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M.A.P.? What M.A.P.? What Is That?
By Bill Watson
It’s been said any society, organization or team is destined for mediocrity and/or decline at best; and at worst ultimate doom without investing time, money, and effort in their leadership and youth. I am happy to say this magazine and the Infuse program, in combination with “M.A.P.” are contributing to secure the long-term future of The Church of God, International. Now you may be wondering just what is this M.A.P. “thing” all about. And furthermore, why is it considered along side of our flagship Infuse? That’s a good question! I’d like to explain some of that to you in this article. For starters, M.A.P. is an acronym for the Church of God, International’s Ministerial Apprentice Program. And that is exactly what it is: a Ministerial Apprentice Program. Like in most “skilled” professions, be it the construction trades, teaching, health care, engineering, science, aerospace, electronics, or a highly specialized vocation, apprenticeship is usually an important part of the educational process. It is especially valuable to those involved in vocations working with people because of the influence and affect you potentially have on a person’s life. As you can imagine, working in the Ministry is no small task. It is a highly skilled and demanding profession requiring the “apical” of professionalism. A church organization has a social duty to provide its supporters with the best men, most suited for service in the Ministry of Jesus Christ. Apprenticeship is an ideal method of assessing and preparing those selected. And besides, it is the exact way Jesus Christ worked with the 12 men He called to be His initial disciples. And in addition, was the pattern Paul and the other Apostles followed in establishing new congregations when the Church began. So the Ministerial Council established a training program designed to develop our ministerial leadership after this model and decided to call it M.A.P. Since the ministry is considered a primary “leadership ingredient” in our Church organization, they determined to start with this. The curriculum is arranged with the goal in mind of developing men, who veteran ministers recognize, and then personally take on the task to sponsor, as potential candidates, for the ministry. In Titus 1:5 Paul tells this young minister, “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” Paul tells us two things in this portion of scripture. First, he fully intends Titus to look out among those he was serving, and if he recognized any as being qualified, he should ordain them. Then secondly, as pointed out by Paul, ordain them as he did to him (Titus). So following the Biblical example of these “patterns” of the early Apostles and Christ Himself, the Church of God, International acknowledged this to be the best way to assure that our “ministerial leadership” would be able to live beyond the lifetimes of the present ministry. And this is why the Ministerial Apprentice Program is also an important “pillar” in this dual approach of solidifying and growing our Church and its mission of “announcing,” “and teaching them [the unconverted] to obey everything I have commanded you” about the Gospel of Jesus, The Christ (Matthew 28:20). This is an important work; that of helping the “people of the world” to better understand God and the truth of what He really expects from us as worshippers and doers of “His way.” As young people, your future is filled with a variety and an abundance of opportunities, and time will tell as to whether or not these opportunities will in fact include a calling for some of you young men into the ministry of Jesus Christ. But if it does, this “M.A.P.” will help you to arrive on location, on time and fully dressed for the occasion with the Armor of God in place (Ephesians 6:13-18). i | |