FAQ

Good Question. However, there is no simple answer. Masters Commission is an intense 9-month discipleship-training program dedicated to making Disciples of Christ that will usher in the last day's revival.
Masters Commission entails more specific details unique to each program and church. But, the goal is to Produce an environment of lasting change in the way we live, that leads to a deeper relationship of the one we passionately pursue. A person in Masters Commission crosses the line from casual Christianity to sold out discipleship.

Masters Commission began in 1984 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA at Phoenix First Assembly of God Church. It was begun in response to a challenge from a Mormon Missionary to two Christian men in the church. The men decided to take the challenge and dedicate a year of their life to a set of requirements for each other. The men were astonished with the amount of growth in their personal lives after a year of keeping each other accountable to the prayer, Scripture memorization, witnessing and other requirements. One of those men, Larry Kerychuck, spoke to Pastor Barnett and began the Masters Commission program with Carmen Balsamo, as the director. During the second year of the MC program, Carmen passed away and Pastor Lloyd Zeigler became the director of Master's Commission. 20 years later, Pastor Lloyd continues to direct the Master's Commission program now called MC USA and the world-wide network of Masters Commission. Extreme, continuous, God given growth, has moved this ministry into what Pastor Tommy Barnett calls, the multiplication factor. Because of this growth, the Masters Commission International Network (MCIN) was formed. Our best days are still ahead.

Every student that comes to MC USA will spend their year in Dallas, TX. Masters Commission USA here in Dallas provides the widest range of ministry training, exposure and opportunities available for our students. There are too many opportunities to list for the ministries MC USA is involved in. Masters Commission students are exposed to as many areas of ministry that will help build them as disciples and ministers. To view a complete list of ministries, click the ministries link on the home page. Where do Master's students live during the year Masters Commission students live in dorm style apartments with a MC USA home leader and four roommates. All Masters Commission students live in the same apartment complex during their entire stay.

MC USA has not determined oul beginning and end dates at this time. We will post them on our website soon.

The total price of the MC USA program is $8,000. The cost breakdown is $500 registration, $3,200 tuition and $4,100 living expenses. The Tuition portion includes the entire program fee. The living expenses portion includes the program fee, furnished housing, utilities (up to $100/mth.), a set gas allowance, and a $200 apartment maintaince fee. Missions trips (optional), food, and extra curricular activities are not included and are the responsibility of the student.

There are over 100 affiliated MC programs throughout the United States. f you are looking for a complete Masters Commission program affiliate list, see the Affiliate link at www.mcin.org . We strongly recommend that any Masters Commission program you choose is affiliated with the Masters Commission International Network (MCIN).

The MCIN is a network of affiliated Masters Commission programs who are dedicated to keeping the integrity and heart of the original Masters Commission program that was begun in Phoenix. Affiliated programs are required to maintain certain criteria and core values to remain affiliated. Carefully and prayerfully consider any decision to attend a MC program and be sure they are affiliated with the MCIN.

Masters Commission certainly has an academic element. Berean courses are offered through the Youth pastors Institute for those who choose to take them. Masters Commission balances academics with hands on learning approach to all areas of the ministry. It is very important to be practical. And although Masters Commission is not accredited, several colleges accept a year of Masters Commission as the freshmen year of college. Please contact our office for a list of such colleges. What do Master's Commission graduates do after their completion of the program? A large percentage of MC graduates go on to either full or part-time ministry. The next largest percentage goes on to college or become lay ministers in the church and work secular jobs. Many ministry opportunities are available for USA students after graduation (youth pastor, assoc. pastor, mc director, and many more).

Masters Commission USA is the model for the programs around the world and directed by Pastor Lloyd Zeigler. Pastor Lloyd offers the most unique and effective hands on ministry training available. MC USA students will be involved in worship training, choir, travel, missions, school assemblies, Frontline Worship, youth conventions and conferences, human videos and other powerful ministry tools (for a complete list see the MINISTRIES link on the homepage).

Currently, we do not offer financial aid, but are in the process of beginning a scholarship program to help students out with partial tuition or housing scholarships as finances permit.

Yes. These are partial scholarships and are available for national merit award winners and those who score an excellent or above. Amount of award depends upon category and final score / standing.

There is not just one way to pay for MC USA. Most people do have elements of savings, support letters, church sponsorship, etc… Almost every person who comes to MC USA has a different story of how God provided for them to be here financially. Every one of their stories is a miracle. Keep working and praying and the money will work itself out. We have never known our God to be limited by money. Don't give up, His timing is not ours.

We suggest that in addition to your tuition, that each student have a monthly support base of $50 - $100 to help with personal items and food. Students pay for food in a variety of ways. Some students put all of their money together each month and collectively purchase food and some buy food separately for each person in the apartment.

MC USA does offer a payment plan for the housing portion of the total student fee (tuition and housing) for those who need this service. The tuition must be paid in full with the first month's housing upon arrival and registration at MC USA and the rest of the housing payments are divided equally for the remaining 8 months. There is a $200.00 bonus if all payments are made by April 2007.

The entire tuition fee is due upon arrival and registration on the first day of MC USA.

The tuition fee covers the entire program cost and training for each student.

The housing fee covers the security deposit for each individual in the apartment, electricity, furnishings, water, rent, a weekly gas stipend up to $100.00 per apartment and parking fees.

You can click the "Application here" link on the homepage and apply now!

The application is just a form for us to get to know you a little better and to see if there are any items that may be a cause for concern for you in attending MC USA.

After we receive your application, it will be reviewed by the application selection committee. This committee consists of Pastor Lloyd and a team of highly trained and well experienced staff members that will review each application sent to MC USA each year. Then you will receive a phone interview time that is convenient for you and a day that is good for us (usually on Sunday's or Monday's). You will be notified via phone or e-mail of your acceptance or denial within 2-3 weeks of the finalizing date of your application and phone interview.

You will be notified by one of our staff members via phone or e-mail 2-3 weeks after the finalize date of your application and phone interview.

We understand that there are several opportunities for our students to pray about and consider. If you change your mind we just ask that you inform our office so that we can make the appropriate accommodation corrections for our hosing arrangements.

You will find that we are very flexible. We will make every effort to accommodate each student and their individual needs. However, we do not encourage late starts because our year is carefully planned and organized so our students will receive the maximum from each day in the program. Orientation week is the opening week for MC USA and packed full with experiences that incoming students do not want to miss. Please contact our office so we can help accommodate each situation.

Our first and second year students are not allowed to work due to the schedule of our year being so demanding. Actually, there is no time to work. MC USA is a 24/7 commitment.

MC USA travels to many different areas across the world. We offer missions trips at an additional cost to our students and numerous ministry trips in the United States. Some of the US trips have a small cost and some of them have no cost depending on the event. There are many opportunities for travel in several capacities at MC USA.

One of the goals of MC USA is to develop students in the areas they desire to be trained in. Therefore, each year is different. We tailor our schedule to meet the need of the students in each particular session. There is a general schedule that involves everyone that includes prayer time, devotions, KE Times, services, classes, etc… Everyone must attend a "try-out" for each ministry team each student is interested in. Those ministries have schedules that run along side and in conjunction with the general schedule. Each student will be involved with their selected ministry as much as possible. Students come to be trained, not just run through the program.

The Institutes have been developed for people who would like to come to MC USA and focus on one of these aspects in the ministry. These institutes are designed to develop and provide opportunities for students who desire to use these abilities in full time ministry and in the corporate world as life skills.
The institutes are: Music , Dance, Drama , Youth Pastor, School Assembly
Each institute is taught and directed by MC USA Staff members and other professionals that have joined with us to help provide the best training possible. More information about each specific institute is available by clicking on the appropriately labeled link on the home page.

Yes! Most aspects of the program are open and available for all 1st year students to be a part of.

MC USA students must be 18 years of age or older. In some cases, an exception may be made for a 17 yr old student if a birthday is close to the beginning of the program. Please contact our office for further details on under age admittance.

You can receive ministry certification through Global University. After finishing those courses, you will have completed the course work to receive your credentials. Each states and district has a different procedure and fees for this process so it will be necessary for you to find out the specific requirements for your district and complete those after finishing the Global University courses.

No. The cost Global University, has increased over the past few years. In an effort to keep tuition costs low for all students, GU courses are offered as an extra option for those wishing to pursue them. Please specify that you want to take Berean on your application or phone interview and we will make sure you have all of the necessary items.

There are many students who come to MC USA and wish to continue on for a second year. The second year program is geared towards leadership training and development. The student goes from being just the recipient of the program, to a part of the leadership team and is trained to shoulder the responsibilities of running the operations, scheduling, events, training, student development, travel teams, and much more, with the guidance of the MC USA staff and leadership.

Yes. It is our goal to accommodate everyone who comes to MC USA. If you have chosen to serve our country in this great and honorable way, we will find a way to work your situation out so you can benefit from all MC USA has to offer.

No. If you have a heart and desire that beats to change the world for God, or just to become closer to Him, then you are eligible. Age is not a factor.

You need to contact the Masters Commission International Network at www.mcin.org and they can provide you with all the information you need to run a MC.

Most Insurance Companies recognize MC USA as an acceptable school to further insurance time frames for current students who need to be in school for their health insurance to continue. Contact our office for this form.

No. Even though MC USA is a ministry of the local church, donations are the only items that are tax deductible. Since the MC USA fees are considered "tuition", this unfortunately does not apply.

You can find a list of al affiliated MC groups at www.mcin.org.

Generally, the answer is no. As has been stated before in these answers, each situation is different. If has been our experience that MC USA works best for single men and women. The schedule is very demanding and requires massive amounts of time. The schedule can be especially strenuous for couples with Children. Because of all the requirements, it is best to not attend MC USA if you are married.

Everyone at MC USA has one day off per week and that day is typically Monday. That day is reserved for the student to take care of what personal needs may arise, etc… There are generally no events scheduled for that day. However, every Monday is not guaranteed. The need for ministry preparation may (and almost always does) arise at some point and we will substitute that day for another that is best for the schedule. Any out of town, day off activities, must be approved with the dean of students before departure.

A major goal here at MC USA is to have each student give one full year to God, whole hearted and undistracted. It is hard to give one's heart fully to God if it belongs to another person. This seems like one big restriction, but it turns out to be one big relief! The student knows that everyone is there for the one purpose, to pursue Christ.

Of course. As much as we discourage dating in the first year, it is encouraged in the second year, when done correctly. Accountability structures are formed, parents are informed and declarations of a dating relationship are made. It has been a great and successful process.

The answer is Yes! Just fill out the 2nd year application and submit it ASAP. We will contact you and your past director for a recommendation.

Yes. Applications are not carried over from year to year. Just send in the application again and we will usher you though the process.

We do not have a limit on the amount of students we will take. Our goal is to have 400 within the next 2 years. The only time we may put a limit on the amount of students we can take, is approx one week before the session begins, due to housing arrangements.

What time is it now? We will accept applications for the upcoming session right up to the start date.

Right now. If the current session has started, we begin taking apps for the next session.

You have to remember; that in the midst of the countless opportunities MC USA has to minister, the heartbeat of this ministry is discipleship. It does this program and the Kingdom of God absolutely no good to produce people who can do a job but not last in their relationship with God. Here at MC USA, you will learn to pray, consume God's Word, Depend on Him Alone, grow with God, learn to be a true Disciple of Christ, and much more! You won't leave MC USA disappointed. You get out what you put in.

There is not a standardized curriculum but there are 5 core values which have been designated by the MCIN as integral and necessary for all MC programs to have. Those core values can be found at the MCIN web-site www.mcin.org . Each MC program develops it's own curriculum depending on what each area, region, church and organizational opportunities are available.

3rd year applicants must contact us by email.. admission@mastersusa.com

The purpose of MC USA is to "Know God and Make Him Known". This is a simple way to say that we key on personal one-on-one discipleship

This is a common misconception. MC USA is the largest MC program in the country and is the founding program of the movement with the founding director Pastor Lloyd Zeigler who also is the founder of the MCIN. But, even though MC USA is the largest program, we have one of the lowest staff / leadership to student ratio 3 to 1. That means that MC USA has one leader for every three students! This is unprecedented throughout the country and allows us to keep a personal discipleship base in a large venue. It has been our experience that if someone wants to get lost in a crowd, they will do so no matter the size.

The Mix is a two day open house for anyone who would like to come and see first hand what MC USA is all about. You can come live like a MC USA student and experience the schedule and events first hand. You can apply by selecting the Apply here link click on "The Mix" link.

This is a 2 week summer MC USA endeavor, where students can come for 2 full weeks and experience MC USA for a longer period of time and what it will be like to come back a few months later for the real session. It is a chance for Junior and seniors in high school, college students, or anyone else who wants to check our MC. Minimum age is 16 and more information email us at admission@mastersusa.com. We currently do not have date for Summer '09... They will be comming soon...

Students live in apartments with an MC USA leader. Before the students arrive, housing questionnaires are reviewed and suggestions are made by the application committee and phone interviewer for the placement of the student. Then, each student is selected based upon those answers and the discretion of the home leader.

We will take into account your request, but it does not necessarily mean it will happen. The demographic of our students is so vast; it is hard to make that decision before all of the accepted applicants have been reviewed. Truthfully, you will see all of your classmates so much; sleeping in a different room or apartment is a minor thing.

Our Christmas break is not determined at this time.

There are honestly too many to list. But you can get a good idea by selecting the "Ministries" link on the homepage.

I will do my best to let you know what a "normal" schedule is like for us, although there really is no such thing as a normal Master's schedule. We begin each of our days, Tues.-Fri. with an hour of prayer. Three times a week we break up into institutes, which are specific groups our students can focus on and grow more in. Our institutes are Drama, Dance, School Assemblies, Worship, and Youth Pastor's. Usually about twice a month we have a pastor or someone in ministry come and speak to our team for a morning session. All our in between time during the week is usually spent in smaller groups where the students have a hands on focus in being trained in different areas of ministry like children's, elderly, servant hood, and evangelism. In these groups, we also have different team building times, teaching times, services, study times (our students have a curriculum of memorizing 350 scriptures throughout the year as well as completing a book and bible report every month), fun times, work times, drama training times, girl/guy times, etc. Our main focus for the schedule is that we balance out times of input (where the students are receiving info and teaching) and output (where they are able to apply what they've been taught). Saturdays are usually spent with a teaching/activity in the morning in small groups, and then in the afternoon, we do adopt-a-block (a weekly community outreach program). Saturdays nights we have an hour of prayer and get ready for Sunday. Sundays we sing in our church choir for the early morning service and then usually we book a few outside services that we send teams on. Sunday nights we attend service at our church or again book services that we send teams on. So, this is a very basic overview of our schedule. There are many different things throughout the year that come into play that become a part of our schedule as well, but this is a lot of what we typically do. Monday is our day off, and is very much needed!! The schedule is very full time, starting in the morning at around 8am and lasting through the evening until around 9pm (with breaks for lunch and dinner). I hope this helps. Let us know if you have any further questions. God Bless! Alison (admissions)