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Ministerial Preparation

Is God calling you into the ministry?

Receiving a call into the ministry is exciting, but then what? How do you answer that call? The Wesleyan Church offers many ways for both men and women to prepare for the ministry, whether you are a stay at home mom, a young college student or you are a retired person.

(NOTE - all text in brown is a hyperlink.)

(Also, all forms must be submitted digitally and in a PDF formate. Some forms can be filled in, other forms will need to be filled in via MS Word, then saved as a PDF. But everything must be typed so that we can truly read what the student is writing and what the recommending pastor is writing. Thank-you for making every effort to make everything digital. We will no longer be accepting things hand written or through the USPS.)

How do I start?

Download a copy of instructions HERE.

1. Make sure you have a "CALL" into the ministry.

2. Schedule an interview with your local senior pastor. Explain how you feel called to the ministry and how God has brought you to this place in your life.

3. If you are not already a Covenant member of the Wesleyan Church, join a membership class in your local church and become a Covenant Member.

4. Should your senior pastor feel you are ready to pursue studying for the ministry, he/she will schedule an interview for you with your Local Board of Administration to consider recommending you to the District Board Of Ministerial Development (DBMD). You will need to have filled out for your Local Board of Administration the APPLICATION FOR MINISTERIAL STUDIES. Open this document up in MS Word and fill it out. Save it under a new file name and email it to your pastor. Your pastor will then need to review this document with the Local Board Of Administration. Once they have agreed to recommend you, your pastor will need to digitally sign this document and email to the DBMD Chairman at, cbrown@micornerstone.org .

5. Once you have met with your Local Board of Administration, your senior pastor will need to fill out the LBA RECOMMENDATION FORM . This form must be filled out online and it will automatically be sent to the DBMD chairman.

Your APPLICATION FOR MINISTRERIAL STUDIES needs to be email after you have recieved final approval from the LBA. All forms must be submitted digitally and email to the chairman.

6. If your local church has recommended you to the DBMD you should enroll with Education & the Ministry Department of the Wesleyan Church. If you have taken any college courses, you will want to send transcripts to Education & the Ministry for their review and evaluation of your credits. If you would like to register now, click here: REGISTER WITH EDUCATION & THE MINISTRY. Do not register until your Local Board of Administration has recommended you to the DBMD.

7. Scroll down to the bottom of this page, double click LAUNCH FORM and fill out the first registration form that will begin the process.

8. Every candidate is required to have a background check ran before final approval for entering into the program. The cost of the background check is the responsibility of the potential student. Please read through our SCREENING POLICY and send in a $35.00 check, made out to the North Michigan District Of The Wesleyan Church. The RELEASE AUTHORIZATION form must be filled out digitally and is found by using the hyper link or going to the background check form page. This form will be sent directly to the DBMD Chair and all information is confidential.

9. Before a meeting can be scheduled with the DBMD, these forms and applications must be submitted.

Here is the list:

A) Application For Recommendation To Ministerial Studies

B) LBA Recommendation

C) Authorization Forms To Conduct Criminal Background Checks

D) Payment for Background checks

E) Approval from Ministerial Study Course

F) Performance Contract

G) Personal Data Inventory Questionnaire (DBMD #1)

H) Initial Reference (DBMD #2)

10. Read through THE MANUAL OF MINISTERIAL PREPARATION.

Rev. Chadrick Brown

DBMD Chairman Of The North Michigan District Of The Wesleyan Church

15671 Algoma Ave.

Cedar Springs, MI 49319

Office: 616.696.3229

Email: heypastorchad@gmail.com

What is the DBMD?

The DBMD stands for District Board Of Ministerial Development. This board of pastors and lay people meet annually with those studying for ministry until the point of ordination. The DBMD will help you define your call to ministry, and will look for the spiritual gifts and graces necessary for serving God's people in ministry well.

How & Where Do I Study For Ministry?

Ministerial students have several options to completing requirements for credentials including attending:

1. One of our WESLEYAN COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES or approved SEMINARIES.

2. FLAME - Fellowship Of Leaders Acquiring Ministerial Education

3. FLAMA - Spanish Fellowship Of Leader Acquiring Ministerial Education

4. CORRESPONDENCE COURSES

5. CROSS TRAINING - OKWES.EDU

6. NORTH MICHIGAN DISTRICT MINISTERIAL

COURSES (Double Click For Classes Being Offered)

AT THIS TIME NO CLASSES ARE BEING OFFERINGED.

  • Register for Classes online by double clicking... HERE.
  • Current Students & Preparing Pastors

    English

    - DBMD Form #1

    - DBMD Form #2

    - DBMD Form #3

    - DBMD Form #4

    - DBMD Form #5

    - DBMD Form #6

    SPANISH

    - DBMD Form #1

    - DBMD Form #2

    - DBMD Form #3

    - DBMD Form #4

    - DBMD Form #5

    - DBMD Form #6

    - PASTORS ANNUAL REFERENCE FORM

    This form must be filled out yearly, every May, and submitted to the Chairman of the DBMD, via email.

    - PERFORMANCE CONTRACT- English

    - PERFORMANCE CONTRACT - Spanish

    This form must be filled out prior to interview #1 with the DBMD and will be talked about at said interview.

    - SUPERVISED MINISTRY EXPLANATION DOCUMENT

    - SUPERVISED MINISTRY LOG

    - SUPERVISING PASTORS GUIDELINES

    - REQUEST FORM FOR ENROLLMENT & REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE CHURCHILL MINISTERIAL ENDOWMENT FUND

    - ANNUAL SERVICE REPORT (ASR)

    (1402) The district conference shall receive an annual service report from each ordained minister, commissioned minister, licensed minister, ministerial student and commissioned or licensed special worker on forms authorized by the Board of General Superintendents (1920:16) and made available by the General Secretary. Pastors or senior pastors shall submit the "Pastor's Annual Service Report." Associate and assistant pastors shall submit the "Associate/Assistant Pastor's Annual Service Report." Other ordained ministers and commissioned or licensed ministers shall submit the "Minister's Annual Service Report." Special workers shall submit the "Lay Worker's Annual Service Report." Ministerial students shall submit the "Ministerial Student's Annual Service Report." All such reports shall be submitted to the district board of ministerial development, serving on behalf of the district conference, as directed by the district board of administration or the district superintendent (1390:7-9).

    DBMD Leadership Page

    (Please double click to go to the page.)

    Post DBMD Evaluation Form

    (Please double click to go to the page.)

    2015-2016 Ministerial Student Meeting Schedule

    (Please double click to go download the document.)

    (last updated, 10.26.15.)

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