Do people tell you that you have leadership skills? Do they trust you for guidance in their faith journeys? Are some encouraging you to pursue ordained ministry? Do you sense God beckoning you to a lifetime of serving and leading God’s people?
God may be calling you into ordained ministry.
The first thing to do is to listen prayerfully. Next, start talking with people who know you, particularly clergy.
“Read the book The Christian as Minister and discuss it with a deacon or pastor,” says the Rev. Meg Lassiat, director of candidacy, mentoring and conference relations for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. “It’s one way to learn more about what (ordained) ministry really entails, and what the possibilities are — especially for The United Methodist Church.”
In addition, visit the website www.explorecalling.org/am-i-called.
Your pastor or campus chaplain can help you contact your district superintendent who will help you determine if you are ready to start the process toward candidacy.
Becoming a certified candidate
- Read The Christian as Minister (www.cokesbury.com).
- Be a member of a United Methodist congregation or United Methodist ministry setting for at least a year.
- Receive approval from your church and talk to your district superintendent about starting candidacy.
- Participate in candidacy mentoring.
- Meet with the district committee on ordained ministry to tell them about your sense of call.
- If the district committee determines you are ready to move forward, it will consider you for certified candidacy.
Certified candidacy (lasts one to 12 years)
- Begin or continue the graduate education requirements.
- Meet with your mentor regularly and the district committee annually.
Education
- For elder’s orders (parish pastor or military or other chaplaincy), complete a Master of Divinity degree at a school approved for preparing United Methodist clergy. See the complete list at www.gbhem.org/ seminaries.
- For deacon’s orders (ministries of compassion and justice advocacy, parish ministry specialists such as Christian educators or ministers of music, non-military chaplaincy and more), complete a master’s degree in divinity or theology or a master’s in a specialty plus the Basic Graduate Theological Studies courses required of all clergy.
Commissioning
- Complete at least half of your education. (Some annual conferences require candidates to finish their education.)
- Ask for the district committee on ordained ministry’s recommendation for commissioning into provisional membership.
- If approved by your district committee, meet with the conference Board of Ordained Ministry and complete its requirements (interview, written work, other).
Provisional membership (lasts two to eight years)
- Receive license for your ministry track (deacon or elder).
- Serve in a place of ministry as appointed by the bishop.
- Participate in a residency-in-ministry curriculum with other provisional members.
Ordination
- Complete provisional membership requirements.
- Undergo examination by the Board of Ordained Ministry (interview, written work, criminal background and credit checks, and other requirements as established by the conference board).
Once ordained, you enter into a lifetime covenant with the annual conference and its clergy. In addition to serving under appointment, you will commit to ongoing theological and spiritual development.