Ministerial Internship Program 2018 Commissioning Celebration
The 2018 Ministerial Internship Program (MIP) Commissioning Celebration was an outstanding success with tremendous preaching from Dr. Tim Hill, general overseer, and Dr. David Ramírez, assistant general overseer. Dr. Ramírez preached a challenging message to go into the world to reach the harvest on Friday night, and Dr. Hill preached a powerful message on being empowered for ministry by the Holy Spirit on Saturday morning. After the message, Dr. Hill led the administrative bishops, international office leaders, state leaders, and supervising pastors in praying a commission prayer for the MIP candidates and their spouses.
Registration for the Celebration was outstanding, and the North Cleveland Church of God sanctuary was filled to capacity for both services. The Friday and Saturday services were livestreamed by the North Cleveland Church of God. The combined number of viewers for the two services was 5,389.
Several other activities were held during the Celebration. The twenty-five administrative bishops who attended the Celebration were hosted at an appreciation luncheon at the Pentecostal Theological Seminary. Dr. Mike Baker, chancellor of education, and the Division of Education are especially appreciative of the administrative bishops demonstrating their support for the Ministerial Internship Program.
Assistant General Overseer and liaison to the Division of Education Dr. David Ramirez prays over an MIP candidate during the Commissioning Celebration (click photo to enlarge).
The state ministerial training leaders met for teaching in the MIP Leadership Seminar. Gary Lewis, administrative bishop for South Georgia, and John Harris, the state MIP coordinator for South Georgia, shared emphases that they give in the Ministerial Internship Program, which inspired ideas among the state leaders. For example, Table Fellowship was one of the ideas. In Table Fellowship, the MIP candidates and state leaders would discuss practices in ministry and doctrine rather than simply having a lecture. The discussion was insightful and meaningful.
Joe Dobbins, pastor at Twin Rivers Worship Center, gave five principles about building a healthy church. Practicing generosity and prayer were two of the five. He explained how his church has been blessed since the church has started being generous with others. As the church has given to meet needs of others, the members have seen God open doors for ministry that had not been considered. He gave several testimonies of God providentially working in conjunction with the prayers of the congregation, and from these testimonies, he taught that God works in union with our prayers.
On Friday afternoon, Dr. Hill met with the Jeremiah Generation, talking with them about their role in ministry in the Church of God, as well as opportunities that the denomination offers them. The Jeremiah Generation Connection was a golden opportunity for leadership and graduating MIP candidates to become acquainted and to talk about prospects of ministry.
The Division of Education constantly heard from the participants that the Celebration was thrilling and inspiring. All of the activities indicated that it was a milestone in the lives of the participants and inspired many to go boldly into ministry.
(Source: Church of God Division of Education)
