Come and do my job
29 August 2007
The MTS Challenge Conference is about challenging people to commit to full time paid Christian work. This begins with an apprenticeship (which is what I'm doing). This gives you a feel for what ministry would be like. Next you head off to Bible College in the wide blue yonder for a couple of years to "fill up your theological fuel tanks for the next 50 years". You then return and continue the work to train others (and recruit for new MTS apprenticeships).
They have been doing some work at Camp Clayton should look nice when it's finished.
Probably about 80 ish people there...As part of the conference all delegates were interviewed with regard to future ministry aspirations and when they think they could take on an MTS apprenticeship. This was the most enjoyable part of the weekend for me personally. The most frustrating part was being away from Christine for the whole time.
I had my serious face on for the interviewingThe talks from Ben Pfarlet and Steve Cree were great. Both of them had a great sense of humour and spoke well. Get challenged and listen to the talks here.
tags christian, ministry, pictures
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Sorry - can I make the following clarification? If you do an MTS apprenticeship, it doesn't automatically lock you into Theological College. And it shouldn't. The apprenticeship is not only training, but also a taste of what full-time paid ministry is like. As Ben Pfarlet said today at a Regional MTS thing in Sydney today, you go to college only if you are suitable to continue onto college and to fill you up theologically for the next 50 years.
Why is the assumption made that everybody that went to MTS conference should do an apprenticeship?
Mike, in case you haven't noticed, despite the fact that you're a nobody, everybody really respects you and looks to you and Damon for leadership. That's a big responsibility.
I think that with your interviews: "As part of the conference all delegates were interviewed with regard to future ministry aspirations and when they think they could take on an MTS apprenticeship."
The answer may be never.
I'm worried that it risks becoming manipulative... please correct me, cos I know that all you guys just want to serve God to the best of your (with God's help) abilities.
The MTS Challenge Conference is exactly that a "Challenge".
There is nothing sneaky, manipulative or wrong about challenging people.
Qualification granted Stan the man.
I'm very "pro" theological college, but i dislike the slogan 'fill you up for the next fifty years'. This seems to have a very optimistic view of human memory. Perhaps 'set you up' would be better.
Yeah I totally agree, it's like - your Arts degree doesn't teach you everything you need to know, but it gives you the skills that you'll use to continue to develop in those areas.
College is the same, it helps you to think theologically. People use the analogy of filling up your tank for the next 50 years... but that's kind of a weird and unrealistic expectation of college and of yourself. To use a related similie, it's more like learning to drive.
It's not stocking up on knowledge to last you a lifetime, but rather, practising the skills to be able to be a life long learner.
Sorry for the rant. College is very hard, and so I think it's good to think through your expectations before you go (both of it and of yourself).
The big thing we keep getting told at the moment is that you don't come to college "to know the Bible better so you can teach it to others". You come to college because you want to know God better.
Anyway - what would I know! I'm only a first year. Talk to the other guys, Dan's particularly good at sharing gems about college.
Mikey and Bron,
Yep - I probably should've thought a little bit more before using the "fill you up theologically for the next 50 years" thing. I probably should've added "and continue learning theology after college as well."
BSJ-rom, I wonder whether we understand what the Challenge conference is for. It may not be for every Christian. But for those who attend, I guess that's why the challenge conference is there - for people to seriously consider doing an apprenticeship. Of course, that doesn't automatically lock them into the sausage factory of College and paid ministry if they do an apprenticeship. It just means that they will (hopefully) be better equipped to serve their local church, wherever that may be.