Intern Experiences BTGMI's Ministry

When Covenant Christian High School in Indianapolis, Ind. offered junior Nicolas Loenen an internship/observation experience, he chose to spend the week at Back to God Ministries International in Palos Heights, Ill.

“It really opened my eyes to the world of ministry,” says Loenen. “It was interesting to learn more about the multitude of cultures that are reached, and the different methods for meeting people where they have needs.”

Each year in January, Loenen’s school offers a program called J-term. Juniors and seniors are encouraged to pursue internships, allowing them an opportunity to consider occupations in various fields.

Loenen chose the internship at BTGMI because “my family has been reading the Today booklet since I was young and my parents support your ministry. I had toured the facility before, but had never fully grasped all the work that BTGMI did and the millions of people influenced and affected by the ministry.”

During his week at BTGMI, Loenen spent some time with most of the staff members, learning more about what they do in ministry, and how their work is making an impact. But he did more than just observe and learn.

He rolled up his sleeves and contributed to the ministry as well. “I got to do some small jobs while I was there, editing parts of the Today devotional, finding quotes for newsletters, and helping pack up copies of the Today booklet for shipping.”

He adds, “This was my first real immersion into the world of ministry. Reading testimonials from Today readers was especially impactful, to be able to read about how BTGMI resources and the Bible had helped them when they were in need.”

Loenen also spent some time reviewing and evaluating the BTGMI Facebook page and website from the perspective of a younger reader.

Before this experience, the 16-year-old honor student had never considered ministry as a career option. He belongs to a business club and robotics team at school and plays in the church’s youth band at church. He enjoys helping out with the younger Sunday school classes and VBS at church, and participates in a downtown Indianapolis summer mission trip.

His week at the BTGMI ministry center opened his eyes to even more ministry opportunities. “What had the greatest impact on me was seeing how the Bible and the Christian faith have affected people. It has made me more aware of the people around me. I plan on keeping up to date with the BTGMI pages on Facebook and hope to check their webpages more often.”