LINTON, Ind. -- Linton First Christian Church is letting its youth bound for Bible colleges know they have the church behind them in more ways than one.
"We support them in prayer and do financially support them through a scholarship/loan program," said youth pastor Archie Ellett.
According to the Linton Daily Citizen, five students will receive financial support from the church this fall. The church offers $1,000 a year the first two years of college. Support increases to $2,000 the third years and to $3,000 the next.
But the support doesn't stop there.
"For every year of fulltime ministry they have after they graduate, $1,000 is erased from the loan," Ellett said.
He said the reasoning behind the program is twofold.
"We want the kids to go to Bible college where they can get Christian support," he said. "They will have support of what they believe. It is our hope they won't turn from what they believe."
The other reason is to encourage young people to go into the ministry.
"We don't have enough ministers. There is a shortage of ministers," Ellett said.
