Step Into Your Calling Without Financial Stress
At MC, we are all about the joyful pursuit of Christ in every field of study, and we want our students who are pursuing a call to full-time vocational ministry to be able to focus on that joyful pursuit.
MC is offering a new scholarship competition in honor of Dr. Frank Gunn, who has served this university as a great model of what it looks like to joyfully pursue Christ. The scholarships for this competition are the result of generous donations from many members of our MC alumni and friends who continue to support the mission and vision of this university. The winners of this competition will be chosen according to their responses to the criteria below and can be awarded on multiple tiers of scholarships up to $10,000, making this an opportunity you do not want to miss! Due to the requirements of the endowments which fund this competition, award preference will be given to students who are members of Baptist churches.
Don’t wait! Sign up for the competition and then complete the competition requirements listed below.
Scholarship Requirements
In order to compete in the Dr. Frank Gunn Ministry Scholars Competition you need to:
In keeping with the spirit of 1 Timothy 3:1, your intention is to fulfill a God-given desire to pursue full-time vocational ministry as an expression of the gifts and talents God has entrusted to you.
On your MC application, indicate that you have been called to full-time, vocational ministry by checking the associated box. You will be prompted to give your pastor’s name and contact information. Once the application has been submitted we will contact your reference for verification.
Candidates for the competition must be admitted to MC before sending any components for the competition. If you have not applied to MC and want to start the process click here to apply to MC.
Use your MC Application Portal to submit a single page resume outlining your academic and extracurricular involvements/achievements.
You should request a letter of recommendation from a pastor or church staff member who can comment meaningfully on your call to ministry, leadership abilities, and character strengths. This letter should not come from a relative.
Your pastor should email the Letter of Recommendation to KMTurcotte@mc.edu by the March 6th deadline.
Please respond to the prompt below in a one page essay using 700 words or less. Your essay can be single or double spaced; use size 12 font. Please include your name on the essay (this does not count in your word count). You will upload your essay into your MC Student Portal.
From the earliest days of the church, music has been central to worship. In fact, the early church developed this aspect of their worship from the ancient Israelite tradition of songs most clearly demonstrated in the Psalms. Because the use of music and singing is so prominent in worship, and the unique characteristic of music to help us learn and memorize, the worship music of the church is one of the most effective ways to communicate theological truths about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, humans, and the world we inhabit. In light of this, what song most inspires you to pursue a life of ministry in service to God and the church?
Important Dates
To compete for these scholarships, all items must be submitted by March 6th.
The interviews for the competition will take place on April 17, 2026. Winners of the competition will be notified through email approximately four weeks after the interviews conclude.
Please contact Kaitlin Turcotte with any questions at KMTurcotte@mc.edu or 205.810.6230.
