.
d. Punctuality and responsibility shall be observed throughout the internship.
e. Approved ministries take precedence over self-initiated activities or ministries. Exceptions are in cases pertaining to the needs of the seminary (e.g., BSOP Sunday, Convocation Day, Commencement Day).
f. Only one personal excused absence is allowed every trimester, with exception of prolonged illness.
i. Two unexcused absences in a trimester lead to additional work for the Intern.
ii. Permission for absence should be secured first from the Field Supervisor, then, from the Dean of Field Education.
iii. An excused slip shall be issued. It is to be signed by the Field supervisor and returned for file with the Department of Practical Work.
iv. The intern is responsible to coordinate for a substitute and to provide the notes or teaching materials to the substitute.
v. Application for excused absence (with exception to illness and natural calamities such as flood, typhoons, earthquakes) should be submitted at least one week before the assigned work begins.
g. An intern should dress and groom himself properly. Wear proper outfits that will add, not subtract, to your total personality, and at the same time, suit the occasion and place.
h. An intern shall meet the training requirements specified for him by constantly referring to the job description and conferring with the Field Supervisor.
i. The intern shall receive a rating of passed or failed, from both the Field Supervisor and the Dean of Field Education. Rating is based on the checklists and performance evaluations of each trimester/-summer internship. Additional work load may be required of an intern who is failing in field work.
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