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.
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Children & Family
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
Pastor Christel DUFF
JOURNEY KIDS PASTOR
Vanessa Luby
EARLY CHILDHOOD PASTOR
PAIGE CUSIMANO
JOURNEY KIDS ADMINISTRATOR.
Youth
The Youth Ministry practicum provides the opportunity to work alongside genuine, driven youth pastors and volunteers in JRNYTH. This practicum trains students how to successfully reach and disciple youth students through things like planning mid-week services, running successful small groups, planning camps/events and dreaming on how to create an amazing culture where students can find and experience God.
“being a youth intern has been so beneficial to my career development and spiritual growth. i’ve learned mentorship, leadership, and serving skills that have ultimately deepened my love for god and his people.”
Aiden, Class of 2027
Pastor Sam Porcaro
JRNYTH PASTOR
Young adults
The Young Adults (YA) ministry at Journey Church offers opportunities for all JMC students to build community with other college students outside of JMC. For those that choose to intern in YA, they will get opportunity to help in monthly services, building small groups, launching ministries on college campuses, and planning serving opportunities. This track is perfect for anyone who is looking for more pastoral and church planting experience, getting the chance to pour into their peers in creative and relevant ways.
PASTOR REGGIE HILL
YOUNG ADULTS PASTOR
worship
We believe that there is so much more to Worship Pastors than singing songs, for that reason we ensure that those called to worship ministry experience a well-rounded education: gaining experience in pastoring and leading teams in addition to participating on worship teams. For this reason, students interested in our worship track will be enabled to lead a team in one of our smaller ministries: interning either through JRNYTH, JRNYA, or at one of our smaller campuses.
Worship students will receive mentorship from our ministry leaders as well as opportunities to audition for JRNY Worship at Journey Church.
Worship interns must be a returning JMC student, and have previous experience with JRNYTH, CLS, or YA worship.
Pastor Mandy Vargas
WORSHIP PASTOR
Christian Life School
Christian Life School offers a unique experience for all JMC students who want to learn how to do ministry in a school environment. Those who choose to intern at CLS will have the opportunity to work alongside the Spiritual Formations Pastor and the rest of the Bible department, learning how to successfully plan youth and kids chapels, build relationships with students, and facilitate conversations with parents. This business setting is optimal for learning how to achieve ministry in a professional manner.
Pastor Matt Short
PASTOR OF SPIRITUAL FORMATIONS
Enthusiastic Service
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.
Lisie Reyes
ENTHUSIASTIC SERVICE DIRECTOR
MARISOL rivera
ENTHUSIASTIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
- 1 Peter 4:10
Kingdom Builders
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!
“I love my KB internship! I love that I get to work so closely with pastors and staff members;
they give me opportunities to lead and grow. I am truly given responsibilities that will effect the ministry.”
- Hannah, class of 2025
Other JRNY Campuses
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:
Jay & Sonia English
Beach Park Campus
Stephen & Angela Jackson
Burlington Campus
coming soon
Mount Pleasant Campus
jrny lithuania
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.