Interning at your local church can be exciting, especially if
its yours as is the case with TRWC, but also daunting, experimental
sometimes, concrete others, and completely worth it
4 Things You Need to Know About Interning at ChurchInterning at
your local church can be excitingespecially if its your own as is
the case with Twin Rivers Worship Center and mebut also daunting,
sometimes experimental, yet completely worth it. Although you may
not know everything thats going to happen, here are a few things
you should prepare for that will come up during your church
internship.1. Be prepared to wear a lot of hats. A church, like any
other organization, is a production up front as well as
behind-the-scenes. And all that on-stage Sunday service work is
multiplied in the day-to-day office life. Pastors, business
workers, counselors, and volunteers are all juggling their ministry
on top of lending a helping hand to other areas, so be ready to do
the same.2. Be prepared to adapt (see number 1). I had the awesome
honor of having my internship coordinator personally consult me on
what Id like to achieve and experience during my time at Twin
Rivers. She was upfront and gave me a range of projects that were
long-term and short-term, research-heavy and writing-heavy, tedious
and thoughtful. BUT, I might have a plan for the day and what I
needed to get done when three other things came up that suddenly
made those plans obsolete. AND, I might have had to try things Ive
never heard of before. It comes with the territory, so embrace
it!
3. Be prepared to serve (in more ways than one). Churches often
rely on the reputation of their weekend services, and there are
tons of volunteers who make those a success. In your internship,
you will become a volunteer, or you will miss a large part of the
identity of the church. Whether thats early Sunday mornings or late
Wednesday evenings, you will be called upon to be a good steward
and representative of the church. Also, your on-site coordinator is
your first responsibility, not your only one. You will be called
upon by the rest of the staff as the church intern (refer to number
2). 4. Be prepared to change lives (especially your own). From
writing a poem to commemorate the life of a lovely woman to
designing a Life Group Leaders Manual that will engage the largest
ministry at church to even finding info for a sermon seriesyou will
be a part of things much bigger than yourself. Everything, big and
small, will make the difference when you see the reward of your
labor. Maintain a good attitude and keep your eyes openyoull learn
as much from watching amazing people work as you will from
following their lead. Keywords: Church Internship, Internship, Twin
Rivers Worship Center, TRWC, Twin Rivers, St. Louis, Four Things,
Need to Know, Churches, VolunteerWorking hard on Christmas
cards
Oh, hey! Typical look of my office