Hannah Thompson of OneWay Ministries says discipleship and practical experience in ministry are critical. OneWay offers both through service opportunities for young adults during the summer and the full year.

“OneWay’s young adult ministry exists to be able to help awaken and inspire young people to fall more in love with Jesus and know how they can practically serve Him and use their gifts in the Kingdom,” says Thompson.

Graphic courtesy of OneWay Ministries.

According to a study by the Barna Group, about 32% of teens in the U.S. identify as committed Christians who follow Jesus. Meanwhile, only 17% of young adults 18-22 years old say the same.

Other studies report that Gen Z is more likely to be religiously unaffiliated than previous generations. Among young adults who left the religion they were raised in, about 3 out of 4 no longer identified with their childhood religion by 18 years old.

“Providing opportunities not just to teach the things of the Lord, but to actually take and activate the hands of young people is critical in forming the next generation of the church,” says Thompson.

“The practical opportunities of discipleship in ministry-based programs can help bridge that gap in raising the next generation.”

Young adults have expressed significant growth during the OneWay summer program and often continue on to further ministry opportunities. Former intern Kate Sperry said, “I went into this internship not having a clue of what I wanted to do, but by the end of the summer God opened my eyes to how He wants to use the gifts and abilities I have to build His kingdom!“

One participant of the ministry’s summer program said she had little concern for the Great Commission before the experience. She said she was unaware of the needs for the Gospel in the world. By the end of her time with OneWay, God gave her a heart for the unreached and redirected her life.

Thompson says, “As a result of how the Lord moved and worked and grew her through her time at OneWay and developing her skills, she is now in a position where she’s entering a ministry full time, able to work directly as a missions advocate for unreached people groups in the 1040 window.”

Applications are open until May 15 for the summer program. Opportunities include a range of fields, such as creative media, digital evangelism, and administration. Participants will work and live in community for 10 weeks, from May 25 to August 3. The program is also offering a new track this summer for local high school students who want to gain ministry experience. Apply here.

“If you know a young person in your life that you think might be in a position where they can be mobilized and activated for ministry and would benefit from strong community, discipleship, and ministry experience, send them our way,” says Thompson.

Other ways the Body of Christ can support the young adult ministry are through prayer, sponsorships, and mentorship. Pray for God to help the summer program succeed in its mission. May God raise up the young adults to grow in faith and service for the Kingdom.

Thompson says, “We really covet prayer that God would help us not only to run a program, but more specifically, that he would move and work in the hearts of people and change their lives for the sake of eternity this summer.”

Contact OneWay Ministries for more information about how to support the young adults as a sponsor or mentor.

“Young people truly are craving the mentorship and investment of the older men and women of God in their lives,” says Thompson. “I would encourage and exhort the men and women of God around the world, if there’s young people in your local church or your ministry area that are around you, to consider prayerfully investing in them and know that it genuinely makes a huge difference and marks their lives in an eternal way.”

Learn more about the OneWay Young Adult ministry and summer program at owm.org/youngadults.

“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” Matthew 9:37-38

Photos courtesy of OneWay Ministries.

(Photo courtesy of Trans World Radio)

“These are the types of people out there, and I was one of them, who are sitting in a congregation and thinking, well, it’s nice these people can serve in ministry. How can God use my skills? Well, I’m here to tell you He can, and we’re looking for people like that,” explains Weston.

According to Weston, there are plenty of ways to be a part of many different ministries.

“We’re looking for people who can work on antennas, people with management skills, we’re looking for engineers, we’re looking for finance and accounting people, maintenance technicians, graphic designers, people that can work in HR as recruiters and member care specialists, mechanics, station managers.”

(Photo courtesy of Trans World Radio)

And those are just a few examples of ways people can help. If you want to find more specifics about how many have already gotten involved, Trans World Radio has a new video series that tells the stories of a few unlikely missionaries.

“They really show…people with pretty common skills who are needed in the ministry really have an impact on listeners to our programs around the world, and those people can be really instrumental at reaching people for Christ,” says Weston.

Trans World Radio also wants to work with local churches so they can better use trips and resources the church may already have established.

“There is such a broader opportunity for churches to partner with organizations such as ourselves, that we can expand and multiply ministry when we work together, rather than being isolated.”

(Photo courtesy of Trans World Radio)

Pray about the part you could play in the global mission field.

“If you’ve got two months to give or a lifetime to give or anything in between, there are missions agencies out there, including ourselves, that can use you. If your skills are clerical or mechanical or whatever they happen to be, God can use that, and God can use that in ministry and in missions,” Weston shares.

“So look, go out there and look, and see who could use your skills.”

Click here to learn more about career, internship, and volunteer opportunities with Trans World Radio!

(Photo courtesy of AMG International)

International (MNN) – Do you feel like missions might be God’s calling for your life, but aren’t ready to commit to a long-term trip?

One great way to test the waters is through internships. This summer, two college students are interning with AMG international in order to assist those in need, share Christ’s love and gain a clearer view of God’s plan for their lives.

Morgan Summers is a junior at Lee University studying special education and will be teaching special needs children in Mexico this summer. She says in a video blog by AMG: “I felt God lay it on my heart that I should kind of look for something to do this summer, and just get out and really do something incorporating special needs. I wasn’t really sure what that meant or how to do that, but I looked on AMG’s website and saw the need for help in Puebla, Mexico.”

Anelise Marshall, a student at Covenant College studying community development, will also be interning with AMG this summer. She says in AMG’s video blog: “This summer, I’m going to Spain for a month-and-a-half. I will be in Madrid for two weeks working at a safe house for women, and I will be in Torrevieja, which is two hours south of Valencia for about a month. I will be involved in the church there, and also be ministering to prostitutes once a week with a missionary family I will be staying with there.

“I’m really excited because all I know right now is just statistics, and I’ve just looked on websites and talked to people, but never had hands on experience, so I’m really excited to kind of get my feet wet and see if this is really where God is calling me…”

Tasos Ioannidis, president and CEO of AMG, says the benefit of missions internships is two-fold.  He says he has seen many times, in opportunities like these, God work powerfully in the participant as well as those being served.

(Photo courtesy of AMG International)

“We are truly grateful when people, in obedience, respond to God’s calling and are willing to go out of their comfort zone and out of the things they know, and go serve Him in another place,” he said in the AMG video blog. “It makes a huge difference. We have seen God do amazing things in people’s lives as they travel there. We have also seen them being used in amazing ways to impact others.”

Ioannidis asks that you pray for these girls as they begin they’re summer internships. He also asks that you prayerfully consider getting involved yourself, as AMG has multiple needs in its ministry around the world. You can learn more about AMG internships, and find other ways to help, by clicking here.

(Image courtesy The Jesus Film Project)

Puerto Rico (JFP/MNN) — Goal:  translate the JESUS film into 1,540 languages (with more than 1,209 languages already translated).

There’s a ways to go for The Jesus Film Project to meet this goal, and they need help to get there. That’s why they’re offering internships, called STINTs (Short-Term INTernational). It’s a play on words, since STINT is also a noun that’s defined as ‘a period of time spent doing something.’

To The Jesus Film Project, an intern is a person accepted to work in The JESUS Film Project offices for one year and possibly two. It’s a chance to gain “hands-on” experience in an office environment while investing time and talents toward reaching the world for Christ.

A recent blog post from a STINT member in Latin America bears this out. Read on:

The STINT team in Puerto Rico is a pioneering team. Because they are the first team in this country, they are even more willing to try new things to reach the campuses they work on.

This month, with a visiting Spring Break team of students from the States, they lead the digital strategy using short films in initiative evangelism. We had them use specifically the short film La Busqueda (which demonstrates the parable of the prodigal son). This means they went on campus, and using the Jesus Film Media app on their phone, approached people and asked if they would watch it and share their opinion.

“Blake and I had two students really connect with the film. They were so mad when the daughter didn’t get off the bus and return to the father. After thinking through why she might not get off, the student was like ‘OHHH.’ A light bulb went off, and he realized that is what he has been doing to God. He realized he doesn’t feel like he can go back to Him because of all the stuff he’s done. Blake and I got to share the gospel with him and his friend. Although they made no clear decision, it was an awesome conversation that we wouldn’t have had if we didn’t have the film.” – Alyse

Please pray for the individuals on the other end of these conversations! God is always up to something…

Interested in more? Click here to get the details on STINT.

If you or someone you know would answer "yes" to those questions, Compassion International summer internships might be the perfect fit.

Compassion is looking for several summer interns who have a heart for sharing the Gospel and eradicating poverty. Interns will spend the summer at Compassion headquarters in Colorado but will also get the chance to visit the Dominican Republic to visit several child development centers at the end of the summer.

Positions are available for the following in accounting, business, marketing, civil engineering, communications, finance, information technology, human resources, computer science and more.

The internship program is open to undergraduate students graduating between May 2012 and May 2014. Applicants must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA and have completed two years of college by May 2012.

The internship begins May 21, 2012 and ends August 3, 2012. The deadline to apply is January 2, 2012.

For anyone who loves the Lord and wants to spend a summer serving him, interning with Compassion would be a joy. Most degree programs require internships anyway and this is a rare opportunity to not only serve others while meeting that requirement, but to get paid for it. Interns are paid $9 an hour.

Click here to watch a video of former interns' testimonials about the program. For all the details about Compassion's paid summer internship program, visit compassion.com/internships.

Orphan Outreach is looking for summer interns in both India and Russia for the month of July in 2012. "It's like going and being a missionary just for the summer," says Tiffany Taylor with Orphan Outreach.

Interns will help at various orphanages throughout the summer. In India, they'll stay in one place, but in Russia they will visit several orphanages. Interns will be helping the staff of Orphan Outreach in the countries and bringing the Good News to children as they serve, but they will also be taking away invaluable experience.

"They're going to learn a lot about the culture. They're going to live there for a month in either country, to get to know the kids and to build some awesome relationships."

Taylor adds, "We have two [interns] that went on and actually went into international ministry full-time after being part of an internship."

Whether the summer interns end up in full-time ministry or not, the trip is a learning lesson in Christ-like service to be sure. Taylor says young people of all walks of life have interned.

"It's really just people that have felt God's call to help orphans," explains Taylor. "There've been some people that may feel God's nudge, and they're not even sure of their major yet–they've just started college and they're trying to think it through."

If this sounds like a description of you or someone you know, logistics are the final step. The internships, whether in India or in Russia, last from July 2 to July 23 in 2012, and the application deadline is January 15. Both trips cost about $4,500 when airfare prices are added into the equation.

The price may seem steep, but Taylor says in the past they have found that when God really wants someone on the trip, raising the support is no problem. Orphan Outreach can help with the process for those accepted into the program.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more or apply, click here.

World Hope International has several opportunities for internships this summer and fall that give participants exciting roles in the ministry's mission and ultimately help thrust the Gospel forward.

World Hope offers internships for professionals in the business realm, in journalism, in education and more at their headquarters in Virginia. Positions are not limited to college students, and, in fact, many of them are for college graduates.

Many internships are in association with the ministry's short-term missions arm, Hope Corps. Interns do anything from writing articles to gathering data, depending on which internship they apply for. All interns can be assured that they are a necessary step to helping the poor and spreading the Gospel around the world.

Deadlines have already passed for a few opportunities, but contact World Hope to see if any of the trips you're interested in are still available past the due date. Hope Corps Spiritual Formation Intern, Hope Corp Assistant, Education and Hope for Children Programs Intern, and Hope Corps Communications Intern for the fall are all still open.

The Hope Corps Spiritual Formation Intern will primarily aid in revising existing Hope Corps training materials and in designing new and additional materials to help facilitate spiritual formation in the lives of Hope Corp volunteers.

The Hope Corp Assistant will provide administrative support to ensure the timely and thorough placement of individuals volunteering with Hope Corps.

The primary role of the Education and Hope for Children Programs Intern is to work with administrative staff to perform the day-to-day functions that are part of the process of international development work with an educational sponsorship program.

The Hope Corps Communications Intern will interview past Hope Corp participants and create literature for preparing, equipping, and informing both future volunteers and nonparticipants interested in supporting the work of Hope Corps.

To view these descriptions in their entirety, visit www.worldhope.org, click on "About Us," then click on "Employment" on the right hand scroll bar, and then "Internships & Volunteer Opportunities" for a fully detailed list of choices. To send your resume or ask more questions, e-mail recruitment@worldhope.net.

Shepherds Ministries College program, a schooling environment to help individuals with developmental disabilities flourish in their lives and faith, is up for regional accreditation. This would boost not only the credibility of the school, but hopefully the pride of the students in knowing that they were furthering their education on a collegiate level similar to many across the country.

"This third year is critical," says Brett McCarthy, who instructs Culinary Arts students at Shepherds College. Now that the first ever Shepherds students are three years into their program, it's time for them to do their internships, just like it would be at any other college or university.

"I've often said to the students that are now currently in their internships: ‘You are the ambassadors. You not only have to represent yourselves, but you also are the first interns coming out of a brand new institution and [have] to represent that,'" says McCarthy.

So far, students have been excellent representatives. Of course the real reason for the internships is to nurture and grow these students in their fields of study. McCarthy says students have been learning a lot already and have reported putting many of the things they learned at Shepherds into practice.

There are three students interning from the Culinary Arts program, and all three had a surprisingly simple time finding places that would welcome them aboard as interns. McCarthy says the bakery, nursing home and school that the students work in have been welcoming without being over-accommodating for the students.

"I think that [the students] are enjoying themselves," says McCarthy. "I think that they have shown a real propensity for the industry, and there's been great collaboration between us and the industry."

Some of the students have also used their internships as an opportunity to be true ambassadors for Christ. McCarthy says one of the Horticulture students has been witnessing to his supervisor in his internship.

"[For] the questions that he's not able to answer, he has come to us and asked questions to help him become a better witness for Christ," explains McCarthy. "And I have no doubt that is being replicated throughout the institution, because that is something that we teach."

Shepherds College is helping exponentially more students each year grow in life skills, in knowledge, and in faith. To learn more about the important ministry of Shepherds College, click here.

Orphan's Heart may have just the opportunity.

"We've come up with this unique program where you can get invaluable, international mission experience while at the same time getting college credit," says Howard Hooper with Orphan's Heart.

The new college internship program at Orphan's Heart involves two options: a 4-5 week stay in Guatemala, or in Miami, Florida.

The Guatemala program is an excellent opportunity to serve, to be Christ's love, and to directly respond to the James 1:27 call to "look after orphans and widows in their distress." Interns have the opportunity to spend June or July helping at a malnutrition center, feeding, playing with and holding children who stay in the hospital-like setting for six months to a year. More and more volunteers are going on short-term trips with Orphan's Heart, so Guatemala interns will also be a part of guiding those summer trips.

If a month in Guatemala with children doesn't seem to be calling your name, though, Orphan's Heart has another option at its headquarters in Miami. Interns in Florida will work in the office, learning about organizational leadership and management, assisting with projects, and helping coordinate volunteer teams. Interns in Florida will still get an international flare by spending a week in Guatemala.

Both positions are vital in building the kingdom. Interns in Guatemala have a chance to directly impact the kingdom by acting as Christ's ambassadors to children and the people of Guatemala. Interns in Miami have an opportunity to be a part the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the ministry going. An internship in either place will be a significant contribution to a ministry working to care for children and expand the Kingdom.

Beyond service opportunities, interns will undoubtedly grow in their spiritual walks as well. Participants will learn through daily devotions and prayer, but especially through hands-on experience. Hooper says while students are interning, "God is building your character, building your patience, building your love for these children and people of Guatemala–or in Miami, if you're here."

Interested? The only things left to know are the nitty-gritty details. In order to qualify for an internship, candidates must be college students with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, valid references, and a solid background check. Applicants need to have the ability to share their faith and must possess a servant's heart.

If applying for the Guatemala position, some Spanish would be helpful. However, "You don't have to speak the language to hold a child, you don't have to speak the language to feed a child, you don't have to speak the language to play with a child," notes Hooper. "If you're willing to do that, we're willing to have you help with this summer."

Participants will need to raise their own support, but Orphan's Heart will help with suggestions and fundraising tools.

These internships are excellent opportunities to serve Christ and His people. To learn more or to apply, visit www.orphansheart.org/internship.html. But hurry! The deadline has been extended, but only to March 1. Get your application in by then to see if you could be spending a chunk of your summer serving the Lord and getting college credit for it.

Watch a video about the Guatemala Children's Malnutrition Center here.

For a lot of college students and young adults, it can be hard to determine what comes next. Wycliffe Bible Translators has an opportunity to allow young adults to explore their calling and their options to help.

Summer internships with Wycliffe allow believers ages 18 to 35 to get a taste of the missions world before they commit long-term. Internship participants engage in service, receive direction, and inevitably experience growth.

The service is the basic ‘what' of the project. Interns can get involved on a domestic level at Wycliffe or JAARS headquarters, or they can serve overseas with Wycliffe missionaries. Both are service-oriented, and overseas, participants are actually able to help ease the load of hard-working missionaries.

"There are plenty of people who say, ‘Hey, I've got a great project for a college student. How many interns do you have? Can you send me one?'" explains Internship Coordinator Karen Snyder. "So they save up those projects that are kind of like an entry level position–for someone who's not fully a member of Wycliffe or hasn't had a lot of training, but can get a project done. It relieves the work of someone who's actually on the field."

What kind of positions does Wycliffe have available? Snyder says, "It's anything from administration, project management, finance, to aviation, to Bible translation, to literacy, Scripture use, and ethnomusicology–all sorts of projects, anything that our field members are doing."

In whatever capacity you end up serving, growth will undoubtedly take place. One young woman got to share Christ with her neighbors while on internship in Florida. One young man who joined a Wycliffe internship had planned to be a missions "sender" beforehand, but when he experienced a people group receiving the Gospel in their own language for the first time, his heart was changed. He had to go!

Interns grow in their faith and understanding of what it is God has for them throughout the summer. Snyder says it's Wycliffe's hope not that participants will necessarily stick with Wycliffe for life, but that they will determine whether or not the mission field is where God is calling them.

"The point of the internship, other than just doing an assignment, is to really evaluate: ‘Is this a good fit for me? Is this where God's calling me in the future?' And so by the end of the summer, we would hope that you would know through our debrief time: Is this something that you'd like to move forward with? Or, 'This a great experience, and wow! Now I know what Wycliffe does. But that's not where I'm called to go.'"

Internship locations are anywhere from Florida to Ghana. Click here for a list of international opportunities and here for domestic.

Anyone seriously considering joining a Wycliffe team for a summer probably has some questions. Check out Wycliffe's social networking site: Wycliffe NextGen to watch videos, see pictures, and learn more about a summer in mission.