For Bek Sheely, the legacy of passing on the gospel was modelled to her consistently in her home from a young age. Bek’s parents, Paul and Margie Sheely, are MTS Trainers who have been involved in training ministry apprentices for decades. Their intention in passing on the gospel hasn’t been reserved for apprentices alone, but has made a big impact on Bek’s own faith and love of Jesus.
Now, Bek is a second-year MTS apprentice herself, training under Allan Blanch at Dubbo Presbyterian in country NSW.
Bek recalls, “ Around six or seven, I remember having a conversation with mum after I had done something wrong and lied about it. And I still just distinctly remember her sitting with me and explaining the gospel to me and helping me understand what sin was. I am so thankful to God for the grace my mum showed me in that time.”
These discipleship moments, even at a young age, were the foundation of Bek forming her own personal love of Jesus and obedience to him.
Modelled and moulded
In addition to her parents, Bek is thankful to have had many people invest in her, through modelling living for Jesus and actively training her to live for Christ. Her four older siblings have had a great impact on her, as well as other mentors throughout various stages in her life.
Bek shares, “When I was in early high school, there was an MTS apprentice called Ali Coffee who was being trained by my parents. The way Mum and Dad trained people was by bringing people into our family. That was really significant. She invested in me, as mom and dad invested in her.”
This experience was hugely impactful in how Bek was moulded, as she saw training and Christian growth in real time, and those apprentices poured investment and discipleship back into her and her siblings.
She says, “It helped me see that living for Jesus with all of your life isn’t just for people who fit a certain mould. It’s not just for the pastor. And it doesn’t have to look one certain way. Actually, living a life shaped by the gospel, living for Jesus, and wanting to serve Him and His people is for everyone.”
After school, Bek continued to feel the benefit of generous Christian mentors who invested in passing on the gospel to her in life and teaching. At university, in the UNSW Campus Bible Study group, staff worker Tracey Gowing was impactful in her journey. Then, when she later moved to Young for work after uni, Bek was thankful to be invested in by her minister, Steve White and his wife Debbie.
Stepping into her own apprenticeship
When it came to considering doing MTS for herself, it felt natural. Bek explains, “ I grew up seeing people do ministry apprenticeships, and so it always seems like a very reasonable step to take, to be trained more and to be grown in godliness.”
During university, she got great encouragement from Tracey and others to consider ministry, then after moving into the workforce, Bek continued to be gently prompted by those who loved and supported her.
So in 2024, she started as an MTS apprentice at Dubbo Presbyterian under trainer Allan Blanch and mentor Jill Connor. Her first year was full of ‘figuring it out’. She did ministry like teaching school scripture, being involved in mission and evangelism courses, discipling women, leading youth group and training up team leaders. Now in her second year, she’s doing much of that still, but moving more into a focus on missions.
Bek and her trainer Allan
Bek shares, “What my trainer and I particularly noticed was just this love of being in the mission space and an energy for that. And so this year I’m super excited because I get to press into that space and have my head particularly in the mission area.”
This will involve continued involvement in their 9-week ‘Intro to Jesus’ course and a particular focus on launching a new Multicultural Outreach Mission Team, to better reach the diverse people of Dubbo with the gospel.
The legacy of passing on the gospel
Bek and her parents Paul and Margie
In Bek’s life, the flow-on effect of the legacy of MTS is clear; God at work in her parents to train apprentices, who in turn invested in Bek and her siblings, now as Bek steps into her training and she is showing that investment in others.
This legacy isn’t lost on Bek, who sees the important role she plays in this ongoing generational passing on of the gospel.
She shares, “I’m excited seeing women a couple of steps ahead of me…and to be part of that legacy of following in their footsteps. There are women going before me and encouraging me to follow. We need to keep being trained so that we can keep training more people, so that the richness we’re enjoying now continues.”
It’s clear to Bek that this long gospel legacy comes from Jesus. She says, “It’s important to keep raising up gospel workers from generation to generation because we’re called to it. It wouldn’t make sense for us not to, as people who are convinced of the truth of the gospel and the riches that are on offer as the people of God.”
For people who are considering supporting MTS Bek says, “There is so much exciting stuff going on. What a joy that we could partner together in seeing more people trained up and grown in godliness. It’s exciting for me to be swept up in it [as an MTS apprentice], and how wonderful we could all be partnering with MTS in different ways for the glory of our God.”