FAQs About STEP

General Questions

  1. What is STEP?

    STEP is a one year national internship with Campus for Christ. It can be on the campus or within other departments of the ministry such as IT, HR, marketing, finance, etc. It differs from STINT in that STINT is international, where STEP is within Canada.

    STEP can be seen as an opportunity to spend one year of your life in full-time ministry in preparation for other future jobs, as well as another way in determining whether God is calling you to full-time ministry for a longer term.

  2. How long is a STEP?

    STEP typically runs from August to mid-April on campus and then is usually followed up with a 6 week C4C summer project, finishing at the end of June. An option for a second year of STEP is a possibility.

  3. What is the difference between STEP and full-time staff?

    An internship is a one-year opportunity to experience ministry on a campus or in an office setting. Interns function as a full-time staff member on their teams and in terms of their daily activities. Interns are only required to raise about two thirds as much money as new staff members do because of differing salary structures, health benefits and ministry expenses.

  4. Who will my team be?

    You will be placed on a team comprised of full-time staff members and potentially some other STEPers as well. A team of like-minded, passionate and gifted individuals, you will gain a lot from working together with them.

  5. Where will I be placed?

    Where would you like to go? We can’t always place people in their first choice, but we try. Other factors involved in the decision about placement is where we need staff and who is available to train you. We often place people on a campus in the region of the country where they’re from.

  6. How do I apply?

    Instructions on how to apply for STEP can be found here

  7. How long does the application process take?

    Once you have sent in your full application, including all references, it usually takes only a week or two for you to hear back from Human Resources. The key part of this process is making sure all of your references are sent in. Your application begins to be processed only when all parts are received by Human Resources.

  8. How can I use my major on STEP?

    Art majors welcome! Engineering majors welcome! Education majors welcome! All majors are welcome! Whatever your major is, you can use the skills you’ve learned on STEP. Think about it: Not only are you being trained in the specifics of your major, you’re learning great general skills too. Art majors, your creativity can help a staff team be more open to new ideas. Engineers, your systematic thinking skill can help a campus be more effective in planning outreaches. Educators, your communication skills and teaching skills can make you more effective at sharing your faith.

    Plus, you’ve learned skills simply by being a college student that are essential on STEP. You’ve learned how to connect deeply with friends, how to make decisions, how to finish a task, and how to be a critical thinker. Imagine how God could use you in expanding his Kingdom!

    It’s important to point out that there are also opportunities to use your major in a full-time capacity on STEP. We have (huge) needs in our regional and national offices. We need people trained in computer technology, accounting, administration, graphic design, and a bunch of other things. So keep those options on your radar as you think about using your major on STEP.

Once I’m there:

  1. What will I do on STEP?

    You will be on a team that is responsible for beginning or continuing to build a movement of evangelism and discipleship on your campus. Your main activities will involve sharing your faith, doing basic follow up, leading a small group, planning retreats, weekly meetings, and outreach events, and training students to be leading the ministry. You will spend time praying for these goals as a team and working together to make it happen.

  2. What does a typical day look like?

    You and your team will work at building a weekly schedule that focuses on fulfilling your goals in ministry. An average day will involve meeting new friends and sharing your faith, or meeting with old friends and sharing your faith. Evangelism is the mainstay of your year on STINT and most activities revolve around it. You’ll also be involved in following up new believers, discipleship, leading a small group, and some small or campus-wide outreach events. During the course of the week you will also have team meetings, team prayer, and well as one-on-one discipleship from your trainer/director. A typical day might look like this:

    • 8Breakfast and QT
    • 9Meet team leader/trainer for one-on-one discipleship and training
    • 10 Meet Joe for continued conversations about the Gospel
    • 11 Take a guy in my Discipleship Group out sharing his faith for the first time
    • 12 Lead Discipleship Group
    • 2 Meet with Steve for personal discipleship
    • 3 Work on getting location booked for campus wide outreach event
    • 4 Put up posters for DG’s planned outreach in our Movement Development Area with guys in my DG

    OR it may look like this

    • 8 Breakfast and QT
    • 11 Lead Discipleship Group
    • 1 Lunch with a girl from my DG to share the Satisfied booklet with her
    • 2 Prayer meeting with the students
    • 3 Appointment following up a spiritual-interest survey from frosh week
    • 4 Meet Beth for personal discipleship time
    • 5 Set up weekly meeting
    • 6 Weekly Meeting

    Many say there is no typical day as it depends on your team structure, how developed the movement is, what time of year it is and what is going on at the time, etc.

  3. Will I be trained in ministry?

    Yes, you will be able to complete much of the training that a first year staff member undergoes which centers largely on how to more effectively share your faith and disciple others. Working together with a staff team of men and women, many with more experience than you will allow you the opportunity to grow and develop.

  4. Is the ministry there similar to the ministry at my home campus?

    Movements vary based on the culture of a particular campus, the style of the staff team, and it’s stage of development. For example, a brand new ministry at the University of Toronto, right in the heart of downtown, will look differently than a long standing, developed movement in Winnipeg. However, rest assured that the core distinctives of who we are and what we do remains the same, no matter where you are.

  5. Where will I live?

    You will be able to arrange your own housing, preferably close to the campus you’re working on. There are often other staff members looking for roommates if you’d like to room together.