Ministry Department forms
Ministry Department Page
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FAQ
In a nutshell...
Supports all forms of recognised and accredited ministry amongst Baptist Union churches, through all its stages.
Provides guidance, oversight and quality assurance for all processes involved, including child-protection matters.
Provides financial support through Student Bursaries, In-service training grants, Sabbatical and Further Study awards.
Provides training for Mentors and Appraisal Guides.
Helps to settle ministers and ministerial students through The National Settlement Team.
Organises various conferences to support all stages of ministry, including those coming up to retirement.
Supports the accreditation of pastors, preachers, evangelists, youth specialists and all forms of sector ministry, including chaplaincy to industry, health-care and the military.
Inspection Report
The first of the new-style inspections of theological colleges by the Quality in Formation Panel took place in November 2008, and amongst them was the Baptist college, Regent’s Park College, Oxford. The Baptist Union is delighted that the inspection found the College ‘fit for purpose.’ Click here for more information.
Following the good inspection of Regent’s Park College in 2008, the return visit of the Senior Inspector has shown that those developmental aspects indicated in the Report have been fully addressed by the College in the intervening 12 months.
The Baptist Union Ministry Executive is delighted with this good outcome and celebrates with the College the continuing good work it undertakes in the training and formation of Baptist ministers in Oxford. Click here for the Regents Park follow-up report.
The Inspection of the South Wales Baptist College by the Quality in Formation Panel has been completed and the report has been published. Click here for more information.
Contact Ministry
To find out who more about what the Department does or to contact someone in the Ministry Department please download the Information Leaflet.
Or email: ministry@baptist.org.uk | tel: 01235 517702
In more depth...
The Register of Covenanted Persons Accredited for Ministry
Exploring a call to ministry
Ministerial Recognition Committee
Residential Selection Conference
National Settlement Team
Newly Accredited Ministers
Conferences
Grants
Support for Sector Ministers
Guided self-appraisal
Churches Ministerial Counselling Service
Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
The Register of Covenanted Persons Accredited for Ministry
The Ministry Department administers the list of those ministers accredited by the Baptist Union. It comprises five categories of minister:
Category 1 comprises those ministers who are in pastoral charge of a Baptist Church, who serve in Local Ecumenical Partnerships, who work for BMS World Mission, who work as chaplains, or in Baptist Union, Association or College appointments.
Category 2 - Youth Specialist Ministers.
Category 3 - Evangelists.
Category 4 - those seconded to other ministries.
Category 5 - those ministers who have retired from stipendiary ministry in any of the other categories, but who remain Baptist Ministers in calling and by ordination.
All those enrolled onto the Register are expected to live and serve in covenant relationship with the Baptist Union, its Churches and Associations, and to do so in ways which honour their calling and are in accord with the disciplinary ideals of their ministry.
Details of all ministers on the Register of Covenanted Persons Accredited for Ministry, details of churches and Associations can be found in the BUGB Directory.
Although your Regional Minister is the best person to contact as you investigate the possibility that God is calling you into ministry, you may also find it helpful to read some initial information which can be downloaded by clicking on the appropriate link below:
You can also find out more about training course that is being developed for lay pastors and preachers and is delivered by our Baptist Colleges, in cooperation with our Associations and the Baptist Union by downloading the leaflet Baptist Training Partnership.
Ministerial Recognition Committee (MRC)
One of the Department's committees is the Ministerial Recognition Committee. It meets three times a year and deals with all aspects of the recognition of ministers and their work. This includes secondments to other forms of ministry as well as Leave of Absence; a mechanism for holding ministers on the Register when they may not be active in ministerial duties for a variety of reasons.
The MRC also works as a Sub Committee to interview ministers from other denominations who may wish to pursue transfer to the Baptist Union, and those who come from overseas with ministerial experience. This committee will also interview those who for one or other reason have come off the Register but now wish return in order to pursue ministry with the Baptist Union.
Another means of selection is the RSC or Residential Selection Conference which selects candidates who have chosen not to train for ministry in a Baptist College.
Recommendations from the RSC and the Sub Committee go to the National Ministerial Recognition Committee for ratification.
Residential Selection Conference
Residential Selection Conferences (RSC) provide a process for discerning suitability for Accredited Ministers where the candidate has not been a student at a recognised Baptist College. Candidates, who must hold a university-validated qualification in theology at Level 2 or above, or who have a portfolio of approved prior learning, are assessed on their calling and suitability for Baptist Ministry by a team of experienced selectors in a context of worship.
These 2-day conferences, which are held two or three times a year, are chaired by the Moderator of the Ministerial Recognition Committee (MRC) and findings are taken as recommendations to the full National MRC which makes the formal decisions. Flexible arrangements now govern the probationary period for Newly Accredited Ministers who come through RSC, in recognition of the wide range of experience of candidates.
The National Settlement Team (NST) helps available ministers and ministers in training in their leaving year settle in churches and seeks to assist churches in filling a pastoral vacancy. The NST meets ten times a year and is composed of a Regional Minister from each Association, together with representatives of the Baptist Union of Scotland, the Baptist Union of Wales and the Ministry Department. Access to the system is through the Regional Minister in the Association where the minister or church is situated. A copy of the current pastoral vacancy list is available via your local Regional Minister or by contacting Robin Urwin on 01235 517710.
The BUGB recommended Terms of Appointment (Full Time or Part Time) are available from the Ministry Department's Free Downloads. The book, Facing a Pastoral Vacancy, contains advice for churches during a pastoral vacancy.
Although the Ministry Department offers career-long support, we exercise a particular focus during the three to four year probationary period of a Newly Accredited Minster (NAM). Throughout this important period of formation, each NAM will be paired with an experienced minister in their area, who acts as a mentor to guide and advise them as they develop.
In addition, we ask that all NAMs enrol with one of the five Baptist Colleges to undertake a series of tailored learning contracts that are pertinent to their own ministry and experience. Further group support is provided through Regional Review Groups and Theological Reflection Groups which may be conducted in association with a Baptist College. The Ministry Department also organises an annual conference for NAMs which those in the second year of their probationary period are required to attend. This residential, national conference provides further opportunity to consider issues arising in ministry.
The Ministry Department organises a range of events including:
Ministry Refresher Conference
All serving ministers, whether in a pastorate or other role, are invited every five years from when they were first enrolled to this gathering when 150+ ministers meet for three days of fellowship, refreshment, bible study and plenary addresses.
Forthcoming dates:
21-23 September 2009 (for those enrolled in years ending 4 and 9)
27-29 September 2010 (for those enrolled in years ending 5 and 0)
26-28 September 2011 (for those enrolled in years ending 1 and 6)
Pre-retirement Conference
For ministers and spouses. These popular courses run every June at High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, and in the Autumn (depending on demand) at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick. They are designed to help with the preparation for this major change, and are open to anyone within four years of their planned retirement date. Topics include health, housing, finance, using your time and the spiritual life. Bookings are currently being taken for High Leigh courses from 2 to 4 June 2009, 8 to 10 June 2010 and 7 to 9 June 2011.
Newly Accredited Ministers Conference
As part of the requirements before Newly Accredited Ministers (including Youth Specialists and Evangelists) can be transferred to the fully accredited list, they attend this four day conference for encouragement and reflection on ministry. This is held each summer, and those invited usually attend towards the end of their second year of ministry.
Sector Ministry Conferences
Each year conferences are arranged for those in chaplaincy roles, whether full or part time. Normally one per sector (Higher Education, Prison Ministry, Health Chaplaincy and Workplace Ministry), all sectors meet together once every three years.
For information on these conferences, please phone Ian Millgate on 01235 517705.
Students Day
In mid-November, all those ministers in training at the five Baptist Colleges in the BUGB and those at the Scottish Baptist College are invited to Baptist House to meet the staff for an introductory day (Student day). There is also a similar day in the autumn on alternate years (BUGB Resource Day) for all newly enrolled ministers from the Residential Selection Conference and Ministerial Recognition Sub Committee routes.
2009 dates: 18 November (Student day)
For information on these two events, phone Sally Hall on 01235 517706.
Specific issues are addressed from time-to-time through day conferences.
Grants are available for accredited ministers towards the following:
In-service training grants These help with the cost of attending conferences, short courses, retreats or other forms of continuing professional development. To download the information leaflet click here – for an application form click here.
Sabbatical grants Ministers may take between one and three months study leave every seven years – modest grants are available to help towards the costs incurred. To download the information leaflet if you are a church, click here or if you are a minister click here. For an application form click here.
Further Studies grants - Those hoping to work for a professional or academic qualification at a higher level than previously obtained may apply for these grants, which are usually given as a proportion of fees.
Scholarship for full-time doctoral research - One or two ministers at a time may receive these major awards, determined by interview. Also open to those ministers in training who have completed college formation and wish to undertake research before taking up a first ministry.
For further information contact: Ian Millgate - 01235 517705.
In addition there are bursaries for ministers in training. Information can be obtained from the Colleges.
The Department supports those in educational, health care, prison and work-place chaplaincies. Conferences are organised for these sectors and networks, enabled through the Sector Ministries Committee and its feeder working groups.
Contact: Ian Millgate - 01235 517705.
Through the United Navy, Army and Air Force Board, an ecumenical grouping comprising representatives from the Baptist Union, United Reformed Church and Congregational Federation, the Department supports those in military chaplaincy in all three services.
Contact: Paul Goodliff - 01235 517702.
This service offers the opportunity for a minister to reflect upon their work and life, accompanied by a trained appraisal guide. No records of the appraisal are kept in the minister's personal file. This is entirely confidential to the minister.
To download the Guidance and Introductory notes, click here.
Contact: Sally Hall - 01235 517706.
Churches Ministerial Counselling Service
This service provides professionally qualified counsellors for those ministers, their spouses and dependent children who wish to access it. The service is accessed anonymously, with no records available to any BUGB staff concerning who uses the service.
Contact: www.cmcs.org.uk
Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
Safe to Grow is the Baptist Union's Child Protection policy. Safe to Belong is the similar policy for vulnerable adults. We support Criminal Record Bureau disclosures, handled through the Churches Agency for Safeguarding. Disclosures are a requirement for all ministers and all persons working with people in those sectors, such as youth work, Sunday School or special programmes for dependent adults, which fall under the remit of the policies.
Advice and accompaniment is available to those churches or individuals handling child protection or vulnerable adult issues, such as an accusation of child abuse or a disqualifying disclosure for a youth leader.
A supply of Enhanced Disclosure forms for use by churches is available on request from Hazel Stanyon on 01235 517708. You may also find helpful guidance on filling in these forms by clicking here.
There is no charge for volunteers to apply, but for those in paid office there is a charge of £36 made payable to the Churches Agency for Safeguarding.
Contact: Alan Elson - 01235 517719.
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