Friday, May 30, 2014

7 Reasons to Consider Interning at a Small Church


Church internships are great. For the church and for the intern.

If they’re done right (yes, that’s a big “if”), they can confirm or define a call to ministry, provide real-life experience to enhance classroom learning and bless a local church.

If you’re a pastor who thinks you can’t run an internship program because your church is small, think again.

If you’re a college student or high school senior considering a church internship, a Small Church may be your best option.

For instance, the Small Church I pastor offers three different types of internships. A year-long residential, a summer intensive and a school year program for students.

In the last decade, we’ve seen over 100 interns come through our doors and bless our church. We’ve also been a blessing to them. Not in spite of being a Small Church, but in a lot of ways because we’re a Small Church. (In my case, it also helps that I have a great youth pastor, Gary Garcia, who runs the intern ministry. I just stand back and take the credit.)

Yes, big churches have a lot to offer an intern. They have options, programs and benefits that no Small Church can match.

But a big church internship isn’t for everyone. And Small Churches offer some significant benefits of our own. Advantages that big churches can’t compete with. Here are 7 of them. Keep reading

Photo: Immanuel Anglican Church, Keystone Heights, Florida

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