Internship Opportunities
Every intern has a unique learning and growth experience at Saddleback. We place our interns at different Saddleback campus locations and ministry teams according to their vocational goals, learning objectives, and ministry interests! Check out our internships below and note that some have specific requirements and time commitments. If there is an area of ministry NOT listed that you're interested in, let us know! This list is not exhaustive and we LOVE exploring new opportunities for interns. E-mail us at intern@saddleback.com for more information.
Saddleback Production Internship
Saddleback Production’s goal, within the fabric of Saddleback Worship, is to train, equip, and release those who feel called to serve the local church through production. If you’re interested in diving deep into the world of live, pre-, and post-production, this is the internship for you! We constantly strive to create an environment focused on team building while also maintaining a high level of excellence in our field. Interns will serve alongside experienced Saddleback Production staff to gain experience with providing production support in a fast-paced environment. Additionally, they will be immersed in the day-to-day operations of Saddleback Worship to broaden their scope of ministry. Our internships are designed around the gifts and calling of each intern, so whether you’re focused on one area of production, or all of them, we will shape the internship experience that best equips you for your future. You’ll walk away from this internship with a solid understanding of the foundational principles of Saddleback Production: DEFINE, SERVE, CONTROL, DEVELOP, and BUILD. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall). Current college students or recent graduates.
Accounting Team Internship
Are you a driven junior or senior pursuing a degree in accounting? Dive into the world of finance with our dynamic Accounting Team Internship! This hands-on experience allows you to immerse yourself in the fast-paced world of financial operations. You'll master the art of invoice processing, gain proficiency in cutting-edge accounting software, and delve into the intricacies of financial report preparation. Minimum commitment: 15-20 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
Audio/Digital Marketing Internship
This internship is geared toward current college students who seek hands-on experience with creating, developing, and editing podcasts in the faith based category. Interns can expect to learn how to think beyond the basics in editing and production to develop a unique voice and style. An intern will learn and create edit and market podcasts for multiple channels. Additionally the intern will have opportunity to work on some Wordpress development if desired to develop tools that can be used by hundreds of churches. Current college juniors or seniors only, please. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Engagement Team Internship
Learn to live and lead with purpose through our Saddleback Engagement Team Internship! Our team helps new people ENGAGE on the weekends at our Connection Center. We help people ENGAGE WITH GOD through our New Believer and Baptism ministries. And we help people ENGAGE WITH OUR CHURCH FAMILY through our Explore Saddleback welcome breakfast and our Activate Membership Class. We are on the front lines of incredible life transformation – helping people who are new to our church or new to faith to take their next steps to get more engaged in their faith and in the life of the church. This happens not only on the "front lines" of ministry with the people we are ministering to, but also behind the scenes with the multitude of ways we support and care for people. As an intern with our team, you'll learn how to recruit, develop, and care for volunteers; facilitate baptisms; communicate for life change; engage with church attenders during weekend services and help them engage; and develop an effective process to move people to their next spiritual step. In addition, interns will develop and demonstrate skills in spiritual disciplines, leadership, pastoral care, and staff relationships. Minimum commitment: 20 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
College Ministry Internship
Are you passionate about seeing college students being exposed to, experiencing, and expressing Christ, His kingdom, and the biblical purposes of His church? Learn to meet the unique needs of college-aged young adults (18-22) as they navigate the challenges of this life stage. A College Ministry internship is designed for current college students or recent graduates who are seeking hands-on ministry experience with Saddleback Church's Student Ministries Team. Assist in facilitating life groups and running Thursday night college-age gatherings and other events to build community, develop social media content and promotional strategies, mobilize college students to serve, assist in discipleship events and retreats, and contribute to the planning, programming, and facilitating of our college ministry. Learn more about CM at saddlebackcm.com. (Applicants must be at least 2 years removed from high school.) Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Data Analyst Internship
Are you interested in how data can provide meaningful insights in ministry? With so many companies using big data to aid in decision making, learn how the church does the same but with a ministry mindset, and learn how to turn your gifting of data intelligence into Kingdom work. Interns will get to work closely with the team, from the inception of a ministry need to the deep analysis, architecting a solution, building and finally releasing a fully implemented metric, report or dashboard, ensuring it aligns with the ministry need. Gain an understanding of the kinds of questions that drive all areas of the church, including leadership, ministries, and campuses. You’ll also learn how to transform a small idea to a fully formed solution that provides valuable insight to the church and helps bring even more people to know Him. This internship program is designed for current college students or recent graduates who are seeking hands-on experience with a reporting & insights team. Applicants must be enrolled in computer science with a focus on data science, business intelligence, data analytics, etc. The internship is part-time and semester-long (spring, summer, or fall).
Event Planning Internship
Saddleback Church is a vibrant and welcoming community dedicated to providing a nurturing environment for individuals and families to grow spiritually. We seek to create engaging and inclusive experiences that foster connection and belonging for all who walk through our doors. Our events play a crucial role in extending this warmth and hospitality to regular attendees and newcomers alike. If you are passionate about event planning, join our team this summer and be part of the planning, coordinating, and execution of a wide range of events. From intimate gatherings to large-scale productions accommodating up to 10,000 attendees, our events serve as vital touchpoints for individuals exploring faith and community. Minimum commitment: 20 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
Mission Team Intern
Do you feel called to serve God’s Kingdom through mission? Gain hands-on experience with an internship on our Mission Team! You’ll learn the why, what, and how of Mission and will personally encounter the challenge and adventure of local and global ministry. Experience the unique community outreach and global impact built on 40+ years of experience while making an eternal impact by taking the life-changing gospel to the world’s least-reached people. Learn Mobilization, Preparation, Assessment, and Field Implementation through our church members. Experience sustainable, reproducible, holistic results that any church can locally implement. There may also be opportunities to go on local and global Peace trips. You’ll be mentored by staff and lead volunteers, encouraged, and empowered to live out the great commission while growing your heart to reach the lost.
Film Production Internship (pre-production, shooting, editing)
Saddleback Kids produces all of their own video curriculum, and you'll love learning what goes into production as you work on projects with our team. Gain experience filming as you develop your passion for all aspects of video production through hands-on experience, including pre-production, shooting, and post-production. From helping with equipment, cameras, and production to assisting with casting and organizing talent, from finding locations to editing scripts, you'll be in the thick of the on-set mayhem and be able to apply your talent to significant projects! Lead and serve in a dynamic ministry setting, and be exposed to industry professionals and their skills and expertise. Current college students or recent graduates. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
Guest Experience Internship
Do you want firsthand knowledge of what it takes to run a church from the weekend perspective? Have you ever found yourself wishing you knew how to lead a team? Do you love a fast-paced environment and being surrounded by amazing people? Then THIS is the internship for you. An internship with the Guest Experience Team will gain hands-on experience learning what it takes to run weekend services at Saddleback, including pastoral care, team leadership, and organizational skills, not to mention...we have a ton of fun! Minimum commitment: 20 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
Graphic Design Internship
This internship is designed for college juniors or seniors who are majoring in a visual communication design or graphic design program. Gain hands-on experience with layouts and design for print, web, and interactive projects as you build graphics from concept to completion. Learn how to collaborate with project managers, marketing, production, and creative teams in an agency-type setting to support a dynamic, ministry-based organization. Applicants need to be comfortable working with Adobe programs, Google Docs, and Microsoft Word; have good oral and written communication skills and be organized and detail-oriented. If you have an online portfolio, please include the link in your application. Current college juniors or seniors only, please. Minimum commitment: 15-20 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
Guest Services/Weekend Experience Internship
Learn the value and importance of why we focus on the experience for each guest here at Saddleback Church—we never want anything to get in the way of anyone hearing God's Word when they visit Saddleback! An internship with our Weekend Experience and Guest Service team is ideal for anyone seeking to be a pastor or part of a church launch, or is seeking experience with coordinating and training volunteers. This internship involves creating an amazing experience during events on-campus through our environment (look and feel) and our volunteers (Guest Services), and learning the processes and strategies that Saddleback uses to meet these goals. Our desire is to ensure that every guest has a positive and welcoming experience from the parking lot to the Worship Center. You will learn why it's important to have an appealing, clean, organized, safe, and well-marked campus. You will also learn how to lead, train, appreciate, love on, and serve with a team of volunteers. Minimum commitment: 20 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall). Current college students or recent graduates.
High School Ministry Internship
Do you love Jesus and like teenagers? Are you passionate about seeing high school students coming to know Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of their life? HSM is Saddleback's High School Ministry and we are dedicated to helping teenagers experience a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ! Training and coaching will make for a season of ministry experience you will value for your entire career as an intern with HSM. Our goal is to provide you with a transformational learning experience that you'll look back on with fond memories where you learned the basics of ministry, understood a youth ministry philosophy and learned how to work effectively with a team. HSM interns will shadow, co-lead, and help run events and programs, as well as actively coach, mentor, and recruit volunteers. To learn more about HSM, visit www.highschoolministry.com. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Human Resources Internship
This internship is geared toward human resources or business-related majors who seek hands-on experience in Human Resources. Interns can expect to learn how each of the key areas of HR work together to support the Church in our ministry to our employees. An intern will learn strategic steps in hiring the right person for the job that God has called them to, how to make new employees feel welcome and valued as part of the on-boarding process, basic knowledge of benefits and leaves of absence, and other areas in HR. The HR Intern will interact directly with employees in all areas of the Church and will have the opportunity to participate in church staff leadership training sessions as well as specific HR training. Current college juniors or seniors or recent graduates. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Initiative for Vulnerable Children Internship
Help make the Gospel visible by empowering people to care for vulnerable children through an internship with Saddleback Church’s Initiative for Vulnerable Children. You will learn about our mission to find a family for every child and equip the Church to care for them. We work in the community locally, nationally, and globally through the PEACE Plan (Saddleback’s missions model) in partnership with other churches and agencies. Discover the latest research on trauma-informed care and how the church is best positioned to give relational interventions to families in crisis. You’ll gain an understanding of how biblical values and evidence-based science can heal families experiencing the effects of trauma. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Junior High Ministry Internship
Saddleback's Junior High Ministry helps students become exposed to, experience and express Christ, His Kingdom, and the biblical purposes of His church. Help this vision become a reality! Interning with JHM will give you a taste of everything Saddleback does in our Junior High Ministry, from helping plan events like Summer Camp to running weekend program meetings. JHM will fully expose you to every aspect of youth ministry at Saddleback. In addition to events, you will be involved with helping run weekend services, learn how to work on a team in a big church, mentor students and challenge them in their spiritual growth, lead a small group of junior highers each week, and receive one-on-one training on how to be the best youth worker possible. JHM is a junior high church experience like no other, connecting students to adult leaders and designed specifically to enhance 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students to love Jesus, live differently, and lead the way. To learn more about our ministry, visit our website at saddlebackjhm.com. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Saddleback Kids Internship
Be part of our vision to connect kids to God and others! Gain hands-on experience observing and practicing ministry skills through an internship with Saddleback Kids (birth through age 12). This internship includes learning the Saddleback Kids (SK) New Leader Process: screening, recruiting, interviewing, training and developing quality volunteers. You'll serve with the staff overseeing, implementing, and creating age-appropriate interactive activities, crafts, and programs that help to reinforce the curriculum provided by SK. You'll also help prepare the age-appropriate classrooms for weekend and Wednesday night services as well as special events for children/families. Additional experience may also include: shadowing staff and volunteer coaches, leading children's classes, assisting in writing curriculum, observing baptism and Child Dedication Classes, learning how the staff recruits, equips and encourages volunteers; and interacting with parents. Gain experience in this role with our Saddleback Kids Team. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Leadership Development Internship
If you're passionate about leadership development and want to learn more about what leadership looks like at Saddleback Church, this internship is for you. Learn alongside our intern program minister as you become an ambassador of our program and church and help develop the next generation of leaders on our Central Intern Team. Help create leadership training content, develop and implement recruitment strategies, hone your own job interview skills by learning how to interview applicants and on-board interns; lead, teach and shepherd interns, train our staff, coordinate intern events, interface with academic institutions, and equip other churches all over the world to develop the next generation of leaders, inside and outside the Church. Students interested in organizational leadership, HR, & PR will be a great fit for this internship! Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall). Current college students only.
Local PEACE/Community Outreach Internship
Do you have a heart for seeing churches engage their surrounding communities with the Gospel? As a Saddleback Local PEACE intern, you’ll gain on-the-ground experience in church-based local missions. Come engage in the “why” and the “how” behind our missional strategy known as “The PEACE Plan” and its local expression in our volunteer-led outreaches that range from serving the homeless, elderly, youth, military, neighborhoods, arts communities, and more! Come alongside our staff team as we teach you how we practically support, equip, and mobilize our members, and mentor YOU throughout your internship to help you develop your calling, gifts, and skills! Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Social Media Internship
Did you know over 2 billion people use social media? Learn how Saddleback Church leverages social media to expand our kingdom reach for Jesus Christ through an internship with our Communications Team! The Social Media Internship requires skill and competence in writing, communication, marketing, social platforms, and a knowledge of Saddleback Church. During this internship, you will learn all about Saddleback Church's Social Media Strategy and Guidelines and learn how to implement them within the church and across social channels. Serve alongside Saddleback's Marketing, Storytelling, Web and Design teams and help speak into future social campaigns. This is a great opportunity to take what you've learned at Saddleback and apply it toward a possible future career in Social Media! Gain experience in this role with our Marketing/ Communications Team. Current college students only, please. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for 12 weeks.t
Ministry Team Internship
Here at Saddleback Church, we believe every member is a minister and our job on the Ministry Team is to help people discover their God-given S.H.A.P.E. (Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality and Experiences) as they walk their Purpose Driven journey. As an intern with our team, you will experience a personal development mentorship to help you uncover what that looks both as a recipient and as a guide, through a hands-on ministry role within the church. This role involves both the personal development and discovery of your own S.H.A.P.E., as well as the engaging, equipping, and encouraging of church members, by guiding them into deeper stages of maturity and maximizing their skills within the context of the specific ministries God has called them to. As with all Saddleback internships, this role will strive to develop your skills in life-giving spiritual disciplines, ministry-specific leadership paradigms, pastoral care, and developing staff relationships. Get real life ministry experience, future-building networking opportunities, and the space to explore your unique calling through an internship with our team! Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Online Ministry Internship
Saddleback Church leans into digital opportunities to expand God's Kingdom and is figuring out what digital ministry looks for in the church in real-time. We were one of the first churches online and one of the first to hire a full-time online pastor. We believe online church and hybrid digital discipleship are the present and future of the church. Come intern with the Online Community Team to learn how things are evolving and actually do #churchonline that is connected to local expressions of church. Help create custom YouTube worship services, host Zoom discipleship classes, be part of large Zoom online small groups, and launch house church gatherings. We would love for you to be part of our global ministry team by interning with our Online Community Team in-person here in Orange County, CA!
Small Group Network Internship
The Small Group Network is the largest global network of small group ministry leaders. We exist to connection, encourage, and resource small group ministry leaders in relational community. We're looking for an intern to gain hands-on experience in helping us with our communications efforts. This role will provide tremendous value and experience to a student who is looking to learn more about: growing a global brand, managing multiple social channels, marketing strategies, and creative solutions related to brand recognition. Hone your communications, social media, marketing, and writing skills through producing newsletters, creating and implementing a strategy to increase social media engagement, managing the communications calendar, participating in collaborative meetings, and learning about the Small Group Network. Gain experience in this role with our Central Membership Team. Current college students majoring in marketing or communications. Minimum commitment: 15 hours a week for 12 weeks.
Photography Internship
If you are considering photography as a ministry opportunity and looking to take your existing skills to the next level, this internship is for you! Our team focuses on the eye and the discernment needed to capture special moments in the church to express profound life change. You will gain experience in applying photography to digital and social media platforms and may have the opportunity to work closely with a specific ministry, such as Saddleback Kids or Saddleback Student Ministries, and serve at special events including summer camps. Minimum commitment: 15-20 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
Pastoral Care Internship
Pastoral care interns will gain an overall understanding of Saddleback Church's Pastoral Care Ministries with the goal of participating or even creating a new pastoral care project. You'll learn what it takes to provide the members of our church with basic pastoral care needs. Observations will include support groups, hospital visits, funerals, and other pastoral care ministries. Training programs include church counseling training, support group leader training, Minister of the Day crisis training duties, and other programs as needed. You'll also gain a greater understanding of Saddleback Church's mission locally for the community. Current college students or recent graduates. Minimum commitment: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall).
Saddleback Worship Internship
Gain experience in a variety of roles as you practice under the mentorship of a Worship Team staff member while concentrating on observation of, participation in, and leadership of various worship ministries of Saddleback Church. Gain experience with preparing and helping execute plans for weekly choir, vocal team, and worship band rehearsals and develop a working knowledge and understanding of biblical worship principles and worship planning and design in order to effectively apply these principles in various congregational and cultural contexts. Grow in your knowledge of music notation software, visual medial tools, lighting equipment, production, and sound system basics, and learn about long-range planning, facility/equipment scheduling and maintenance, copyright issues, music product resources, event promotion, and people management. This internship is designed to equip interns for future health and leadership at a church that is effectively reaching its community for Christ. Minimum commitment: 25-30 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, fall). Current college students or recent graduates.
Web Design Internship
This internship is designed to give graphic and web design majors real world experience in the areas of interactive design, mobile app design, CSS, and Javascript development. Learn and collaborate on projects with graphic and web design professionals. You'll see your design and/or development efforts utilized by real users of our many traffics web properties. A well-equipped intern will have some experience in either the Sketch, Adobe, or CSS, HTML, and Javascript. Current college students only, please. Minimum requirement: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
Young Adults Community Internship
Are you passionate about young adults and helping them to draw closer to others and Jesus as they navigate life? An internship with our Young Adults Team is designed for those that have a passion for young adults (post-college to mid-30s) and desire to help them navigate life, find community, and grow in their relationship with God. An intern will help organize and plan monthly Connect Nights, research how best to reach the community of young adults around us, help engage young adults in small groups and our church community, mobilize young adults to serve, and contribute in planning and organizing events. Minimum requirement: 15 hours per week for the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
