Board of Ordained Ministry Handbook
The Board of Ordained Ministry Handbook is designed to be a reference library for the work of boards of ordained ministry (BOMs). Each chapter looks at a specific segment of the board’s work and contains information that may be used in the orientation of board members. These chapters also may be used in the training of interview teams, mentors, district committees, district superintendents, committees on pastor/staff parish relations, and others who share personnel responsibilities with the board. Some chapters provide directions for the administration of programs through the board such as licensing schools, psychological assessment, background and credit checks.
The BOM Handbook is a supporting resource to the United Methodist Book of Discipline. If there is any conflict between the Handbook and the Book of Discipline, The Book of Discipline is the primary resource and overrides what is written in the Handbook.
The BOM Handbook is edited by staff members of the Division of Ordained Ministry. Please email any questions or comments about the Handbook to candidacy@gbhem.org.
2012 BOM Handbook
These files are PDFs and can be opened with Acrobat Reader.
Full BOM Handbook (All Chapters)
Individual chapters can be accessed and downloaded below.
Section 1: Organization and Governance
Chapter 1: Board of Ordained Ministry Organization
Chapter 2: The District Committee on Ordained Ministry
Candidate's District File Content Checklist
Local Pastor's District File Content Checklist
District Committee on Ordained Ministry Action Report to the BOM Registrar
District Committee Action Outlines
Chapter 3: Training for the Committee on Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations
Section 2: Vocational Discernment
Chapter 4: Recruitment and Enlistment
Chapter 5: Candidacy Mentoring
Chapter 6: Orientation to Ministry
Section 3: The Candidacy Process
Chapter 7: Board of Ordained Ministry Registrar
Chapter 8: Candidacy & Candidacy Forms
Candidacy & Conference Relations Forms
Chapter 10: Psychological Assessment
Chapter 11: The Interview Process
Section 4: Clergy and Set-Apart Ministries
Chapter 14: Provisional Membership
Section 5: Education and Continuing Formation
Chapter 18: Licensing School and Course of Study
Chapter 19: Seminary Relations and the Ministerial Education Fund
Chapter 20: Certification in Specialized Areas of Ministry
Chapter 21: Continuing Education
Section 6: Support, Nurture and Accountability
Chapter 22: Systems for Clergy Support and Accountability
Chapter 23: Clergy Endorsement
Chapter 24: Clergy Orders and the Fellowship
Chapter 25: Clergywomen in Ministry
Chapter 26: Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural Ministry
Section 7: Conference Relationships
Chapter 28: Candidacy and Clergy Files: dCOM, BOM, and Personnel
Personnel and Supervision Files Summary Presentation
Chapter 29: Changes in Conference Relationship
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Division of Ordained Ministry
Email: dom@gbhem.org
Phone: 615-340-7389
RELATED RESOURCES
Annual Conference and BOM PagesCandidacy and Conference Relations FormsGlossary of Candidacy Terms
2012 Discipline Errata Sheet - March 1, 2013 Candidacy Mentor Training Request Form 2013-2016 Checklist for Recommendation of Involuntary Status Change - for recommendations received Jan. 1, 2013 or later Conference Relations Changes Chart Handbook on Ministry Interpretation, 2013-2016 (a/k/a The Red Book) Working Rules of the Commission of Theological Education History of General Conference Action on Security of Appointment
