Kentucky Focuses on the Jeremiah Project
The Church of God in the state of Kentucky recently announced a cohort of young people in their teens and early 20s who have completed the Calling and Ministry Studies (CAMS) and obtained Exhorter credentials after successfully passing the required exam.
Among the group who completed the ministerial process in May was Taylor Gillespie, who is the youngest credentialed minister in Kentucky at the age of 17. These young people fit in with the Jeremiah Project, an initiative launched by General Overseer Tim Hill.
“This upsurge of Jeremiah Project students obtaining their credentials to fulfill the call of God on their lives is the result of the deliberate strategy of the Kentucky leadership,” stated Dr. Don Bennett of the Division of Education for the Church of God. “The leadership intentionally talks with youth in the state about the call of God on their lives through many different ways, such as youth camps, church conferences, and social media.”
According to Bennett, more than teenagers and twenty- year-olds are being called to clergy ministry. The spring CAMS class had 27 graduates, who also passed their Exhorter exam, and will enroll in the MIP this fall. The fall class for CAMS will be another record breaker for Kentucky with more than 30 applicants for the fall.
Bryan Montgomery, the state CAMS coordinator, and Mark Knight, the state MIP coordinator, are effectively carrying out the vision of Bruce Rabon, the administrative bishop. Rabon began with asking, “Why not talk with youth about God’s call on their lives.” God might use their conversation to help the youth and older people to listen to God’s promptings. Kentucky’s vision and strategy are seeing growth in these training programs that are directed by the Division of Education and are seeing more of the graduates becoming involved in life-changing ministry.
The Division of Education coordinates Calling and Ministry Studies and the Ministerial Internship Program Kentucky has worked closely with the leadership in the DOE in developing and implementing the strategy.
