MLD Internship

Ministry Leadership Development Internship

Serve in Hawaii

The Hawaii Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is offering a one-year mentorship program for young men and women passionate about ministry. We provide hands-on experience in not only pastoral ministry, but also facilities management, and finance.

Participants will gain practical skills in their area of service, including preaching, Bible studies, public evangelism, outreach, community building, and more, depending on their chosen focus. You’ll also receive intentional training and guidance from local pastors, the conference youth director, and ministry professionals, helping you grow both spiritually and professionally.

Explore your calling and make a meaningful impact while developing skills for a lifetime of ministry.

Ready to learn more? Contact us today to take the next step in your ministry journey!

The Ministry Leadership Development program was designed to give practical training to young adults while strengthening local ministries in our conference. It has provided opportunities to college students from around the NAD since 2014. We currently offer internship positions in the area of pastoral ministry, finance, and property maintenance.

Step Into Ministry Leadership

If you meet the qualifications and are excited about this opportunity, we encourage you to reach out! Be sure to review the available service positions through the button below. We're looking forward to partnering with you in ministry!

    • Have a daily growing relationship with Jesus Christ

    • Be able to communicate Christ as a personal Savior and loving friend

    • Have a positive attitude with an ability to fulfill responsibilities

    • Work as a team player

    • Be youth focused, and have a desire to see them accept Jesus as their Savior 

    • Be in good health and vitality 

    • Be able to take and implement directions and advice

    • Be FLEXIBLE! 

    • At least 21 years old

    • Active in Local Church or Youth Ministry

    • Available for the entire program

    • Have a valid drivers license

    • Be seeking a degree in an area related to chosen focus of ministry

Service Positions
Recommendation Form

Hear From Our Past Interns

  • Patrick King | Pastoral Intern '23-'24

    My experience in Hawai`i taught me that I am more than the sum of my successes and failures. I truly am an unconditional son of God. In the highs and the lows of life I get to be a part of his plan spreading the Gospel. To me, there is no truth sweeter than that.

    Patrick King is currently pursuing his Bachelors in Social Work at Southern Adventist University.

  • Jaime Vargas | Pastoral Intern

    My experience as a Volunteer Youth Pastor Intern helped me discover 2 things: clarity in my calling and joy in ministry. Being given the opportunity to serve young people in an environment where I’m being mentored; to be given both grace to make mistakes and accountability to improve; to get a taste of pastoral ministry in a variety of contexts - all of this was an essential stepping stone in my journey to discover the joy of pastoring. It gave additional confirmation to my call to ministry. And it challenged me to grow in ways that have refined my current-day work as a pastor. It is for all these reasons and more that I am grateful that the Hawaii Conference was willing to give me a chance as a theology student. It’s arguable that I wouldn’t be where I am today as a pastor if not for that opportunity.

2024-2025 MLD INTERNS

Isaiah Lawrence

  • Isaiah Lawrence is the intern at Aiea SDA church on the Southern Coast of Oahu. He has come from the state of Florida and studies theology at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. Isaiah has come to serve the Aiea church through youth ministry

Jean Luc Mercado

  • Jean-Luc Mercado is a Theology major from Southwestern Adventist University. He is coming from the musical city of Nashville, TN. Jean-Luc has a passion to teaching youth and doing all forms of ministry.

Shelby Spears

  • Shelby Spears is serving at the Wahiawa Seventh-day Adventist Church. Visiting from Arizona, Shelby Spears received her B.S in conservation Biology. Recently, she felt a strong call to explore ministry and is excited to dive into this new chapter. With an open heart and a willingness to embrace God's calling, Shelby is eager to learn and grow in this new journey.

Jonathan Felix

  • Welcoming him from the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado is Johnathan Felix. Jonathan attended SOULS West and is now ready to serve as an intern for the Kailua Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Sam Ottinger

  • Sam Ottinger is interning under the Hawaii Conference’s head of Facility Management. He has taken the year away from pursuing his Construction Management degree at Southern Adventist University to gain experience and build his skills.