The Master's Apprentice Program

An Article Appearing in the Bulletin

of the East Hill Church September 8, 2002

by Dottie Schulz

    The Master's Apprentice Program (MAP) is a ministry of the East Hill church. The Peace Corps had been in operation only a few years, when Christian students at York College approached the East Hill leadership and asked them to put together some kind of ministry for them so they could serve God in a similar way. The eldership saw this unique opportunity and designed the Master's Apprentice Program, the first of its kind in our brotherhood (1966). MAP has served as a model for many of the present day programs that train young people to serve God in domestic and foreign evangelism.

 Young people who are selected to serve in MAP may choose between summer, one year, and two-year ap­prenticeships. The majority of students choose to be in the summer programs lasting from 4 to 12 weeks in length. Those who want to serve longer can then choose between one year and two-year apprenticeships. Those who choose to serve one year only serve in places where language study is not required, e.g. mission areas of the United States, Canada or Commonwealth nations. Two year missions are for those who serve in countries where English is not the first language. Recent two year apprentices have served in Kenya, the Netherlands, and two of our students, Allison and Kevin Morrill, who have been active in MAP for the last four years left for Albania on August 9th. Sue Foster is our apprentice in Maastricht, The Netherlands. Jessica Gruenke, who was Sue's MAP colleague, returned to the states this summer to teach in Washington state. Sue will return in November.

 Students who choose to be involved in the MAP program receive good training. Students meet twice a week: Wednesday evening after student worship and on Sunday evenings. The Sunday evening training functions as a small group, i.e. there is always food and a devotional before training. MAP trainers have extensive experi­ence in either domestic or foreign missions. Some of the topics of training concern motivation, commitment, cultural awareness (are you aware there are 7 separate cultures in the U.S.?), apologetics (did you know most Europeans do not believe in God?), and missionary methods.

 MAP students go to the mission field to serve. They may teach English through use of a simple English trans­lation of the scriptures, work with children, teach in a high school class, preach, lead one-on-one and group Bible studies, work in a prison situation, work with street children, baby sit, paint, clean houses, take young people camping, distribute literature, sing in an open market area, always remembering that s/he who is great­est in the kingdom of God serves others. It is the purpose of MAP that students learn as many aspects of mis­sion work as possible and live as closely as possible the way the culture lives where students serve.

 A good number of MAP students who have been apprentices become full time workers. Those who have not become full-time missionaries understand missions to a greater degree and become leaders at home.

 Serving in MAP changes people. It changes the MAP student. It changes the people served. Thank you East Hill church for your leadership in the Master's Apprentice Program.