Seth Grunder and his youth group at a pro-life walk
Seth Grunder teaching at a youth event
University. I have been able to use that degree and the knowledge I gained to pour into students.” Not only does Word of Life’s Youth Ministry Internship allow students to complete their degree online, but it also enhances the education journey by allowing them to apply their coursework through lived experience. Claudia shared, “It has been really cool to see how the classes I’m taking directly correlate with what I’m seeing in ministry. I’m able to take what I’m learning in class and apply it in everyday life.” It is this real-world connection that makes the Youth Ministry Internship such an effective learning experience; an intern could write an essay about elementary teaching methods one day and lead a Scripture memory activity in children’s church the very next morning.
Beyond the academic aspect of the Youth Ministry Internship, students get to experience firsthand what it’s like to serve in full-time ministry. For instance, Claudia shared how the Youth Ministry Internship involves community investment beyond the four walls of the classroom. Last year, she had the unique opportunity to serve local families during the aftermath of Hurricane Ian: “While I might not be able to put a roof on someone’s house, I could help them pick up debris in their yard, and I could play with their kids while [the parents] cleaned.” She emphasized how these experiences are shaping her perspective on youth work: “Ministry is not a set of tasks; it’s more about relationships. It’s not just a job; it’s about people and how you can point them to Christ.”
While interns get to experience life on the frontlines of youth ministry, they are by no means alone in this process. Each intern is paired with an established mentor, who commits to helping them learn and grow during the two-year program. “At the beginning of the YMI process, I spoke with the children’s director at the church I now work for,” Claudia shared. “Every time I talked to her, I could hear the passion for kids in her voice. I could hear how much she cared about not only impacting the kids in the church and community, but also how much she wanted to pour into me.” As students experience discipleship in the local church setting, they learn by example how to build authentic, life-on- life relationships with the youth in their ministry. Seth shared how his internship
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