National Conference Ministers

A local church can recommend that a Local Church minister be advanced to the next level, National Conference minister. The person’s call to the ministry has already been affirmed by his own church. Now it is affirmed by the US National Conference.

The license is granted by the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team after a thorough examination and recommendation of the Ministerial Licensing and Ordination Team. National Conference ministers become accountable to the PMLT.

The National Conference license is the second of three steps toward ordination, which is the goal expected of persons holding this license. You can’t settle in with this license, but must show progress, each year, toward meeting the requirements for ordination. National Conference ministers are expected to be getting the education needed to become ordained. Their studies should lead to one of the following:

  1. The completion of a set of core courses covering a range of subjects–Bible history and theology, personal discipline, pastoral ministry, church ministry, and church leadership.
  2. A Master of Divinity degree through an approved seminary.

The license is valid for four years. After that, it must be renewed each year, showing that progress is being made toward ordination.

Read more about National Conference ministers in the Pastoral Ministry Handbook.