Future Ministers of the World is helping students at East Tennessee State University who are contemplating the decision to go into full-time ministry.
Future Ministers of the World is a program at the Wesley Foundation that began three years ago for students who feel like God is calling them to full-time Christian service, said the Rev. Jerry Everley, campus minister at Wesley.
“I remembered my own experience as a college student,” he said. “I remember how lonely and frightening that feeling was and thought that maybe God is calling me to be a minister.”
Students meet and share their experiences with each other and learn about the ministry through guests who come to speak to them.
They have had representatives from different seminaries come as well as a retired bishop, the chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry and seminary students.
Everley said more seminary representatives will be invited to come and share with the students.
Students in the past have benefited from the program at Wesley. “Several have begun the candidacy program moving toward ordination,” Everley said.
Some have also discovered through the program that ministry was not what they were being led to do.
About 15 students are exploring the call to ministry right now at Wesley, Everley said.
Abraham McIntyre, who is involved in the program, said, “Future Ministers of the World has helped me realize that others my age are struggling with the decision making process.”
Mike Mould, another participant said, “It’s great to have a mentor that you can sit down with and talk to.”
Elizabeth Scott, who is also involved, said, “It’s a group of people experiencing the same kind of struggles. It helps you know you’re not alone – it’s been a really good thing for me.”
Everley said a fund has been started for seminary students who have graduated from ETSU and have gone through the program at Wesley. This fund will pay for the student’s books while they are at seminary.
All denominations are welcome at Future Ministers of the World.
For more information, call Everley at 929-2121.

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