Join God as a Journeyman or summer intern

It is such a joy to see God working in the young people to draw them into mission endeavors around the world. The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention has two excellent programs for college students.

The Journeyman program provides an opportunity for young men and women who have recently graduated college to serve on the mission field for up to two years. Some use it as an opportunity to validate a call in their life to full time mission work. Others use it as a way to experience God working around the world at a time in their life when they have the fewest obligations.

Whatever the motivation, the selection process guides the new graduates through a process that helps them understand their preparedness to serve full time in a cross-cultural, church planting ministry. They have the opportunity to meet and talk with leaders from various global regions to seek where it may be that God is inviting them to join Him in what He is doing. Once chosen for the program, there is a concentrated time of orientation with others who are called to the same ministry. Not only do they learn about the culture in which they will serve, but they learn the value of teamwork, the exciting life of walking by faith, and things about themselves that God reveals to them as He prepares each heart for the task to which they have been called.

Another opportunity that God is using through the International Mission Board, is the summer intern program. This program enables college students to commit to serving during a summer semester in a cross cultural situation. God uses this in different ways, but one way is to help His children understand how He is at work around the world. It builds within these students an appreciation for missions. Whether they become business professionals and tradesmen who support missions by praying, giving and going, or whether He uses it to draw them into the Journeyman program, it is time well spent for those who accept the challenge.

It is only logical that the sphere of influence for the Journeymen includes many students that are willing to step out in faith and accept the challenge of a summer internship, so one of the tasks given to the Journeymen is to recruit interns. Once a church becomes involved in this perpetuation process, they can see the ripple effect it has within their local church body. More people praying for more that are going, and more people going who are called to serve that God works through to draw more into missions.

It has been said that you cannot have a Great Commission church without Great Commission Christians. Serving with the International Mission Board in these positions helps to develop both.

For more information about the Journeyman and intern program, visit the International Mission Board web site for college students mission opportunities at www.thetask.org/students.