Live and learn: Student ministry interns engage churches for service

Published: November 21, 2022

This year, 11 students served as summer ministry interns in churches across the country including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Florida, and California. Internships fulfill an important commitment to the GU experience by developing partnerships and fostering interconnection with churches and communities.

Ben Wayman, Department Chair for the Bastian School of Theology, Philosophy, and Ministry, believes these internships, “display the collaborative and mutually supporting relationship of the church and academy.”

Brandon Snow ’23 and Cooper Majers ’23 (back row left to right) interns at Urban Missionary Formation out of Detroit, Michigan, with neighborhood leaders and friends. Photo courtesy of Cooper Majers.

Interns challenged by ministry contexts

Churches that host ministry interns reflect a wide range of contexts including urban, multi-cultural, smaller, and larger congregations. A full spectrum of ministry activities challenges the students’ understanding of larger ministry values and concepts, but also involves them in the practical and daily responsibilities of ministry.

Adapting to a new place, often across the country, was the first challenge. Leah Brown ’23, who served at Dream Center (Free Methodist Church) in Lake Elsinore, California, says, “This was the first time I had been anywhere near the western part of the US, let alone in southern California. Spending time here was eye-opening, but I came with an open heart and an open mind.”

Interning at Living Spring Church (Free Methodist) in Garden Grove, California, Adin Fleischer ’23 admits, “The conversation of small town vs. big city life, people, and culture was recurring and always riveting. Each has its pros and cons, and we're all better for having met each other.”

Cooper Majers ’23 and Brandon Snow ’23 interned at Urban Missionary Formation out of Detroit, Michigan. Brandon describes his summer as “very nontraditional work. Our church was on the street with many individuals living in deep poverty. Often, they were homeless, or drug addicted. All of this was a great experience though, because I believe these were people Jesus would have hung out with.”

Cooper, a social work major, took his knowledge to the streets by helping with tax refunds, finding housing, providing phones, and visiting the hospital. He says, “It was an amazing experience expanding my cultural awareness and being able to understand how context can change the way people think.”

Interns gain personal and professional insights

Interns also faced the highs and lows of ministry work. Adin Fleischer admits, “I've heard all my life that ’ministry is hard,’ but this summer gave me concrete examples and context for what this really can mean.” Students were immersed in the day-to-day activities that define full-time ministry such as attending church meetings, planning, preparation and clean-up, visitation, reading, attending conferences, and preparing sermons. They led children’s ministries, youth ministries, worship, preached, and even baptized.

Interns reflected on the unexpected but valuable insights they gained through the nine-week experience. Leah Brown says, “It really helped me see that God is moving and working in every context, and there is value from actually witnessing what other people in the world are experiencing or even not experiencing.”

Moriah Summers ’23 (pictured with Pastor Soo Ji Alvarez), intern at The Avenue Free Methodist Church in Riverside, California, agrees, “The most valuable thing I learned was to trust God and my community even in times when I was afraid.” 

Keagan Bouman ’23 (pictured below), intern at Knox Knolls Free Methodist Church, Springfield, Illinois, reflects, “One of the most valuable things that I learned was how to better trust myself. I spent a lot of time alone reading and preparing sermons in coffee shops and really had to reaffirm within myself that what I was preparing for my sermon had value for the congregation and that I was called to preach in some capacity.”

Host churches and pastors play critical role

Internships not only benefit staff and congregation with additional ministry support during the summer months, but it allows churches to shape the future. Ben Wayman says, “While these internships expand GU's presence and influence the world, I love to underline and celebrate the critical role of our churches in partnering with GU to shape the next generation of pastors.”

Host pastors play a critical role in serving as mentors and guides. The goal of partnering students with mature, wise, and proven pastors, helps extend classroom learning into experiential training and education.

Jen Finley ’98, pastor at John Wesley Free Methodist church in Indianapolis, Indiana, saw the internship as an opportunity to connect her own experience at GU to an intern’s ministry experience.

“As an alum of Greenville, I'm confident in the education provided at GU. But even more than developing students for learning, GU is developing students for life.”

Jen believes her intern Carmin Smith ‘23 rose to the challenge, “Her presence raised awareness of Greenville University among our congregation, and her competency was a great reflection of her education and training at GU.”

Pastors throughout the program have similar affirmations of their interns’ success. Colleen Hurley-Bates, from the Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara, California, says of intern Claire Krober ‘23, “She is a thoughtful person who loves the church. We see God using her in incredible ways in the future.”

Colleen especially values the relational aspect of the internship.

“It was an amazing experience to have someone just starting out to come learn and add to who we are.”

Mark Van Valin ’79, host pastor from the Michigan Southern Free Methodist Conference/Detroit Internship in Urban Missionary Formation in Detroit, Michigan, recalls that Cooper Majers and Brandon White began the internship ready to learn.

“Even though they were uncomfortable at first, they adapted well. It’s wonderful to see empathy and humility develop from valuing a culture that is different from their own.”

Van Valin plans to continue hosting summer interns from GU. He says, “Relationships are key. As a Greenville alum, I know Ben Wayman, and Ben knows and trusts me and what we are doing here in Detroit.”

Tyler Boyer ’96, pastor of Knox Knolls Free Methodist Church, in Springfield, Illinois, believes the experiential learning focus at GU is “Exactly where things need to go.” He says, “GU students are already very well prepared academically, so giving them the experience they need to try new things, test ideas, and even fail upward is absolutely vital.”

Boyer encourages churches of all sizes to consider hosting an intern. “Work with the University because it will be good for the church and school.”

2022 student interns were: Keagan Bouman, Leah Brown, Adin Fleischer, Marissa Horning, Ali Kelso, Claire Krober, Cooper Majers, Zavier Shaw, Carmin Smith, Brandon Snow, and Moriah Summers.