2016 Wesleyan Discipline: 3070

3070. Qualifications for Ordination. 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 ordained by meeting the following requirements in order:

(1) Membership with the leadership qualifications (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:260–268; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:558) in a local Wesleyan church within the district granting ordination.

(2) Satisfactory service for two years subsequent to completion of the pre-ordination study course, except for those who have been under appointment and supervision during the years spent completing said course of study. This service must be full-time (as determined by the district board of ministerial development) in one of the categories of service listed in 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3250-3335. At least one year must have been in The Wesleyan Church within the district in which ordination is to take place except as hereinafter provided. In case of a ministerial student graduating from a three-year divinity course at an approved seminary, the service requirement is for one year. If ordination is to be in a district other than the one in which the service requirement was met, the district board of ministerial development of the appointing district must recommend the student to the ordaining district.

(3) Certificate from the Ministerial Study Course Agency showing completion of the pre-ordination course of study or of its equivalent (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:6410; cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3170:4; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3210:1).

(4) Examination by the district board of ministerial development relative to qualifications for the ministry and for ordination (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3000–3006; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3070:1–3), including a personal religious experience, ministerial call, and evidence thereof, matters of education, doctrine, and practice, particularly a personal commitment without reservation to each of the Articles of Religion and the Membership Commitments and loyalty to The Wesleyan Church, and circumstances of personal, family, and business life which bear upon the ministry; and a subsequent report by the district board of ministerial development to the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1390:1, 5).

(5) Election by the district conference to ordained minister’s orders (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1180:28). In case of an emergency, a candidate who has been recommended by the district board of ministerial development may be elected to ordained minister’s orders by the district board of administration in the interim of the sessions of the district conference (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1233:38).

(6) Public service of ordination (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:3091; 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:5750–5792), in which the minister shall witness to a Christian experience, affirm conviction of a divine call to the ministry, commitment to the doctrines and principles of The Wesleyan Church, and loyalty to The Wesleyan Church, after which the minister shall be separated to the Christian ministry by the Church 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).

(7) Issuance and signing of a certificate of ordination by the General Superintendent, district superintendent and district secretary (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:6300).

(8) The General Superintendent, after consultation with the district board of ministerial development of the involved district, may postpone the intended ordination of any candidate and/or refer the same to the district board of ministerial development for further consideration.