MINISTRY EXPERIENCE

In addition to the educational requirements, experience in ministry is an important aspect of the credentialing process. In fact, ordination in the Church of the Nazarene requires experience in ministry that involves a specific, supervised, accountable ministry position. This ministry position does not need to be a paid position though it must be recognized as assigned ministry. This means there must be a documentable level of assigned ministry responsibilities and accountability above and beyond lay ministry in a local congregation. The time will be evaluated based on the number of hours per week given to the ministry assignment. This time of assigned ministry can begin while you are completing the Course of Study. 

To be eligible for ordination, you must have been an assigned minister on a full-time basis for not less than three consecutive years and, at the time of ordination, you must currently be serving in an assigned ministry. In the case of part-time assignment, you should understand that the consecutive years of in-service time required will be longer, depending on your level of involvement in your ministry assignment (Manual 534.3). 

Your district leadership can help you determine how to best connect your ministry involvement to the experience requirements for ordination. Some districts will provide a Ministry Log which can help you track your assigned ministry, but either way, you are encouraged to keep a record of your years of service in assigned ministry and to document that it qualifies as assigned ministry.

We continue to work with CoRe Churches and Districts to identify congregations that have demonstrated unusual skill in the developing a healthy church and encouraging potential church planters and leaders to seek out these congregations for their ministry experience.