PASTORAL MINISTRY HANDBOOK | CHAPTER 8
Lay Ministers
¶101 Description
The lay minister license is granted by a local church to affirm a person’s call to ministry in the local church. They intend to use the gifts God has given them to perform specific acts of ministry and leadership in the local churches where they are members, under the guidance and direction of the senior pastor.
This license is used for those who are recognized volunteer or paid staff in a local church. Persons holding this license are not assumed to be pursuing status as a specialized minister, national conference minister, or ordained elder.
¶102 Qualifications
To become a candidate for a lay minister license, persons must do the following:
1. Hold membership in the local United Brethren church to which they apply for at least one year.
2. Verify that they have completed the equivalent of a standard high school education.
3. Demonstrate the following:
a. Faithfulness to the membership, family, and social standards of the church (UB Discipline, chapters 4-6).
b. Conformity to the general expectations of ministers (UB Discipline, chapter 7).
¶103 Licensing of the Lay Minister
The following procedure is established for the licensing of a lay minister.
1. Referral of the Senior Pastor
After consulting with the candidate to determine God’s call and the candidate’s suitability for ministry, the senior pastor shall refer the candidate to an examining committee.
2. Examination
a. The senior pastor shall arrange for an examining committee composed of the cluster leader (or his appointee), the senior pastor, and one other member of the local church.
b. The cluster leader will serve as chairman of the examining committee.
3. References
The candidate shall present three references giving evidence of the candidate’s faithfulness in Christian living and suitability of service using the Ministerial Reference for Ministerial Licensing form. References should be obtained from the following individuals:
a. The senior pastor of the church where the candidate is a member.
b. A layperson serving in leadership at the local United Brethren church the candidate attends.
c. The chairperson of the Personnel Relations Team of the church where the candidate is a member.
4. Written Responses
The candidate shall provide written responses to the following:
a. Do you believe our Confession of Faith as set forth in our Discipline?
b. Describe your conversion experience, journey of faith, and call to ministry.
c. What is your motive in seeking this lay minister license?
d. Are you satisfied with the moral and social standards and the government of the church, and will you maintain them on all occasions?
e. Will you submit yourself to the official counsel of your fellow Christians?
f. Define the following terms: depravity, redemption, faith, repentance, justification, regeneration, and sanctification.
g. Is it your purpose, if received, to remain permanently with the church?
h. Have you ever pled guilty to or been convicted of any crime?
i. Have you ever been charged with child neglect or abuse?
j. Has your driver’s license ever been suspended or revoked?
k. Is your use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs consistent with the standards detailed in Discipline, Chapter 6, Paragraph 143? If not, please explain.
5. Other Documents
The candidate shall submit a copy of his/her high school and/or college diploma.
6. Examination
Based on the above documents and any others the committee may require, the candidate shall be examined to determine matters of:
a. Personal integrity.
b. Commitment to the Christian faith.
c. Ministerial call.
d. Relationships with others.
e. Spiritual maturity.
f. Understanding of the doctrinal distinctives, history, and polity of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.
7. Report to the Local Church
a. Following the examination, the examining committee shall report its findings to the local church and make any recommendations it deems consistent with its findings.
b. Pending a favorable recommendation from the examining committee, the local church may choose to grant a lay minister license.
8. Notify the Bishop
The cluster leader shall file a report of the examination and action taken with the bishop. This report should include copies of all documentation presented to the committee. Upon receipt of this report, a certificate will be provided to the local church for presentation to the lay minister.
¶104 Licensing Status
1. Temporary License. Prior to completion of the course of study (outlined below), the lay minister license is considered temporary and must be renewed annually until a permanent license is obtained.
2. Permanent License. When the course of study has been completed, the examining committee shall once again examine the candidate. If the committee so recommends, the local church may grant a Permanent Lay Minister license to the candidate.
¶105 Course of Study
1. All persons who have been granted a temporary lay minister license shall pursue a course of study in which they shall read and be examined by the senior pastor on 12 books, as follows:
a. Enduring Commitments of the United Brethren Church: “How to Read the Bible for All it’s Worth”, by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart. Zondervan, 1993; “Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul’s Path to God”, by Gary Thomas. Zondervan, 1996; “Building Up One Another”, by Gene Getz. David C. Cook, 1976; “The Master Plan of Evangelism”, by Robert Coleman. Revell, 1994.
b. Theology & History: “Who Needs Theology: An Invitation to the Study of God”, by Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson. InterVarsity, 1996; “Theological Perspectives”, Paul R. Fetters, editor. Church of the United Brethren in Christ, 1992; “Church History in Plain Language”, by Bruce Shelley. Word Books, 1995; “All For Christ” (vol 1 & 2), by Steve Dennie. Church of the United Brethren in Christ, 2017.
c. Specialized Study: the Lay Minister selects four (4) books, in collaboration with the senior pastor, focused on the specialized field of service in which the lay minister will serve.
2. To be eligible for annual renewal, those holding a temporary license must read and pass an examination on books at a pace to be determined by the senior pastor. The examination will be administered by the senior pastor.
3. To be eligible for a permanent lay minister license, the lay minister must complete a course in UB History.
¶106 Transferring the License
When the lay minister, both permanent and temporary, transfers membership from one United Brethren church to another, the license is automatically transferred once the receiving church has confirmed the transfer of membership.
¶107 Loss of the License
1. Local churches have the authority to revoke the license of a lay minister whose life and/or ministry are inconsistent with the expectations detailed in the Discipline.
2. Failure to retain membership in a United Brethren church will also result in loss of license.
¶108 Annual Renewal of Temporary License
1. The Temporary License must be renewed each year by the local church.
2. Renewal is subject to the following conditions:
a. An annual report must be made to the local church. This report may be made in person or in writing.
b. Progress is being made in the required course of study (as stated above).
¶109 Expectations of Lay Ministers
In addition to the general expectations of all ministers and members in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, lay ministers are expected to faithfully fulfill the following.
1. Annual Reporting
a. Lay ministers, both permanent and temporary, are expected to file an annual report of their activities with the local church to which they belong.
b. When serving as a supply pastor, lay ministers will also file an annual report with the bishop and cluster leader.
2. Accountability
a. Since this license is granted by the local church, lay ministers are accountable to the local church of which they are members.
b. If they are serving as a supply pastor, they are also required to participate in and be accountable to a cluster.
3. Ministerial Service
a. Lay ministers shall work under the direction of their senior pastor and bishop.
b. Lay ministers may be asked to fill pulpits when ministers are ill or on vacation, serve as supply pastors, or do specific acts of ministry as part of the overall ministry of their local church or the denomination.
c. When serving as a supply pastor, lay ministers are authorized to officiate at funerals and weddings, and to administer the ordinances of baptism and communion.
