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Preparation for Ministry
A Pastor’s Experience with Interns |
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By Pastor Brian Martlett Fresh Start Community Church Moore, Oklahoma |
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When I was a college student I decided I needed a job, but I didn’t want an ordinary job. I found out that a local radio station was hiring for on-air talent so I went to apply. I was quickly turned away by one question: do you have any experience? Alas, I had none, but if I never got the chance to do it, how would I get the experience?
In our churches today, we are in need of men and women willing to serve our congregations. While the call is still strong in many lives, the one that most of them lack is experience. Yes, they grew up in church and yes, they may have served as leaders in their local youth group, but I am talking about really being invested in as the future leaders of tomorrow. This can be taught in a classroom but, in truth, it has to be experienced. Many of our future leaders have never encountered the angry parishioner, the event gone awry, the need for a controlled budget, a traumatic funeral, or a truly amazing change in a congregation. They need to see this firsthand and also see how we as the current leaders handle these situations.
It is because of this that I and others I know have truly seen the value in internships. Investing and walking along side young leaders who have a call, but need the experience. Lev Vygotsky, one of the pioneers in learning, talked about a concept called the “zone of proximal development.” The basic concept is that the learning level increases due to the proximity one has to one with greater experience. This is not a new concept. We see it all through the Old and New Testament: Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, and especially Jesus and His 12 apostles. We too need to place ourselves in this role. Is it scary to give up your pulpit so that a young future pastor may speak? Of course it is! But how will that future preacher gain the experience otherwise to be able to share the Gospel?
Many people ask, “What is the value of spending the money or the time or the effort in having an intern.” I would ask them, how can one afford not to? How can you afford not to invest in the future pastors of our Movement? As the campus pastor at MidAmerican Christian University (MACU) I saw the value of the experience not only as benefit to our students, but to the churches as well. As a pastor currently on staff at a local congregation, I am even more in agreement with that assessment.
Over the last three years, two of our interns have gone on to be on staff at churches and our other leaders are serving not only with us, but have served as summer interns at other churches across the United States. Their presence here has led many of our students into a deeper relationship with God by seeing Godly men and women grow in their faith and Call. On the flip side, these young pastors in training have had the experiences of creating events, counseling students, planning and organizing, and preaching the Word in a real time setting with someone around them to encourage and offer insight.
The importance of bringing on an intern or more cannot be undervalued. It is at the very core of the Gospel and essential to the work of the Kingdom now and as we look to the future of the Church of God Movement. I would encourage you to consider this opportunity for your congregation this coming year.
Elijah and Elisha: The First Pastor and Intern Team?
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”
Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”
Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.
Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 2 Kings 2:1-15 (NIV)
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