National Ministries

The United Brethren church maintains a strong focus on the local church. That is where most ministry occurs. Anything that happens at the national level should do one of three things:

1. Support the work of local churches.

This includes a number of matters related to ministers (licensing, training, assigning, pension, insurance), youth and women’s ministries, literature distribution, crisis management, technology assistance, and other areas.

2. Enable local churches to cooperate in larger, broader ministries.

This includes such areas as missions, church planting, and Huntington University.

3. Provide needed support ministries.

Financial services, communications, and the biennial US National Conference meeting come under this heading.

The national office, located in Huntington, Ind., is known as Healthy Ministry Resources. This reflects the purpose of the national office and its staff–to be a resource for building healthy ministries in our churches. The bishop, as the denomination’s highest elected leader, oversees the office and the ministries of the various national entities.

In addition, a variety of leadership teams are responsible for specific areas of ministry–pastors, missions, youth, etc.

Churches pay 3.5% of their income (minus missions giving and building fund) to support Healthy Ministry Resources and other cooperative ministries.