Resolution 39 – Orienting for Pastoral Preparation

18. Jan, 2011 Categories: Resolutions by GC11 Admin Newton 1 Comment

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BOA ACTION: Motion to adopt.

GCRCC Status: forwarded for April 2011 BOA action

Introduced by: Board of Bishops

Written by: David Kendall

Related to Paragraph(s) #: 5330-5430

Whereas:

all true disciples of Jesus and members of the church are to be discipled for ministry and therefore,

Whereas, the educational and ministry training necessary for vocational ministry in the church should be rooted in and a further development of the church’s essential discipling ministries, and

Whereas, in the ministry of Jesus, the earliest church, and most of church history, the preparation of people for vocational ministry has occurred in the context of the church in its actual ministry, and

Whereas, with the rise of the modern era and church, the training of future clergy has moved away from the church in ministry and toward schools in relative isolation from the church, and

Whereas, the Free Methodist Church has taken the academy as its primary paradigm for the preparation of vocational ministers, and

Whereas, the Free Methodist Church desires to restore the historic connection between the church in ministry and the pathways and processes used to prepare vocational ministers,

Therefore, be it resolved:

that the Free Methodist Church reorient its pastoral preparation around an ecclesial model as outlined in the paper, “Orienting for Pastoral Preparation,” (see attached) and

Be it further resolved, that the Board of Bishops be authorized to work with a Task Force on Credentialing to redesign our processes in line with said ecclesial model and to make recommendations to the BOA with power to act, and

Be it still further resolved, that in the meantime Paragraphs 5330-5430 of the Book of Discipline be revised as follows:

Local Ministerial Candidate

¶5330 A local ministerial candidate is a member of the Free Methodist Church who is seriously considering a call to full-time Christian ministry the ordained ministry as an elder. Local ministerial candidate status provides the opportunity to explore the perceived call to ministry with the pastor in the context of the local church. The requirements and responsibilities of a local ministerial candidate are found in ¶6500.

Conference Ministerial Candidate

¶5340

A. A conference ministerial candidate is a member of the Free Methodist Church who has been received by an annual conference in preparation for ordained ministry.

B. The conference ministerial candidate shall:

1. be a local ministerial candidate;

2. be thoroughly acquainted with the history and conversant with the polity of the Free Methodist Church, normally as provided in an approved course of study have completed History and Polity of the Free Methodist Church (knowledge of this subject required for the Apollos Model);

3. have completed application for ministry appointment;

4. be interviewed, certified and recommended by the ministerial education and guidance board and received by the annual conference upon satisfactory response to the questions (see ¶8710);

5. be under the guidance of the conference superintendent and an assigned coach/mentor.

6. maintain membership in a local Free Methodist church;

7. maintain relationship as a conference ministerial candidate by annual recommendation of the ministerial education and guidance board.

C. A candidate who has been involved in a divorce, annulment or dissolution of marriage shall not be admitted to the conference as a conference ministerial candidate or in full membership until approved by ministerial education and guidance board, the conference superintendent and assigned bishop. This shall also apply to a candidate whose spouse has been divorced. Divorce prior to conversion shall not in itself bar a candidate from consideration for conference membership.

D. The ministerial education and guidance board shall examine potential conference ministerial candidates by considering The Qualifications for Pastoral Ministry (see Par. 5310), with special reference to the following:

1. Is the candidate holy and loving in all personal relationships?

2. Has the candidate gifts as well as graces for the ministry?

3. Does the candidate have good judgment, adequate discernment of the things of God, and a proper understanding of salvation by faith?

4. Is the candidate able to speak effectively?

5. Does the candidate present the gospel with doctrinal integrity?

6. Are people convinced of sin and converted to God by the candidate’s preaching and witness?

E. A conference ministerial candidate shall be interviewed annually, allowing three years to complete both education and ministry experience requirements the course of study required for ordination and conference membership. If the educational requirements are the course of study is not completed in that time, status as a conference ministerial candidate may be continued only upon recommendation of the ministerial education and guidance board.

F. When a conference ministerial candidate is under appointment to a church as pastor-in-charge, he/she is considered “clergy” (to maintain a lay/clergy balance) when serving on committees and boards. In all other matters he/she is considered a “lay person.”

G. A conference ministerial candidate appointed by a ministerial appointments committee to have charge of a society or with the superintendent’s approval may administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper and solemnize marriages in that place, if civil law permits.

Ordained Deacons

¶5350 The practice of ordaining deacons has been discontinued. The church now provides for consecrated deacons who are members of a local church (see ¶6600-6610). Those who continue as ordained deacons are members of an annual conference and have the authority to baptize, to officiate in marriage ceremonies, to administer the Lord’s Supper, and, when appointed to a church, to perform all the other responsibilities of a minister.

Elder’s Orders

¶5400

A. A minister may be received into membership, elected to elder’s orders and be reported as having a seat in the annual conference after having been employed in pastoral work three successive years subsequent to reception as a conference ministerial candidate, having satisfactorily completed the educational requirements for ordination required course of study (see ¶5410-5440) and having given satisfactory answers to conference membership questions (see ¶8720).

B. Election to elder’s orders constitutes the acknowledgement of the annual conference that the person so elected has met all the biblical (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1) and ecclesiastical requirements to serve as an overseer in the church. Only an ordained elder may serve as a ministerial delegate to General Conference, a conference superintendent or a bishop.

C. The elder shall administer baptism and the Lord’s Supper, solemnize marriages, and lead in divine worship. When appointed to a society, an elder shall perform the responsibilities of a pastor minister.

Seminary Model

¶5410 To qualify for elder’s orders using this model, one shall:

A. be a conference ministerial candidate or ordained deacon;

B. have completed a guided process of ecclesial education and spiritual formation with the help of of an approved coach/mentor relationship.

The Ministerial Education and Guidance Board shall assign the coach/mentor who shall guide the candidate through the process.
The process shall include: assessment of educational and spiritual formation needs, covenantal agreement to address areas of need or concern through approved means, periodic review of progress, recommendation of coach/mentor, and successful interview by the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board.

C. The Conference Ministerial Candidate in consultation with the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board and a coach/mentor may meet educational requirements through graduation from be a graduate of an approved John Wesley Seminary Foundation school or other accredited seminary with an M.Div. or equivalent degree, or have met the minimum educational requirements (see ¶5510.B);

CD.. have completed three years of full-time pastoral experience under conference appointment after becoming a conference ministerial candidate;

D.E. be interviewed, certified and recommended by the ministerial education and guidance board to elder’s orders; and

E. F. be approved by the annual conference and be ordained by the presiding bishop or appointee.

College Model

¶5420 To qualify for elder’s orders using this model, one shall:

A. be a conference ministerial candidate or ordained deacon;

B. have completed a guided process of ecclesial education and spiritual formation with the help of of an approved coach/mentor relationship.

The Ministerial Education and Guidance Board shall assign the coach/mentor who shall guide the candidate through the process.
The process shall include: assessment of educational and spiritual formation need, covenantal agreement to address areas of need or concern through approved means, periodic review of progress, recommendation of coach/mentor, and successful interview by the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board.

C. The Conference Ministerial Candidate in consultation with the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board and a coach/mentor may meet educational requirements through graduation from be a graduate of an approved Association of Free Methodist Educational Institutions school or other accredited college, with a bachelor’s degree and a major in religion or have completed approved courses in: Inductive Bible Study, 2 semester credits; Introduction to Christian Doctrine, 2 credits; Biblical studies, 10 credits; Systematic Theology, 7 credits; Wesleyan Theology, 3 credits; Pastoral Studies, 7 credits; Homiletics, 3 credits;

C.D. have completed three years of full-time pastoral experience under conference appointment after becoming a conference ministerial candidate;

D.E. be interviewed, certified and recommended by the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board to elder’s orders; and

E.F. be approved by the annual conference and ordained by the presiding bishop or appointee.

JT-XT (J-Term – Extended Studies) Model

¶5430 To qualify for elder’s orders using this model, one shall:

A. be a conference ministerial candidate or ordained deacon;

B. have completed a guided process of ecclesial education and spiritual formation with the help of of an approved coach/mentor relationship.

The Ministerial Education and Guidance Board shall assign the coach/mentor who shall guide the candidate through the process.
The process shall include: assessment of educational and spiritual formation need, covenantal agreement to address areas of need or concern through approved means, periodic review of progress, recommendation of coach/mentor, and successful interview by the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board.

C. The Conference Ministerial Candidate in consultation with the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board and a coach/mentor may meet educational requirements through completion of have completed approved courses: Inductive Bible Study, 2 semester credits; Introduction to Christian Doctrine, 2 credits; Biblical Studies, 8 credits; Systematic Theology, 3 credits; Wesleyan Theology, 3 credits; Homiletics, 3 credits; Pastoral Care, 2 credits; Church Administration/ Team Building, 2 credits; Spiritual Formation, 2 credits; Leadership/Growth, 4 credits; elective courses, 3 credits;

C.D. have completed three years of full-time pastoral experience under conference appointment after becoming a conference ministerial candidate;

D.E. be interviewed, certified and recommended by the ministerial education and guidance board to elder’s orders; and

E.F. be approved by the annual conference and ordained by the presiding bishop or appointee.