Interns live, learn, and pursue God together to discern their call to ministry with the urban poor.
Are you exploring a call to ministry in urban poor communities, but uncertain what that call looks like? What kinds of skill development, discipleship, and discernment do you need to follow Him?
In our short term internships, you have a unique opportunity to ask God to show you how to listen to His call and witness His transformation in urban poor communities. Interns live incarnationally and join in the ongoing ministry of a site. In our one to two year internships, you can grow in the skills, character, and spirituality needed to thrive in urban ministry. If you love Jesus, want to participate in Kingdom work, and enjoy learning through doing, then this internship is for you.
SHORT-TERM
(2-6 Months)
LONG-TERM
(1-2 Years)
Internship Sites
Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City is the second most populated city in the world, with 43% of its residents living in poverty. Though the poverty rate is declining and social conditions are improving, many Mexicans face serious challenges to their health, safety, and well-being. Despite these challenges, those in marginalized communities hope for themselves and their families.
The Mexico City team ministers in a cluster of five communities. Interns live with a host family while actively participating in church planting, children's ministry, and inner healing ministry. The internship's major components include building community relationships; listening to neighbors and creating an action response; and language learning, regardless of skill level.
For more information, contact internationalinternships@servantpartners.org
San José, California, USA
Servant Partners' one-year internship equips mature disciples as servant leaders who actively love the urban poor through communal and experiential discipleship. Interns live together, study Scripture together, and minister together while pursuing a deeper relationship with God. One intern described her experience as a “crash course in deeper discipleship.” If you’re looking to go deeper in your relationship with Jesus and you want to grow in serving the poor, this could be a great place for you!
Important Dates
Application Deadline: February 21, 2025
Interview Weekend: March 7th-9th, 2025 in San Jose, California
Internship dates: September 2025-August 2026
Commitments
Interns Commit to Community
Interns live together in an urban poor neighborhood near one of our partner churches. This is an intentional community living experience where interns are eating together, praying together, serving their neighbors together as well as learning to love and reconcile with one another.
Interns Commit to Discipleship
Interns will be open to hearing the voice of God in new and unexpected ways--in the Scriptures, from staff members, from neighbors, and from each other. They live and serve incarnationally with their neighbors to personally understand the needs and struggles of the neighborhood. As they participate in the ministry of a local church in their communities, interns receive practical training on the ins and outs of church planting and community organizing among the urban poor.
For more information, contact internships@servantpartners.org.
Marseille, France
Marseille is France’s second largest city, with one of the highest immigrant populations by percentage in Europe. If you want to learn French and work with immigrants from North Africa, this opportunity may be for you! We are currently accepting applications for 6 - 18 month internships from those who are considering cross cultural development work in the francophone world.
We have relationships with several local immigrant nonprofits and mostly focus on work with young adults, youth and children; these are Europe's third culture kids (neither African nor French, but something new and globally focused). Interns need to have high initiative and resilience to thrive, as the city is expensive and though it's nice to be in France, many people have suffered due to the coldness of its people. This may be the place for you if you're looking for a challenging and creative ministry. It’s also a great place to learn French and prepare to work in French-speaking North Africa.
For more information, contact internationalinternships@servantpartners.org.
Middle East Vision Trip — Flexible Dates
Are you interested in ministry among refugees, the urban poor, or the Muslim world?
The two-week Middle East Vision Trip provides a next step for discerning your calling through living alongside African refugees in an Arab, low-income community in a large, Muslim-majority city in the Middle East. Participants will volunteer with a refugee-run community center, founded by our team, which seeks to counter the prevalent sense of hopelessness among refugees by providing community, education, and purpose. Discover what God is doing in this unique context while praying for Kingdom transformation, getting to know displaced people and their stories and struggles, and learning from Scripture and experienced staff.
If you are not actively discerning a calling to this type of ministry but are a supporter, intercessor, or church leader who would like to visit this unique site to enhance your vision of God's work in the world, contact us about other options for a Middle East trip this summer. Visit our Middle East page for more information about the site.
For more information or to apply, please contact james.williams@servantpartners.org.
Manila, The Philippines
For two weeks to six months, interns experience life in a slum community in Manila. Participants stay in local squatter homes, build relationships, and join in the ministry of a local church in the squatter community. Interns receive biblical teaching on urban ministry, visit other thriving ministries in the city, take strategic prayer walks, and experience the ways other parts of the city impact squatter life. The internship can be tailored to fit the interests and desires of the individual, and the length of time is negotiable. Anyone over 18 years of age may apply. It is open to both individuals and teams.
For more information, contact internationalinternships@servantpartners.org.
Join the journey of hope amidst urban poverty.
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A Week in East LA
Called to East LA
Internships FAQ
We look for interns who are serious about developing ministry skills, deepening their lives with God, and discerning their sense of call to work for the transformation of urban poor communities.
Applicants must be committed to an adult learning style (e.g. finding a job and an apartment, budgeting, being on time, etc.), and ready to take initiative and responsibility for their own learning process and growth.
Our short term internships range from two weeks to six months and longer term internships range from 6-22 months.
You can fill out the application and reference forms here.
Internships staff will contact you for more conversation and for interviews. For US domestic internships, a visit to the internship site is required for mutual discernment. Decisions will be issued soon after and you’ll have a short time to consider for yourself and respond to us via phone or email.
Domestic US interns are responsible for daily living expenses by working part or full time. International interns raise a budget that covers their full-time engagement in the neighborhood.
Outside of trainings, interns also receive local ministry assignments, practice spiritual disciplines (e.g. Sabbath, prayer, silence and solitude), engage in peer accountability, and receive regular mentoring. The internship experience is designed to help interns grow in their connection with God, with each other, and with the poor. It is a powerful, life-changing time for maturing in your faith and discerning next steps in serving alongside the poor.