Candidates Complete Ministerial Internship Program Commissioning

According to many of the 1,200 plus people who attended the MIP Commissioning Celebration at the North Cleveland Church of God on May 15-16, the Celebration was outstanding!

On Friday evening, Steve Allen and the Westmore Church of God choir led the congregation in inspiring worship.  Dr. Thomas Propes received one of the largest offerings in recent years.  Robert Madu preached a powerful-l message.

Madu used a bowl full of dirt to illustrate his sermon.  He explained that God made us out of dirt.  The emphasis of this point was God could still use people soiled by experiences in life.  Then he pulled a gift out of the bowl of dirt and explained that within our earthen vessel, God has placed a gift that is unique to us.  We are to cooperate with God in using the gift.  He reminded us of 2 Timothy 1:6 where Paul encouraged Timothy to stir up the gift that was within him.  Madu’s message was a strong testimony to the new ministers that God has gifted them even in their weakness to minister the gospel.

The service on Saturday morning began with the recognition of supervising pastors and state MIP coordinators who have served for a number of years.  Jerry Elder, the state MIP coordinator in Delmarva-DC, has completed fifteen years as the coordinator and is retiring from coordinating the Ministerial Internship Program in Delmarva-DC, as well as from the pastorate.   Following the recognition of these leaders, the 2014-2015 MIP candidates, supervising pastors, and their spouses were called by name, greeted by Dr. Mark L. Williams, general overseer, and Dr. J. David Stephens, assistant general overseer, and were presented a book by the Division of Education.  There were 487 MIP candidates and 235 supervising pastors in this year’s term for MIP.

A special feature of the recognition was the participation of the East Central Hispanic Region and LEAD INstitute Florida.  Both of these ministries had participants who completed the Ministerial Internship Program, and they joined in the recognition.

After the recognition, Randy and Debbie Sheeks led the congregation in heartfelt worship, followed by Dr. Mark Williams preaching and commissioning the MIP candidates.

Dr. Williams preached a simple and powerful message from John 21:19 that called the MIP candidates to follow Jesus.  In the message, Dr. Williams acknowledged that challenges and obstacles will arise in ministry, but we are simply to follow Jesus.  He encouraged the candidates to focus on the call of Jesus to follow Him, because that kind of focus will enable them to press on through distractions.

After his message, Dr. Williams had the MIP candidates come to the front of the church.  Then he requested the administrative bishops, church leaders, and supervising pastors to lay hands on the candidates and join him in praying for God to commission the candidates into a new level of ministry.

The service concluded with a time of enthusiastic celebration, especially from the candidates after their completion of the eight months of training in the Ministerial Internship Program.

J. David Stephens, D.D.
Assistant General Overseer
Executive Director of the Division of Education

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