How Tier 2 Internships Work

The Tier 2 Internship is the intermediate phase of the Leadership Development Program. It is designed for individuals who have demonstrated leadership potential through prior ministry experience and are seeking deeper confirmation of calling, increased responsibility, and practical leadership growth.

This experience is gained through Ministry Tracks such as Worship, Production, Creative, Discipleship/Care, Hospitality, Groups, Young Adults, Children's Ministry, and Youth Ministry.

What You'll Gain

Goals of Tier 2

  • Actively contribute to ministry staff culture
  • Demonstrate reliability in assigned responsibilities
  • Confirm or refine your vocational calling
  • Lead volunteers and ministry processes within your track
  • Identify specific growth areas for ongoing development
  • Demonstrate purposed growth in character, capacity, and leadership presence

What to Expect

  • Hands-on work in a program track
  • Weekly mentoring, including second-year intern mentoring
  • General education courses (CORE Beliefs, book studies, NT Overview)
  • Weekly evaluations with your program track supervisor
  • Intro to staff culture and spiritual development
  • Development in the 5 ideal qualities of leadership

Pre-Requisites

  • Successful completion of a Summer Internship Program or Volunteer Coaches Cohort
  • Referral by a Tree Church staff member

Your Weekly Schedule

Program Basics: 20 hours per week. Positions mainly at Lancaster campus, with floats to other campuses as needed throughout the defined commitment.

Time Breakdown

15 hrs/week: Hands-on experience (2+ days)

5 hrs/week: Mentoring sessions

Sunday: Job-specific needs/tasks

Monday, 8:30-1:00

8:30-9:00 Spiritual Practice Development (TTFG)
9:00-9:50 Education Block 1
10:00-12:00 Staff Church
12:00-1:00 Staff Lunch

An afternoon Education Block may be added if the intern hasn't completed the Calling & Design or Basic Leadership courses.

Other Days

The remaining two days are set up by the Track Supervisor and the LDP Student.

Ministry Track Development

Each intern is placed into a Ministry Track, which gives them their specific area of focus. Interns work alongside a ministry supervisor to gain invaluable insight while immersed in a real-life ministry role. Tier 2 interns move from learning ministry roles to owning meaningful areas of responsibility.

Development Emphasizes: Leading Volunteers and Teams • Managing Projects and Ministry Processes • Developing Initiative and Problem-Solving • Growing Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Presence

The goal is readiness to function as a trusted, contributing ministry leader.

Available Ministry Tracks

Worship

Hospitality

Production

Discipleship / Care / Education

Tree Church Kids

Movement Youth

Creative

Groups / TYA

Spiritual & Personal Development

Ministry requires a unique blend of talent, work ethic, spiritual hunger, and personal discipline. Each of these elements together makes ministry effective, life-giving, and sustainable. The Internship Program is designed to give hands-on experience in the work of ministry as well as exposure to the qualities and habits that healthy ministry is built upon.

Your Development Components

Daily Devotional Time (TTFG)

Interns are responsible for defining their own TTFG plan and communicating it to the Director of the LDP.

Staff Church

Ministry is a demanding calling that requires dependence on God - this is why staff start their Mondays in God's presence to restore and refresh their hearts and prepare for the week to come. We share wins from the previous week, spend time in devotion and worship, pray for the church's needs, and close in small groups.

Staff Lunch

Ministry is not simply about the work we do, but the culture we do it in. Eating and laughing together builds the bonds needed for trust and dependence on each other, and it's a great time for you to get to know the staff and for them to get to know you.

Mentoring Sessions

Two mentoring sessions each Monday, in a small group learning style, covering:

  • Core Theology: A deeper understanding of the ideas at the heart of Christianity, using The Tree Church Statement of Faith as the framework.
  • 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Using John Maxwell's study to dive deeper into the characteristics that define great leadership.
  • NT Overview: Reading through the entire New Testament, focused on the theological, literary, and canonical issues surrounding it.

Me Healthy We Healthy Challenge

Optional Challenge

We believe a healthy church is made up of healthy leaders and individuals. This challenge, lasting the duration of the internship, focuses on growth that is:

  • Spiritual
  • Physical
  • Relational
  • Educational

Compensation

The position requires a commitment of 20 hours onsite per week. Compensation is decided upon market fair wages yearly and is paid in bi-weekly increments.