PASTORAL MINISTRY HANDBOOK | CHAPTER 24
Restoration Process Summary Sheet
¶371 Steps Toward Restoration
1. An Assessment Team is formed by the Bishop. The Team is given access to all information known about the minister and the incident which caused removal from ministry.
2. The Assessment Team will take time to prayerfully consider all information related to the minister and the incident as well as for the healing and wholeness of the minister. This assessment may take several weeks.
3. The Assessment Team will facilitate a face-to-face conversation with the minister to establish relationship, hear the minister’s perspective, understand the dynamics of the situation, and assess the minister’s readiness for entering the restoration process.
4. The Assessment Team makes a recommendation to the Bishop about whether the minister is ready to enter restoration.
5. If the minister is accepted into the restoration process, the Bishop will appoint a Restoration Team to guide the minister through the restoration process. This team will build relationship with the minister and establish steps and timelines for the minister to follow in finding healing and wholeness. This process will likely last a minimum of 18-24 months.
6. In most, if not all, circumstances the minister will be required to work with a counselor who is skilled in working with individuals who struggle with similar issues as the minister faced. The cost of such counseling is the responsibility of the minister.
7. If, at any time, the minister fails to meet the expectations or becomes resistant to the process, the process may be suspended or terminated.
8. When the Restoration Team unanimously agrees that a minister has been restored to the biblical expectations of ministers, as expressed in 1 Timothy and Titus, the restoration process will be considered complete.
¶372 The Restoration Process IS:
1. Focused on enabling a minister to find healing and wholeness from both the specific incident which led to the individual being removed from ministry as well as the underlying issues which caused the incident.
2. A thorough process which must include spiritual, emotional, relational, physical, and psychological healing.
3. A journey of discovery, repentance, forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation under the accountability of the restoration team.
4. Dependent on the Spirit to guide the process and produce healing.
¶373 The Restoration Process IS NOT:
1. About restoring credentials. Our focus is on healing and wholeness, not credentials. It’s possible that ministerial credentials may be restored following a successful restoration process. However, there are no guarantees of that happening. In some cases, restoration of credentials is unlikely.
2. Fast. It’s impossible to rebuild in a day what years of neglect have produced. A successful restoration process typically lasts at least 18 months and can often extend several years.
3. Easy. There are no shortcuts to repentance, reconciliation, or restoration. It is a long, difficult road from fallenness to ministry fitness.
¶374 Expectations of the Restoration Team
1. Gentleness & Humility. The Restoration Team must be guided by Galatians 6:1-5, sharing the minister’s burdens, and in this way obeying the law of Christ.
2. Confidentiality. The Restoration Team must have access to all details related to both the incident resulting in the minister’s fall as well as any underlying issues causing it. However, it must also treat this information with appropriate confidentiality.
3. Impartiality. The Restoration Team must be willing to set aside any previous experiences with or information about the minister, listening with open hearts and minds to both the minister and those impacted by the minister’s actions.
4. Speaking Truth in Love. The Restoration Team must be able to speak honestly and openly with the minister, as a sibling who is dearly loved by our Father.
5. Evaluation. The Restoration Team will oversee ongoing evaluation of the restoration process and determination of what the end of the process looks like: restoration to service or restoration to spiritual leadership.
¶375 Expectations of a Minister Entering the Restoration Process
1. A spirit of brokenness about the issues which caused the individual to be removed from ministry.
2. A spirit of repentance and forgiveness over those issues regarding one’s relationship with God, with family and with Christ’s church.
3. A desire to work toward wholistic healing resulting in being reconciled in relationship with God, the Christ-body, and their community.
4. A willingness to be transparent with and submissive to the Restoration Team.
5. An openness to seeking professional counseling to address underlying issues.
