Several months ago, we (your pastors) started asking ourselves this question: “How might God multiply our ministry through an internship program? Might this be something we do 3-4 years from now?”
Within a couple of weeks, we received an unsolicited email from a student at Cedarville University who asked if we had an internship program at our church.
A couple week later I got a phone call from someone in South Carolina who wondered if we had an internship program and would consider grooming him for ministry.
After four months, we have been contacted by 9 people – all asking if Maranatha has an internship program. We have not advertised. We have not put anything on our website. We have not communicated this idea to anyone outside of our deacon team. The inquiries have come without prompting or initiative on our part.
We think God wants us to consider developing an internship program, and that we should consider doing that right away!
WOULD YOU PRAY WITH US ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY?
Here’s why we think internship is vital:
Internship is a fancy word for discipleship. Discipleship is God’s idea!
Internship is a way to multiply ministry at our church. There are so many things we would like to do as a staff but are limited by our time and ability.
Internship is a way to increase our vision for ministry outside our church.
Internship will allow our staff to focus on people rather than program.
Internship will promote a ministry heart in our children and teens.
Internship will demonstrate our commitment to the Great Commission.
Here’s what we think an internship would include:
Prayer – We want our interns to grow through sustained times of fellowship with God.
Reading – We want our interns to grow in their knowledge of God through careful reading, reflection, and application.
Writing – We would like our interns to write to our missionaries, shut-ins, guests, and volunteers.
Serving – We want our interns to serve in ways that promote humility; demonstrating that nothing is beneath them.
Targeted ministry – We want our interns to serve in an area of passion and giftedness. We’d like to develop their ministry heart.
Planning – We’d like to involve them in some of our vision casting and planning meetings so that they can see how to plan an event.
We think internships accomplish what Bible college and seminary cannot.
Everyone is called to ministry! But only a few are called to full-time ministry. We believe that God will use this internship to cultivate a zeal for ministry, but also help these young men and women discern God’s heart regarding their future. It will give them REAL-TIME ministry exposure and will help them grapple with their philosophy of ministry and how to apply theology in real-world situations.
Please pray with us! We want to be faithful to follow God’s leading!
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