Apprenticeships

Being an MTS apprentice involves a two year program based within a church or a specialist ministry team. It is essentially on-the-job training for ministry, taken on prior to theological study, and centred on prayer, Bible study and practical ministry. The essence of MTS is not formal instruction but learning through active participation in evangelism and Bible teaching. The two years provides enough time to establish ministries and learn from success and failure. There is no one right way of serving in a ministry apprenticeship. Though it will involve learning from God’s Word and teaching it to others, how this will be done will vary from place to place. For more specific practicalities included in the apprenticeship read pages 34-39 in Passing the Baton.

The focus of the training is the ministry of the Word and prayer. Trainees spend their time evangelising, teaching and training others in a variety of contexts.

MTS works with a team of experienced evangelists and pastors who serve as Trainers and role models for Apprentices. MTS is training the Trainers through the Art of Ministry Training and MTS Training Events.

The apprenticeship can be undertaken full-time with a training scholarship or part time and self-funded. To find out more about apprenticeship opportunities visit the Opportunities page.

Each apprentice has a program tailor-made for them and their training context, but the three broad areas addressed in all apprenticeships are training in the three ‘C’s:

1. Christian conviction
2. Christian character
3. Competence in the work of Christian ministry

Many apprentices are provided with a scholarship to facilitate full time training over the two years. These scholarships are funded through their local Training Team.

The Gospel Patrons Society provide Scholarships to assist with developing new apprenticeship positions. Application packs can be downloaded from here.

An MTS apprenticeship is not an alternative to formal theological education but rather prepares and complements college. MTS becomes a filter through which theological study is viewed, placing study in the proper context of evangelism and church building. After two years of ministry, lots of exegetical and theological issues have been raised and the majority of Trainees are eager for rigorous study. Those who do not pursue further theologically study have not by any means ‘failed’, in fact, that’s in large part why the apprenticeships exist: helping you to know whether or not you are suitable for further ministry is the purpose of the apprenticeship. See our Apprenticeship FAQ for more on this.