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Texas Baptist Scholarship Application for Ministerial Financial Assistance (MFA) Students

To qualify a student must be someone who has accepted Christ as Lord and personal Savior, and is a member of a Baptist Church. The student must show Church-affirmed evidence of a sense of call to the ministry. Students participating in this program also receive special guidance and participate in programs to help them pursue their calling.

Dear Student and Church Leader:

In recognition of the special call of God sensed by those who minister, churches affiliated with Texas Baptists provide financial assistance to Baptist students who are preparing for church-related vocational ministries at Texas Baptist institutions (universities and seminaries).

Four participants are involved in the Ministerial Financial Assistance (MFA) program – (1) the student who, responding to God’s call to a vocation in church-related ministry, is set aside by (2) a local Baptist church that pools resources with other cooperating Baptist churches and entrusts these resources to (3) Texas Baptists and its partner institutions.

Each applicant for the MFA program must show evidence of a divine call to church-related vocational ministry, must demonstrate a life-style of commitment to the principles of Christian life, and must be an active member of a Baptist church.

The student is required to provide certification from his or her church in one of the following forms: a certificate of ordination to the gospel ministry, or a certificate of license to the gospel ministry, or a statement of certification recognizing a call to church-related vocational ministry (such as pastor, church staff, missionary, or chaplain).

The student is also required to provide a letter of recommendation from his or her pastor (or other church approved leader if student is the pastor).

In certifying a student, the church joins the Texas Baptists and related institutions in being faithful stewards of mission funds entrusted to them by Texas Baptist churches to provide tuition assistance for students.

Thank you for joining in this sacred trust.

The Theological Education Council

First Name

Middle Name

Last Name

Email Address

Major

Minor

Hours completed

Classification

Incoming Freshman

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

Incoming Transfer

Incoming Post-Baccalaureate

Graduate

Is this your first time submitting a BGCT Application?

Yes

Birthdate

Mailing Address

Country

Street

City

Region

Postal Code

As you are currently understand your call to ministry, which of the following areas best characterize(s) that calling? (Check no more than 3 areas.)

Pastoral Ministry

Missions/Church Planting

Education

Youth

Counseling

College/Singles

Media/Arts Ministry

Recreation/Camp/Retreat

Bi-vocational

Music/ Worship

Children/Preschool

Other

Undecided

Other

Are you currently serving on a church staff? If so, where, and in what capacity?

If you are an undergraduate are you considering attending Seminary/Graduate School after your undergraduate studies? If so, where?

Requirements

Testimony of Personal Call to Ministry
Below, please offer a summary description of your call to vocational ministry as you understand it at this point in time. Include why you desire to participate in the MFA Scholarship program.

Pastor/Minister Letter of Recommendation
Please include with your application a letter of reference from a pastor or other minister who will affirm your call to ministry. This letter should be on church letterhead and may be submitted with the completed application.

Attestation

Please note that your signature below constitutes your agreement to complete the following in order to continue receiving the MFA Scholarship:

All undergraduate students

Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0

Meet with the endorsing pastor annually before every endorsement

Maintain active church and ministry involvement including: active membership in a Baptist church and in HCU Student Ministries activities

Develop/maintain personal spiritual growth

On campus undergraduate students

Attend at least one School of Christian Thought lecture every semester

Online undergraduate students
In addition to the requirements for all students, online students must either participate in the on-campus activities set out above or complete the following:

Watch an approved lecture and submit a written report to the director of the Center for Exploring Ministry Careers (CEMC) each semester

Graduate students

Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0

Maintain active church and ministry involvement including: active membership in a Baptist church, HCU Student Ministries activities, and develop and/or maintain personal spiritual growth

In addition to the requirements for all students, MABL students must complete the following

CHRI 5311 Hermeneutics

CHRI 5330 History of Christianity (Hermeneutics and History of Christianity can be taken as elective credits toward the fulfillment of the required hours for the MABL degree.)

In addition to the requirements for all students, MACL students must complete the following

CHRI 5340 Systematic Theology

Contact the director of the CEMC for further details.

Student Signature

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Student Information Section

Name of Church

Church Address

Email of Pastor

During the preceding academic year I have been an active member of a Baptist church and have been involved with, supportive of, and committed to the ministries of this church in the following ways:

Paid leadership responsibilities:

Volunteer leadership or service:

Other involvement or means of support:

Sign the following affirmation, and send Part II of this application to your pastor or churched approved leader to complete and submit:

I hereby affirm my covenant with the churches, my sense of calling to a church-related vocation and my desire to receive the Ministerial Financial Assistance provided by the churches of Texas Baptists; and I promise to remain in compliance with the requirements of Texas Baptists and this partner institution.

Student Signature

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Student Covenant

Whereas Texas Baptist churches have committed their cooperative missions funds to providing financial assistance to men and women who are preparing for ministry vocations in the church and,

Whereas Texas Baptist institutions have committed to providing theological education that prepares students for vocations in church-related ministries and,

Whereas I have sensed the call of God in my life to prepare for a vocation in a church-related ministry (such as pastor, church staff, missionary, chaplain);

I hereby enter into a covenant relationship with the churches of Texas Baptists to honor the sacred trust they have placed in me through their financial support and,

Should I come to a point in my understanding of God’s will for my life that I no longer sense a call to a church-related vocation, I will immediately inform the institution's officials and I will no longer accept this financial assistance provided by Texas Baptists.

Student Signature

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