The Junior High Intern Pastor

Back last month I got to be with my friends at Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, California.
I blogged about the visit a few weeks ago. I mentioned that during the service the congregation celebrated the Lord's Supper, or Communion at the close of the service.

Pastor Dennis mentioned that assisting him that day with the celebration would be their "Jr. High Intern Pastor." The young man did a fine job reading the scripture and praying and helped to pass the elements to the servers that day.

Now I am a terrible judge of age. At first I though this young man was a college-aged student but the more I looked at him, I think he was genuinely a Junior High or High School student. It doesnt matter to the point of my story though.

I got wrapped up in the service and forgot to ask Dennis later about the young man.

As I reflect though about the experience I am reminded of both my own upbringing and some other churches I know. When young people, even as early as junior high, are deployed or apprenticed in significant ministry opportunities, they are more likely to become our church and Christian leaders of the future.

Many junior high and high school internships involve 3-5 hours a week walking alongside a full-time pastor observing and sharing their lives together. From that observation, mentoring takes place and students are further discipled.

If every full time staff person and pastor had an intern that followed them around for three hours a week for nine months, how would that change the pool of ministry leaders for the future?

What do you think? Hit the comments blog and wail away on me.

And to that young man out in Escondido, if you are older than high school, please forgive my old eyes but your presence was an inspiration.

Comments

[Camey]

"If every full time staff person and pastor had an intern that followed them around for three hours a week for nine months, how would that change the pool of ministry leaders for the future?"

Personally, I think it depends greatly upon what took place during those 3 hours a week for nine months. If all the intern was allowed to experience is the whining and complaining of said staff person and/or pastor - would that endear that intern to ministry or make them want to run away as fast as possible? On the other hand, if the intern was allowed to experience true passion - OH MY!

I would like to see more individuals realize the great potential of interns. If we truy are about today as well as tomorrow, we must be willing to embrace those who are to walk along side of us as well as continue on without us. Education is great. What makes it even better is being able to practice it.