After the disbanding of Rosedale Network’s voluntary service program, Rosedale International (RI) implemented a loose internship structure for young adults interested in supporting our work at the Rosedale International Center (RIC). As our City Challenge and REACH programs grew in the following years, the need for a true intern program grew with them. In 2007, RI staff began developing the internship program to include discipleship, ministry, and leadership of Short-Term Program (STP) activities.
Today, RI offers seven unique intern positions that provide a space for young adults to “learn how to live missionally and sacrificially in a local context” and emphasize “leadership development, communal living, engaging the nations that have come to us, and supporting those who feel a call to go to the nations.”
We recently welcomed our 2025 interns to the RIC. This team of young adults has jumped into their work with excitement and tenacity.
Jill, prayer coordinator, leads weekly prayer times with the intern team and spends time in personal intercession for Rosedale International. Come summer, she will coordinate and lead all prayer-related events for City Challenge and REACH. Tanner, food services assistant, works with Judah to budget, grocery shop, plan and prepare meals, and keep the kitchen clean and in order. Claudia and Melissa, hospitality assistants, partner with Darryl to coordinate events at the RIC and keep the building clean and welcoming for guests. TJ, administrative assistant, completes administrative and organizational projects for Lizziann. Deanna, community outreach coordinator, is responsible for building connections with Columbus-based ministries. She will coordinate outreaches and service projects for City Challenge and REACH participants.
In addition to fulfilling these core roles, our intern team spends the first months of their term in orientation and training. They receive teaching on leadership, stewardship, community outreach, public speaking, and Discovery Bible Study. They take the Perspectives Course to gain an understanding of the global Church. They spend time in worship and prayer each week and invest in local Columbus ministries.
As the Short-Term Programs schedule picks up in early summer, our interns gain an opportunity to apply these skills. “We ask our interns to model the culture we want our participants to engage in, which means they are given a lot of influence,” Kara, personnel facilitator, explains. During City Challenge and REACH, interns take an active role in leading prayer walks, outreach and service projects, and breakout sessions. They work to intentionally build relationships with participants and offer guidance in times of discussion.
I see internship as an entry point to missional living and discipleship.
When REACHers depart for their outreach locations in early December, the internship program winds down with a time of debrief. Our desire is that each intern ends their time with RI having built a deeper relationship with Christ, acquired leadership experiences, and grown into confident leaders who engage the world.
“I see internship as an entry point to missional living and discipleship,” says Jared, Short-Term Programs director. “In a world that is becoming more and more disconnected through many different distractions, my prayer for our participants is that they would learn how to recognize the voice of God in their lives—again, or for the first time.
“I hope our interns reach a level of vulnerability with themselves and others that allows them to build trust and relationships at deeper levels than they ever have before. I hope that by the end of their time with us, they could truly commit themselves to a life dedicated to the service of Jesus and others!”
Photo credit: Rosedale International
