Elevation Apprenticeship Program

What is Elevation?

Elevation is an apprenticeship program that prepares women and men for life-long, evangelistically-oriented pastoral ministry in the local church. It provides qualified candidates with a pathway to formal education paired with hands-on ministry experience.

The four-year program integrates ministry and education, and offers a context-based learning model where much of the training happens in the church. The formal educational component takes place through Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary and the Canadian Mennonite University (MBBS-CMU).

Under the guidance of an experienced lead pastor, candidates participate in an ongoing Pastoral apprenticeship program managed and supervised by Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba (MBCM). This provides opportunities for the candidates to apply their academic training in context, gaining experience in the following:

  • Administration
  • Teaching and preaching
  • Leadership
  • Outreach
  • Pastoral care

Elevation is tailored to the individual, taking each student’s specific needs, interests, gifts, and circumstances into account.

Candidate Assessment and Discernment:

Elevation includes 4 key occasions when the apprentice participates in a prayerful process of discerning his or her suitability for long-term ministry as an evangelistically-oriented lead pastor.

Typically, individuals enter Elevation through TREK Central Canada, an 8-10 month discipleship and service program of MB Mission and MBCM. Here their  eligibility for Elevation is assessed. Elevation candidates already in paid ministry positions may either join TREK’s two-month training sessions or receive assessment through MBCM, depending on their qualifications and experience.

MBCM reviews each candidate’s performance annually, focusing on confessional integrity, preaching, administration, outreach, and other ministry skills.

Discernment in Elevation (622KB PDF)

Salary, Grants, and Other Financial Responsibilities

Elevation participants receive a half-time salary, funded equally by MBCM, the participating church and the candidate. MBCM will also fund two courses per year (6 credit hours). Remaining education costs are the responsibility of the candidate.

The MA Christian Ministry (MACM) Degree

Elevation candidates complete a conjoint MBBS-CMU Master of Arts degree with a concentration in Christian Ministry (MACM) over four years. The MACM includes up to 12 credit hours of theological field education.

MACM Admission Requirements

A baccalaureate degree from a recognized university or college with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (‘B’).

MACM Residency Requirement

30 credit hours

MACM Curriculum Requirements

A minimum of 60 credit hours in the following areas

  • Bible – 12 credit hours (minimum 3 credits of Old Testament and 3 credits of New Testament)
  • Theology and History of Christianity – 12 credit hours (minimum 3 credits in each area)
  • Practical Theology* – 12 credit hours
  • Ministry Formation – 9 to 12 credit hours
    • BTS-5330 Foundations for Christian Ministry
    • BTS-5340 Ministry Discernment Process (0 credits)
    • One of the following two tracks:*
      • Option for Supervised Ministry Experience – 6 to 9 credit hours including:
        • BTS-5910 Supervised Ministry Experience (6 credits)
        • OR BTS-5920 Supervised Ministry Experience (9 credits)
      • SME requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate course work
      • Option for Field Research – 9 credit hours including:
        • BTS-5900 Research and Methodology
        • BTS-6020 Field Research Project or Thesis (6 credits)
  • Electives* – as required to reach a total of 60 credit hours
  • MBBS’s 3 required Mennonite Brethren-focused courses will be included in the above.

*Elevation apprentices are expected to (1) complete the 9-credit hour Supervised Ministry Experience track, and (2) seek out opportunities for learning evangelism in their courses—whether by doing course assignments that focus on evangelism, or taking evangelism courses (e.g. MBBS-CMU courses, modular courses,  courses taken elsewhere for advanced standing at MBBS-CMU).