2016 Wesleyan Discipline: 3059:1
From Wesleyan Discipline
- (1) Qualifications for Commissioning. A licensed minister of The Wesleyan Church who has an abiding conviction of God’s call to be a minister (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3000–3006) may be commissioned as a minister by meeting the following requirements in order:
- (a) Forty years of age or older at the time of receiving a license as a ministerial student or a person who because of aptitude or other extenuating circumstances is approved by the district board of administration.
- (b) Satisfactory service as a licensed minister with appointment by the district for a minimum of two years.
- (c) Certification from the Ministerial Study Course Agency that the commissioned minister’s course of study or its equivalent has been completed (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3210:3). The commissioned minister’s course of study must be completed within six years of service under a ministerial license. The ministerial license shall not be renewed beyond the sixth year unless an extension of time is granted by the district board of ministerial development.
- (d) Recommendation of the district board of ministerial development after consultation with the district board of administration (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3059:1).
- (e) Election by the district conference by a majority vote to a commissioned minister’s status (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:28, 29).
- (f) Public service of commissioning (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5800), in which the minister shall witness to a Christian experience, conviction of a divine call to the ministry, commitment to the doctrines and practices of The Wesleyan Church, and loyalty to The Wesleyan Church, after which the minister shall be separated to the Christian ministry through the laying on of hands in the person of the General Superintendent (if present, cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1935:34), or the representative appointed by the General Superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1935:34; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3091); the district superintendent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1310:23) and a Council of Ordination (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1405).
- (g) Issuance and signing of a commission certificate by the General Superintendent, the district superintendent, and the district secretary (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:6280).