Licensing FAQ

Q: Who is a licensed local pastor?
A: A licensed local pastor has answered the call from God to serve the mission of Jesus Christ through the work of the local congregation in The United Methodist Church.

Q: What are the duties of a licensed local pastor?
A: The licensed local pastor performs all the duties of a pastor, including proclamation of the Word of God, leading in worship and liturgy, performing the sacraments of baptism and holy communion, the services of marriage (where state laws allow), burial, confirmation, and membership reception.

Q: Is a licensed local pastor ordained?
A: The licensed local pastor is not ordained in The United Methodist Church but is licensed for pastoral ministry to perform the duties of a pastor as described above.

Q: How do I receive a license for pastoral ministry?
A:

1. Complete the candidacy process, becoming certified as a candidate for ministry
2. Be recommended by the district Committee on Ordained Ministry
3. Complete the studies for the licensed local pastor at a license school.
4. Be approved by the conference Board of Ordained Ministry
5. Provide the annual conference with a satisfactory certificate of good health and other evaluations as required by the annual conference.
6. Be approved by the clergy session of annual conference.
7. Be licensed and receive and appointment from the bishop.

Q: How do I enter the candidacy process?
A: Click on Navigating the Candidacy Process in related links to watch a power point presentation on this topic. You can also read the brochure Steps into Ordained Ministry to see an outline of the candidacy process.

Q: What are the academic qualifications for a licensed local pastor?
A: Licensed local pastors must have graduated from an accredited high school or have received a certificate of equivalency before becoming a certified candidate. The licensed local pastor must pursue theological education through an approved seminary or in the Course of Study.

Q: What is an approved seminary?
A. An approved seminary is a seminary on The University Senate list. The list includes United Methodist seminaries and non-United Methodist seminaries that are approved to train United Methodist clergy. To identify seminaries on The University Senate list, click on The University Senate in related links.

Q: What is the Course of Study?
A. The Course of Study is a basic theological education program prescribed by the Book of Discipline and offered by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. It includes license school, the five-year basic Course of Study, and the advanced Course of Study.

Q: What is the curriculum for license school?
A: License schools are offered by annual conference Boards of Ordained Ministry. The guidelines suggest a minimum total of eighty hours of study in four practical areas: Worship and Preaching, Church Administration, Christian Education, and Pastoral Care. Students who have completed one quarter of the work required for the M.Div. degree may be approved for license as a local pastor without completing the licensing studies provided through the annual conference.

Q: How do I locate a license school in my area and enroll for studies?
A. Click on License Schools to find out locations, class schedules and contact information for license schools in each annual conference.

Q: What is the curriculum for the five-year basic Course of Study?
A: The basic Course of Study is a five-year curriculum with four courses each year:

Year One:

• The Pastor as Interpreter of the Bible
• Theology in the Wesleyan Spirit
• Pastoral Care for Spiritual Formation
• Pastoral Leadership and Administration

Year Two:

• Hebrew Bible I
• Theological Heritage: Early and Medieval
• Formation for Discipleship
• Practice of Preaching

Year Three:

• New Testament I
• Theological Heritage: Reformation
• Our Mission: Evangelism
• Pastoral Care and Counseling

Year Four:

• Hebrew Bible II
• Wesleyan Movement
• Worship and Sacraments
• Personal and Social Ethics

Year Five

• New Testament II
• Contemporary Theology
• Our Mission: Transforming Agent
• Theology and the Practice of Ministry

Q: Where can I take the Course of Study?
A. The Course of Study is offered at regional Course of Study Schools each summer on the campuses of eight United Methodist seminaries. Most courses are offered in a two-week module that allows both full-time and part-time local pastors to attend. Many of the regional schools have extension centers for part-time local pastors only. The extension centers usually offer courses in a two-or three-weekend format, which allows bivocational local pastors to participate without taking extensive time away from their work or families.

To locate seminaries in your geographical area, class schedules and contact information, see more information in this Licensing and Course of Study section.

Q: What if I want to enroll in the Course of Study but am unable to attend a Course of Study Regional School or Extension school?
A: Students who are unable to attend the Course of Study schools at United Methodist seminaries may, with the permission of the Board of Ordained Ministry, take up to four of their courses through the correspondence course curriculum provided by the Division of Ordained Ministry.

Q: What is the Advanced Course of Study?
A: Local pastors who complete the requirements of the Course of Study may continue their preparation for conference membership and ordination as an elder through an Advanced Course of Study program. The 2004 Discipline requires that local pastors who seek ordination through advanced studies:

1. be at least forty years of age;
2. complete a bachelor’s degree from a college or university recognized by The University Senate, or in some instances, for missional purposes, a minimum of sixty (60) semester hours of Bachelor of Arts credit;
3. complete the five-year Course of Study, of which no more than four courses may be taken by correspondence or Internet;
4. complete thirty-two semester hours of graduate theological study or its equivalent as determined by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. These shall include the areas of evangelism and United Methodist history, doctrine, and polity.