While this may may work for certain people, there are real benefits in taking up a ministry apprenticeship before engaging in three or four years of serious theological study. A ministry apprenticeship can help you work out whether or not you’re suitable for Word ministry before committing three or four years of your life to full-time theological study. It will be harder and more inconvenient to confront this reality at the end of three or four years of study when the personal cost of changing tracks is greater. Even if you decide not to pursue full-time paid Christian work after your apprenticeship, a ministry apprenticeship is still worthwhile to do because your decision then will be wise and informed, stemming from the hands-on practical experience you’ve gained. Should you decide to go on to enrol in serious theological study, your time as a ministry apprentice will help you to appreciate the value of a theological education and will prove invaluable in having equipped you for the realities of ministry in a range of settings.