1. Provisional Membership
Goals & Strategies
Board of Ordained Ministry Quadrennial Training, 2016

2. Theology & Practice Integration
Goals
Methods
Integrating theology & academics with practice
Building partnership, trust, support, & accountability among clergy
Building collaborative ministry relationships among deacons, elders, local pastors, lay
Covenant Groups
Mentoring
Theological Reflection on Ordination
Covenantal Relationship of the Order
Fruitfulness Project
The Provisional Membership period is a time for continued education and development in the context of appointed ministry and for provisional members to prepare to demonstrate to the BOM their fruitfulness in ministry.
The Discipline requires a residency curriculum for deacons & elders with these aims:
integrating theology and academic learnings with the practice of ministry
Building clergy relationships of partnership, trust, support, accountability
Building collaborative ministry relationships among deacons, elders, LPs
And these methods:
Covenant Groups (they have an actual covenant); Mentoring (process guidance); Theological reflection on ordination; Clarifying and committing to the covenantal relationship of the order
The Fruitfulness Project is required of provisional members. Resources can be found at bomlibrary.org.
Covenant groups have covenants. What are the components of your covenant group covenants? How does the residency curriculum set up the expectation for continuation of use of covenant groups, mentoring, covenant renewal, and theological reflection on ordination into the future? (Need good order chairs to facilitate this in full membership.)
 Mentoring is process guidance. It can be done in groups. What do mentors need to know? (group leadership, the process, the ministries of pastors and deacons; ABLC & EM). How do you train mentors? How do you provide continuing development for mentor leadership? (improve their skills)
Covenantal Relationship of the Order. (draw on paras )
Theological Reflection on Ordination. [Draw on para. 303 and the ordinal.]

3. Form Leaders Who . . . Make Disciples Who Transform the World
Lead into the Future
Shape Conference Ministry Strategy into the Future
Are Always Learning & Growing
Form Leaders Who . . .
Purpose of Provisional Curriculum: Continuing Formation of Deacons & Elders
Preparing Leaders Who Make Disciples for the Transformation of the World
Preparing Leaders who lead into the future
Preparing leaders who shape the conference’s ministry strategy into the future
practical knowledge
Develop habits of always learning, growing, stretching knowledge and abilities
Things to consider:
Does the conference have clarity about how it should be in ministry in the future?
Is your provisional curriculum looking at future projections for the world in which your conference will be living? Demographics? Technology? Culture? Economics? Environment? Fear of anyone seen as an “other?” Intercultural competency? Other?
Is your provisional curriculum teaching members how to lead strategic planning? (For ministry sites, for conference leadership)
Do you invite your BOM chair to do a presentation on their expectation for licensed and ordained leaders; that is, what they are looking for in appointed leaders.
Do you invite the bishop to present on what she or he perceives to be the skills and gifts needed in appointed leaders into the future?

4. Training in Practice Managerial Spiritual Self Renewal
Working with Volunteers
Budgeting
Staff oversight
Physical Plant
Conflict
Spiritual
Faith formation leadership
Worship leadership
Special rites
Compassion and justice
Self Renewal
Sabbath
Daily spiritual maintenance
Regular spiritual retreats
Hobbies, interests
Nuts and Bolts training For Leaders
Leaders of existing churches, of new church starts, specialized ministers, elders in extension ministry, deacons appointed beyond the local church can all use training in:
Working with volunteers
Forming & Sending Disciples
Disciplines in their own growth as a disciple
United Methodist Worship leadership
Budgeting, overseeing staff, strategic planning
What experts do you bring in to lead these?
How do you provide resources for future reference?
How does your BOM develop a culture of self-care, humility, and continuing development as disciples and as leaders?

5. Don’t forget . . .
Required of deacons and elders, regardless of appointment site
Times, locations, frequency
Intentional interaction
Enhance understanding of the orders (new question for ordination)
Introduces the provisional member to order life
Don’t Forgets:
Required of all members—deacons, elders, local pastors, deacons appointed beyond local church, elders in extension ministry
Times, locations, frequency should accommodate the various ways our provisional members are in ministry
Intentionally include all, interaction with all
Enhance understanding of the orders (new question for ordination)
Introduce the provisional member to order life (BOMS should encourage their order chairs to develop robust order life; see paras )

6. How to find help
Rev. Victoria Rebeck Director of Provisional Member Development
BOM Library (bomlibrary.org): Provisional Membership link (last in the column)
BOM Handbook, Chapter 14
(615)
BOD paragraphs