Journey College is set apart from traditional college experiences by offering practicums and internships through which our pastors and leaders have the opportunity to invest in, mentor and develop leadership qualities in JMC students. This process allows students to be stretched, challenged, and developed into transformational leaders. In addition to classes, each JMC student will have opportunities to serve in several different capacities throughout the numerous ministries and campuses of Journey Church. These ministry practicums allow students to implement ongoing classroom learning in order to gain real-life experience and knowledge essential to lead with excellence in that field.

Each JMC student will spend part of his or her school week in a supervised ministry experience at Journey Church, led by some of the best pastors and leaders. Students will have the opportunity to learn from our amazing team of pastors with many years of experience. Should JMC students desire to continue that mentoring relationship, we are ready and willing to encourage them in ministry.

Students are empowered to customize their learning experience by setting their own goals, benchmarks, and objectives for their personal leadership development. Upperclassman are also required expand their experience in large and small church settings alike by doing at least one year at one of our extension sites: Burlington, Beach Park, Mount Pleasant, or Vilnus, Lithuania.

Kids

Christian Life School

youth

ENTHUSIASTIC SERVICE

Young adults

missions

worship

LITHUANIA

The Children’s and Family Ministry practicum will give Journey students the exciting opportunity to work alongside a creative and organized team of pastors and volunteers. Students will partner with Journey Kids to gain experience in areas such as early childhood, elementary, special needs, event planning, parenting, marriage, and volunteer leadership.

“I have learned so much in kids ministry. Learning how to do ministry one on one with pastors has been so amazing. Gaining responsibilities with volunteers and classrooms and just deepening my knowledge of ministry is so rewarding”

Paige, class of 2026

The Young Adults (YA) ministry at Journey Church offers an exciting opportunity for JMC students to connect and build meaningful relationships with fellow college students beyond the JMC campus. By becoming an intern with YA, you’ll dive into a dynamic and fulfilling experience that includes:

• Active Participation: Help lead and support our monthly services, playing a vital role in worship, messages, and community-building activities.

• Table Talk Development: Create and nurture discipleship groups, fostering deeper connections and spiritual growth among peers.

• Campus Ministry Launches: Be at the forefront of launching impactful ministries on college campuses, making a difference where if matters most.

• Event Planning: Contribute to planning and organizing service projects and fun events, enhancing the sense of community and fellowship among young adults.

The internship track can be an ideal track for those seeking hands-on pastoral and church planting experience. You’ll have the unique chance to creatively and relevantly invest in your peers, gaining valuable skills and insights for your future ministry endeavors.

Join the Young Adults Internship track and be a part of a passionate team dedicated to making a difference, growing in faith, and building a vibrant community. Your journey toward leadership and spiritual fulfillment starts here!

When we have access to students 40 hours a week, how do we maximize the discipleship impact we can have on them? Between chapel services, small groups, student leadership, classrooms, and even parent partnerships, Christian Life School offers insight into how discipleship takes place in a variety of different settings. CLS interns have opportunities to focus on elementary, upperclassmen, worship, teaching and curriculum, and even developing highly invested student leaders.

Enthusiastic Service is a ministry of Journey that helps connect our members to our local communities through Serving. Most ministry in this department is done outside of the 4 walls of the church, which will help you get the hands-on experience of building relationships with local organizations and learn how to plan volunteer events. We also help you learn effective models of volunteer program structure and how to establish healthy volunteer culture within organizations. 

Journey Church believes that we are all called to experience missions: at every age. At Journey Church, you can help instill a heart for missions and gain experience planning for trips at any age range: from kids to adults. Learn about over 200 Kingdom Builder partners around the globe, gain experience in Missional Planning and Missionary Support, and attend at least one missions trip - stateside or globally. As an upperclassmen, consider doing a semester abroad at Journey Church Lithuania, experiencing a church plant in another country with another language!

Nearly 80 percent of US of pastors serve in congregations with fewer than 200 people, and 55 percent have fewer than 100 people in their church. JMC students are required to intern in at least one additional campus before they graduate, in order to better train them for church sizes and cultures of all kind. All freshmen spend their first year at the Kenosha Campus, learning and understanding JRNYN DNA, before being encouraged to choose one of the following locations:

Pastors Luke & Tanya McKinley

Vilnius Pastors

Want to experience ministry outside of the United States? Upperclassmen can choose to live and work with our JRNY team in Vilnus, Lithuania for three months at a time.

This internship offers on-the-field ministry experience with church planting and missions. Experience all things Journey while learning about Lithuanian culture, language and cross-cultural ministry.

JRNY Lithuania interns must be a returning JMC student, and complete an application process with the McKinleys to enroll in this internship.