A Document of the General
Commission on Ministry, published by the Office of Search and Call,
Disciples Home Missions; this revised version became official on August 1, 2011
Believing that Jesus is the Christ,
Son of the living God, and proclaiming him Lord
and Savior of the world, I reaffirm my vows as a
minister. Through dedication and discipline I will lead and serve with
integrity. Relying on the grace of God, I commit myself to the following:
Personal Conduct
• Witnessing to the ministry of Jesus Christ
• Dedicating time, strength, vitality and energy
for effective ministry
• Growing in faith,
knowledge and the practice of ministry through
the spiritual disciplines, study, continuing education,
and service
• Living a life that honors
my commitments to my family,
including the need for privacy
and time together
• Taking time for physical and spiritual renewal,
recreation, and vacation
• Being a faithful
steward of God’s gifts to me by managing time, talents, and financial
resources responsibly and generously
• Accepting responsibility for all debts that I incur
• Keeping physically and emotionally fit, and refraining from substance abuse and other abusive behaviors
• Using my position, power, and authority
in non‐exploitive ways
• Maintaining high moral standards in my sexual behavior
• Regarding all persons
with equal respect
and concern, and undertaking to minister impartially
Relationship to the Church
that I Serve
• Nurturing and offering
my gifts for ministry to the Church
• Calling forth and nurturing the gifts of others in the
church, and joining their gifts with mine,
for the sake of the mission of Jesus Christ and the health of the Church
• Preaching and teaching
the gospel without
fear or favor and speaking
the truth in love
• Administering the sacraments/ordinances and services of the Church
with integrity and not
for financial gain
• Working cooperatively and collegially with those whom I serve in the particular
ministry to which I have been called
• Administering the corporate finances of the Church with personal integrity
• Refraining from accepting any gift which would compromise the church’s ministry
• Protecting confidences; covenanting to only tell those
who need to know, what they need to know, when they need to know it.
• Acting to prevent and to report known or suspected
cases of physical or sexual abuse or neglect
• Encouraging and participating in the regular evaluation of my ministry
and cooperating with the Region in
the annual review of my ministerial Standing
• Seeking the counsel
of the Regional Minister and/or the Racial/Ethnic Executive Pastor as appropriate should divisive tensions
threaten my relationship with those I serve.
Relationship To Ministry Colleagues
• Engaging in covenant
relationships with colleagues, which involve nurture,
discipline, family support, vigorous dialogue, mutual teaching and
learning, and spiritual formation
• Supporting colleagues in ministry and their families
while not exploiting their problems or crises
• Performing pastoral services
within another congregation or for a member of another
congregation only at the request of that congregation’s elders and current
pastor
• Supporting, and at no time speaking maliciously of, the ministry of my
predecessors or another minister in the congregation
• Encouraging the ministry
of my successor upon my retirement or departure from a
ministerial position, without
interfering or intruding, and by making
it clear to former parishioners that I am no longer their pastor nor will I perform any pastoral
services unless requested by the congregation’s elders and current pastor.
Relationship to the Community and the Wider Church
• Participating responsibly in the life and work of my community, bearing
prophetic witness to the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, and working toward a just and morally responsible
society
• Participating faithfully in the life and work of all expressions of the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Seeking to know, understand, and respect the diversity of opinions and
people within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Being a responsible representative of the one Church of
Jesus Christ and participating in activities which strengthen its unity,
ministry, witness, and mission
I
hereby affirm, accept,
and agree the content of this document
in the preparation of my Ministerial
Call:
