Ministerial Internship Program Graduates Commissioned
Dr. J. David Stephens, assistant general overseer for the Church of God, and the Division of Education staff are elated that the more than 1,100 people who attended the Ministerial Internship Program (MIP) Commissioning Celebration were thoroughly blessed last weekend by the music ministry of Jordan Smith, the clear preaching about one’s call by Dr. Lamar Vest, and the Commissioning sermon to go and tell your story by presiding bishop for the Church of God, Dr. Mark L. Williams.
The Friday evening service was filled with jubilation, as Dr. Brad Moffett and the Lee University Chapel Band led the worship and the MIP candidates celebrated the completion of this phase of their ministry. The preaching of Dr. Vest, president of the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, took the service to another level as he challenged the candidates to take their call seriously.
The main floor of the sanctuary in the Saturday morning service was filled to capacity with the MIP candidates, their family and friends, supervising pastors, administrative bishops, state ministerial training leaders, and International Offices leaders. In the service, supervising pastors who had served five or ten years were presented expressions of appreciation for their ministry. Hiram Claudio, the state MIP coordinator for New York, was honored for his 20 years of service to the program. Then the MIP candidates and the supervising pastors were recognized and greeted by the Presiding Bishop Williams and his three assistants.
The recognition was followed by Dr. Moffett and the Lee Chapel Band leading in worship, followed by Jordan Smith singing, and Dr. Williams preaching a Commissioning message—Go and Tell Your Story. After his message, Dr. Williams called the MIP candidates to the front and asked the administrative bishops, supervising pastors, state leaders, and International Office leaders to lay hands on the candidates, as well as pray for the anointing of the Lord to rest upon them.
“Several commented that this was one of the best MIP Commissioning Celebrations ever,” Stephens stated. “Joy and anointing were two chief characteristics of the Celebration. The candidates, and others as well, left with conviction to tell their experience of the gospel.”
