About MC Ireland-Europe

Masters Commission first began at Phoenix First Assembly of God (Arizona, USA) in 1984. It was a ministry birthed in the heart of Larry Kerychuck, under the guidance of Pastor Tommy Barnett, which emphasised discipleship training, scripture memorization and soul winning. Spawned by a deep desire to see Christian youth devote a period of their life to full-time service, the dream of Masters Commission came to fruition.

Carmen Balsamo, a fiery convert, entered the ministry eventually becoming the first director of Masters Commission. However, after Carmens untimely death, Lloyd Zeigler received the call to disciple, and hence to direct Masters. He began to develop and inspire M.C. disciples to new heights. Lloyd combined his vision and dedication with that of his predecessors and the ministry began to explode.

Masters Commission has speedily become not only national, but international. Due to rapid growth, the Masters Commission International Network (MCIN) was formed in 1995, in an effort to ensure the integrity of affiliate programmes and their leadership. There are today, over 115 affiliate members of MCIN worldwide. Each Masters Commission retains its individuality, however, through its church base and specific focus. As an international Masters Commission also, we seek to be sensitive and aware of our own European culture, without compromise.

The Birth of MCIE

We, here at Grace Fellowship, Dundalk, Ireland, were first introduced to Master’s Commission in 1997, when pastoral friends of ours from Corpus Christi, Texas, shared with our Pastors, Hassan and Lucy Boyle, the vision and heart behind this great discipleship programme. Our pastors then visited Pastor’s School in Phoenix, AZ, in 1998, to see Master’s Commission first hand, and were greatly moved by what they experienced. They became desirous to see Master’s Commission introduced to our nation.

What ensued in the next few years was to affect the heart and soul of our own church in an amazing way. During the summer that followed, members of our youth and its leadership left Ireland, bound for Corpus Christi to participate in a two month Junior Master’s Commission programme for teenagers- a smaller, condensed version of MC, consequently staffed and assisted by many MC graduates from Phoenix, AZ. The participation in this programme, year after year, left our youth fired up and passionate in their own walk with God and desirous to win the lost. We subsequently, with the help of these same youth, began our own J.M.C. programme in the summer of 2002, here in Ireland, which was an overwhelming success!

However, it was our visit to Pastor’s School and Phoenix First Assembly, in the year 2000, that impacted us immensely. We had taken almost 40 staff and key members of our church to Pastor’s School and it was here that we were fully introduced to Master’s Commission in detail, to the visionary himself, Pastor Lloyd Zeigler, and the Pastoral leadership which had driven and supported the vision, Pastor Tommy Barnett. Upon understanding the dream and internal workings of Master’s, it was very clear to our Pastor, that Master’s Commission for Ireland was NOT just a good idea, but a DIVINE APPOINTMENT from God, for us as a church. From this time we began to make detailed plans to begin an M.C. in our church. We attended Expose the next year, in Phoenix, in preparation, and began gathering the necessary information from over 40 M.C.’s across America, formulating a programme that maintained the core of it predecessors, whilst now relevant to Europe. Master’s Commission Ireland-Europe was so born in 2003.

MCIE for us, is a tool that enables young men and women, in their own generation, to truly find God, find themselves and subsequently, find their destiny, empowering them to make a significant mark upon their generation and win their world for Christ!

The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits‚ (Daniel 11:31). Knowledge proceeds power- simply put. The vision of Master’s Commission Ireland-Europe is to create an environment whereby students can truly come to a knowledge of God for themselves- not just in word, but in personal experience. By cultivating an in depth relationship with the Master, through Biblical study and memorisation, prayer and worship, each disciple will develop a sensitivity to the heart of God. The outworking of these encounters will be a desire to pursue His purpose, with excellence. Master’s Commission is designed to be the place where altars of sacrifice are built daily, whereby students learn the discipline of surrender, for the sake of walking and working, not simply for God, but WITH HIM.

It is our desire to raise up a generation of world changers, recklessly abandoned to the cause of Christ‚ (MCIN Missions statement), not those who simply maintain a passive form of religiosity. It is our goal that each disciple, in the spirit of true humility, come to an understanding of exactly who they are in Christ, that they may run, unhindered and aggressively, toward the harvest. In a world full of questions, they will pioneer the answers. We seek to develop young men and women who are passionate in their prayer, potent in their praise, persuaded of their purpose, laden with His presence, and powerfully damaging to the kingdom of darkness.

We, here at MCIE, also have a passion for the Local and Universal Church of Jesus Christ, His Body. We are fully submitted to and connected with the vision of Grace Fellowship Family Church and its Pastor, in line with biblical precedent. It is our desire to serve diligently the vision, dream and goal of our Local Church and of our Pastor, and are committed to this cause. We will be ready in season and out of season to stand, at a moment’s notice, and accomplish Kingdom business, that we might further His great name in the earth!

Overview

Masters Commission is a discipleship training programme with a two fold purpose and mission: ” To know Him and to make Him known.” Our desire is that every student have the opportunity to develop an intimate relationship with God that will last a lifetime. Our primary concern is with their spiritual walk and well-being, however, we are aware that a true revelation of who God is will spawn a natural desire to tell others about Him. We are exhorted in Matthew 28:19 to… “Go into all the world and make disciples…..” , therefore we train disciples to make other disciples.

First Year Students:
The first year programme is dedicated to the maturing of the students. We are committed, from the onset, to pouring as much Word and balanced ministry into them as possible. This will be achieved through various means including: Bible school training, scripture memorisation, required reading and study, retreats, special guest ministries, and input from our own Pastor and staff, etc. We desire to equip each disciple, as Eph.4 tells us to do the work of the ministry and to encourage them on every level as they pursue the dream and vision God has ordained for their lives. The purpose of a man’s heart are deep waters but a man of understanding draws them out (Proverbs 20:5). They will also have ample opportunity to give out evangelistically, that which they have received ministerially.

Second Year Students:
Those students who successfully complete the first year programme, will be given the opportunity to return for a 2nd year. Much of this year will be spent developing their potential as leaders, and their studies will centre around leadership training and equipping. They will devote much of their time to the first years, as well as the furtherance of their discipleship training and quest for more of God. They will be given the opportunity to practice responsibility and accountability in practical and ministerial arenas, in an encouraging, supportive environment.

Third Year Students:
After completing the second year leadership training, students who continue with us into a third year, will have opportunity to further their leadership skills in more specific arenas where they themselves feel called. It is important that each student‚ find their place‚ in the body of Christ and have opportunity to be trained, specifically, in these areas. We will encourage these students to meet the needs of the generation about them, even if this means pioneering a whole new ministry. we say‚ Dream on! It is our desire that each of our third years commit to spending a portion of this year on the mission field, should they so desire, being a blessing and support to other pastors and ministries less fortunate than ourselves, serving in whatever capacity is necessary, and sharing the skills they have acquired while here at Masters Commission . Internship is also a part of our third year course, learning the ins and outs of practical Christian ministry.