Ministerial Education and Guidance Board Orientation

1. Ministerial Education and Guidance Board Orientation

2. Attitude of Prayer Our Father in heaven hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

3. The Free Methodist Church USA MISSION VISION FMCUSA Love God, Love People, Make Disciples. To bring wholeness to the world through healthy biblical communities of holy people multiplying disciples, leaders, groups and churches.

4. Multiply Spirit-led believerswho lovingly belongand undeniably blesstheir world.

5. The purpose of the MEG is to assist the local church in identifying, developing and deploying people for healthy, effective, long-term ministry in the Free Methodist Church.

6. Overall MEG Responsibilities Guide/Train Develop/Credential Correct/Restore Assist emerging leaders understand and test their calling. Assist in the ongoing guidance of appointed leaders. Oversee development processes for, emerging leaders, engaged vocational pastors in training and ordained elders in the field. Correct and work toward healing, restoration and reconciliation when sin, negligence or incompetence has led to harm for leaders and the community.

7. We hold to the authority of Scripture. We run to the margins of society. We practice egalitarianism. We partner across lines for the sake of the kingdom. Passive acceptance of these values is insufficient.

8. OUTCOME BASED ORDINATION

11. WORD WORSHIP ORDER

12. EDUCATION CITIZENSHIP BI-VOCATIONAL Bachelors with some Graduate theological work is the standard. MEGs may recognize (and work toward development of) educational equivalencies. Legal citizenship or residency status is preferred – not required – for ordination. We have come to both the conviction as well as the understanding that it is our duty to disciple all Christians under our care, identify those called to ministry, recognize those who are ordained in the FMC in other countries who seek transfer into the FMCUSA and process candidates without discrimination based upon citizenship status. Vocational ministry does not necessitate full time paid staff ministry. The future of church in the USA will rely more heavily upon ‘tent-makers.’ We must encourage and respect this – “credits” for “full time” ministry must weigh the balance of future-church leadership development.

13. Mental Health and Psych-Social Evaluation

14. MEG composition - Choose Assessors Developers Coach OBO Assessments Report Findings to MEG to Candidate to Pastor/Coach Assist Pastors with LMC Plan Develop Growth Plan for CMCs Coach CMCs Monthly Coaching (or) Quarterly Review Keep all informed of progress Counselors MAC Support Clergy Assist with Divorce Clearance Aid with Conflict Resolution Intervene When Necessary Assess Health of Appointments Recommend Appointments CHAIR

15. Local Ministerial Candidate Local Church Local Church MEG / MDC Pastor Guides! Prayer Team Assembled Church Membership Board Approval Register with MDC Formation Plan with Pastor/Mentor Divorce Clearance Transcripts Provided Strengthfinder LMC Theological Exam References Provided Spouse Questionnaire Photo Collage of Family/Events Work Samples Request for OBO Assessment Guide Pastors Provide History/Polity Provides online tracking Sets up Initial MEG Interview

16. Ministerial Candidate – First Year Local Church MEG MDC Pastor keeps guiding! (If CMC is Pastor – MEG Mentor Guides) Prayer Team Continues Work Development Plan Complete Wesleyan Theology Advance Education Advance Experience Advance Leadership Capacity OBO Assessment Initial interview Initial Development Plan formed Coach assigned Senior Pastor - Quarterly MEG review MEG Coach – Monthly connections Recommend Education or Equivalencies Annual Report to AC Provide Wesleyan Theology Provide CORE Received Reports Tracks Progress

17. Ministerial Candidate – Ongoing Local Church MEG MDC Pastor keeps guiding! Prayer Team Continues Work Development Plan Psycho-Social Health Assessed Advance Education Advance Experience Advance Leadership Capacity Minimally Quarterly Reviews Annual Interview (progressive) Plan Modifications Psycho-Social Health Assessed Ongoing Coaching/CORE Annual Report to AC Provide Wesleyan Theology Received Reports Tracks Progress

18. Ministerial Candidate to Elder Local Church MEG MDC Pastor keeps guiding! Prayer Team Continues Work Development Plan Completes Education Final OBO Assessment Review Theological Statement Final MEG interview Recommends to Annual Society Ordained by Bishop at AC Received Reports Tracks Progress Cross Conference Communication

19. Preventing and Dealing with Disorder Culture of Transparency and Restoration Awareness of Boundaries – Professional and Interpersonal Rapid response to disorder Guidelines for ministry to victims and perpetrators Steps toward reconciliation

20. Leadership Development Processes SPC History & Polity SPC Wesleyan Theology LEAD embedded Head/Heart/Hand Best Practice Coaching and Development CORE (Christian Ordination Readiness Education) C-PLANT (Church Planting Leadership and Training) Multiply Events Encouraging Free Methodist-based higher education

21. MEG composition - Choose Assessors Developers Coach OBO Assessments Report Findings to MEG to Candidate to Pastor/Coach Assist Pastors with LMC Plan Develop Growth Plan for CMCs Coach CMCs Monthly Coaching (or) Quarterly Review Keep all informed of progress Counselors MAC Support Clergy Assist with Divorce Clearance Aid with Conflict Resolution Intervene When Necessary Assess Health of Appointments Recommend Appointments CHAIR

22. Overall MEG Responsibilities Guide/Train Develop/Credential Correct/Restore Assist emerging leaders understand and test their calling. Assist in the ongoing guidance of appointed leaders. Oversee development processes for, emerging leaders, engaged vocational pastors in training and ordained elders in the field. Correct and work toward healing, restoration and reconciliation when sin, negligence or incompetence has led to harm for leaders and the community.

23. Attitude of Prayer Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.