“A person called by God enters a vocation which through biblical tradition and Methodist heritage carries significant responsibilities. Dealing with the souls of people and leading the church in making disciples requires a heart attuned to God and others, a mind appropriately informed for the work of ministry, and hands equipped for effective service.” Book of Discipline ¶5310. A.
The discernment process for credentialing in the Free Methodist Church begins in the local church context. The FMCUSA Book of Discipline paragraph 6500 outlines the process for a Local Ministerial Candidate (LMC) to have opportunity to explore a perceived call in the context of the local church with a local mentor pastor. Persons who discern a call to the diaconate should pursue the Consecrated Deacon Candidate path at the completion of the LMC process. The Consecrated Deacon process is outlined in paragraph 6600 of the Book of Discipline (Click here for more information on the Consecrated Deacon Process). The local mentor pastor and local Board of Administration guide prospective deacons in the process of study and mentoring appropriate to their area of ministry and according to denominational standards.
Step 1: An individual, sensing the call of God and the church to pastoral ministry, is first licensed as a local ministerial candidate (LMC):
Local Ministerial Candidates
¶6500
A. A Local Ministerial Candidate is one who is seriously considering a call to vocational ministry and who has completed the processes of licensing. Local Ministerial Candidate status provides the opportunity to explore the perceived call to ministry with the pastor in the context of the local church. Prior to being approved to work toward a Local Ministerial Candidate license, the person shall have been a member of the church long enough to have given evidence of possessing the developing qualities and gifts normally expected of a Christian minister: a heart for God and the mission of the church, leadership potential, good conduct, and the ability to work with people.
B. Persons who discern a call to the diaconate should pursue the Consecrated Deacon path at the completion of the Local Ministerial Candidate process.
C. The pastor shall enter into a mentoring relationship with the potential Local Ministerial Candidate, establishing a Formation Plan (see Local Ministerial Candidate Handbook). The pastor shall journey with the individual through licensing as Local Ministerial Candidate, and possibly even through licensing as a Conference Ministerial Candidate. A Local Ministerial Candidate shall be amenable to instruction, supervision, and related discipline to assure growth in grace, knowledge, and leadership skill (see ¶6300.O, ¶6320.B.10).
D. Licensing as a Local Ministerial Candidate is contingent upon 1. 2. 3. Membership in the Free Methodist Church; Exploring a call to ordained ministry in a mentoring relationship with pastor/designee (see Local Ministerial Candidate Handbook); An interview with and approval by the local Board of Administration upon satisfactory answers to the questions 149 ¶6500 The Local Church provided in ¶8700.A; and 4. Receiving a Local Ministerial Candidate certificate before the congregation upon satisfactory answers to the questions provided in ¶8700.B.
E. Following licensing, the new Local Ministerial Candidate opens a file with The Center for Pastoral Formation (see Local Ministerial Candidate Handbook).
F. The names of all Local Ministerial Candidates shall be reported to the annual conference Ministerial Education and Guidance Board.
G. A Local Ministerial Candidate shall maintain membership in the Society that licensed him/her, unless appointed as a Licensed Pastor (see ¶6500.H).
H. A Local Ministerial Candidate appointed as a Licensed Pastor shall hold membership in the Society served (see ¶5640).
I. A Local Ministerial Candidate’s license is subject to annual review and renewal by the local Board of Administration.
J. A Local Ministerial Candidate, who after four years does not actively progress toward Conference Ministerial Candidacy leading to elder’s orders shall choose to study for the diaconate or to serve in another lay capacity, thus discontinuing the Local Ministerial Candidate license.
K. A Local Ministerial Candidate appointed by a Ministerial Appointments Committee to have charge of a Society may administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper and solemnize marriages in that place if civil law permits.
L. Finally, the local Board of Administration recommends to the conference Ministerial Education and Guidance Board that the candidate be accepted as a Conference Ministerial Candidate.
Click here for Path to Ordination Resources from The Center for Pastoral Formation
Click here to register an LMC in Pathwright for The Path to Ordination or Consecrated Deacon
Click here for Book of Discipline
The Center for Pastoral Formation (formally Ministerial Credentialing Services)
Click here to learn about The Free Methodist Way
Click here to view videos on The Free Methodist Way from 2021 Gateway Conference Leadership Summit
Step 2: Involves acceptance by the annual conference as a conference ministerial candidate (CMC). During this period the candidate prepares for the third step through coursework and itinerant service. Before the LMC is voted on by the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board (MEGA Board) for whether or not they will be approved as a CMC, they will need to have a background check and psychological evaluation.
If approved to become a Conference Ministerial Candidate by the MEGA Board, it will be 2-3 years at a minimum before being approved for ordination (some candidates may take longer). This is per our Book of Discipline, ¶5420 (see below):
“The spiritual formation necessary for healthy, effective, long-term ministry happens best in the context of a local church. In order to properly observe and assess the gifting, calling and brilliance of a potential ordinand, supervised experience in a local church or in a context beyond the local church as approved by the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board, is essential. Normally a candidate will move through this season of formation and supervision in 2 to 3 years.”
A plan will be developed for each Conference Ministerial Candidate which will include any coursework necessary. The basic courses that will be required by Gateway Conference are:
-Old Testament study
-New Testament study
-Pauline Epistles
-Pastoral care or counseling
-Hermeneutics or systematic theology
-Homiletics
-Wesleyan Theology
-Free Methodist History and Polity
Conference Ministerial Candidates should not begin to take any of the above classes until they receive their individual plan from the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board.
Click here for Gateway Conference Ordination Steps
Step 3: In the third step a candidate is elected to ordination as an elder and becomes a full conference member if approved by the Ministerial Education and Guidance Board.
It is important to remember that during this process, the Ministerial Education and Guidance (MEGA) Board has the important task of discerning whether the candidate should continue onto ordination or be directed towards a different path.
Questions? Please contact the Gateway Conference office at gatewayfmcusa@gmail.com.