Strategic Priority 5

Lead The United Methodist Church in clarifying and building consensus around the denomination’s ordering of ministry.

Strategic Objectives:

• Support the 2009-2012 Study of Ministry Commission and the Committee of Faith and Order to ensure that their work enhances clarity and consensus around the ordering of ministry.
• Create and distribute resources (print, electronic, Web-based) that will clarify the ordering of ministry.
• Train and consult with the orders, boards of ordained ministry, and district committees on ministry to clarify their roles and responsibilities and to improve effectiveness during enlistment, candidacy, and provisional processes.
• Develop a system for ongoing demographic research about the ordering of ministry.
• Collaborate with the Council of Bishops in creating resources and guidelines for the appointment and deployment of deacons in appointments beyond the local church and elders in extension ministry.

Strategic Outcomes:

• The work of the Ministry Study Commission will produce consensus about the ordering of ministry with appropriate enabling legislation for the 2012 General Conference.
• Multilingual, multimedia materials will be available and utilized throughout the denomination to impact the conversation regarding the ordering of ministry.
• District committees on ministry will understand and utilize the candidacy process, resulting in more qualified candidates who understand the ministry to which they are called.
• Annual conferences will have residency programs that incorporate all four components described in the Book of Discipline: mentoring, continuing theological education, supervision, and covenant groups.
• There will be collaboration between general agencies in sharing data and a central repository of data related to the ordering of ministry for GBHEM.
• Bishops will identify and deploy deacons and elders in appointments that give full expression to the Disciplinary definitions of these ministries.