The Order of Ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is comprised of Ordained and Commissioned Ministers serving in various roles such as: Pastoral Ministry, Congregational Leadership, Chaplaincy, Education and other specialized ministries. If you are planning to relocate to Florida, please contact the Regional Church Office to initiate transfer of Standing.
Ordained Ministers:
- Have met the criteria for ordination, authorized by the Region, and ordained by the Region and their sponsoring congregation.
- Have their Standing lodged with only one region at a time or with the General Commission on Ministry for specific roles in the wider Church.
- Have completed a Master of Divinity degree (or equivalent) from a seminary accredited by The Association of Theological Schools.
- Must renew their Standing with the Regional Church office annually through the completion of the Standing Form. Standing is lodged in the region where the minister maintains primary residence. It is not necessary to have Standing in a region where one vacations or "snow birds" for the purpose of offering Pulpit Supply.
Commissioned Ministers:
Commissioned ministers (formerly “licensed” ministers) are those persons who have been called by either a congregation or an agency within the Church to serve in ministry. Persons may be commissioned to a specific role in a particular location.**
Commissioning does not transfer from one location or assignment to another. Individuals are only commissioned at the request of a sponsoring body to fulfill a pastoral role within that organization.
Must be under care of the Commission on Ministry (COM)
- Must meet with the COM annually for support and guidance
- Commissioned ministers receive and are held to the rights, privileges and obligations pertaining to Ordained ministry, and are to be routinely participating in a theological program of study.
- Some of our Seminarians serve as Commissioned Pastors, others are fulfilling internship requirements that do not call for commissioning.
- Some ministers spend several years in a Commissioned role while steadily moving toward fulfilling the requirements for Ordination. Others may stay in the Commissioned role never seeking ordination.
- Our General Church has been encouraging all Regional Churches to adopt an "Apprentice Track" program toward Ordination. The Florida Disciples Commission on Ministry is currently taking this under advisement.
If you are considering ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), whether Commissioned or Ordained, you should first contact your Florida Disciples Regional Minister. She/he will discuss the process for Commissioning and/or Ordination in your specific Region.
Together with the Regional Commission on Ministry, you will discern the appropriate and authorized program of study and formation for your journey in ministry.
** Neither Commissioning or Ordination are honorary titles, nor or they to be given as a reward for continued church service (handing out bulletins, teaching Sunday School, etc) **
Regional Commissions on Ministry (RCOM): Operate within specific geographic regions (such as the Florida Disciples Regional Church) to work directly with local candidates.
Core Functions
- Vocation Discernment: Guides individuals sensing a call to ministry through the exploration and preparation process alongside their local congregation.
- Credentialing and Standing: Reviews educational, psychological, and spiritual qualifications to grant official standing for Ordained or Commissioned ministers.
- Ongoing Accountability: Requires annual standing updates and periodic continuing education, such as boundary training and anti-racism/pro-reconciliation workshops, to keep credentials active.
Emergency Response Grant
These grants are made possible by donations from
congregations and individuals and monies held by the Florida Region designated
for this purpose by the Leadership Council. These grants are intended to
provide financial help to congregations and ministries directly impacted by
natural disasters or other emergencies. Grants are limited to up to
$2500/congregation/event and no more than $2500 per congregation per year
combined for all events. We pray these grants may offer some amount of
financial support, but even more be a sign of our solidarity with one another
and our ability to be present to our congregations as part of the wider Body of
Christ.
Mission Grant Application
These $1,000 maximum grants are for church ministry projects
or programs, new or ongoing. You will need to describe the purpose of the grant
request, your target audience, the problem it addresses, the benefit to the community,
how the project/program fits your mission statement, how your program/project
share the message, ministry, and love of Jesus Christ, and other specific
information about the program/project.
New Church Plants
The New Church Planters Grant by the Disciples of Christ Florida Region. This grant provides $5,000 per year for three years to support new church plants (available to congregations in their first 3 years as a Congregation in Formation).