The Church takes with utmost joy and seriousness its responsibility to help brothers and sisters discern God’s call on their lives. The Commission on Ministry (COM) has canonical responsibility to determine “present and future opportunities and needs for the ministry of all baptized persons” and, in consultation with the Bishop, to “design and [oversee] the ongoing process for recruitment, discernment, formation for ministry, and assessment for readiness therefor.” (Canon III.2.2)
It begins in different ways for different persons. Sometimes it starts with an idea, an image, a life experience, or a dream that won’t let us alone. Sometimes it begins with or is reinforced by a word from others. We begin to wonder what God is up to in our lives. Sooner or later we decide whether or not to explore this sense of invitation. The exploration is called discernment and requires a posture of radical openness and availability to the Holy Spirit. Discernment leads one deeper into ministry. Occasionally, it leads to ordained ministry.
Is God leading you to:
Ordained Ministries? Licensed Ministries?
When it comes to discernment where our place in the body of Christ is, things can sometimes be tricky. For many this process is to determine if one is called to ordained ministry, but the bigger question is what gifts has God blessed me with and where can my gifts best benefit the work of Christ in our world. We are not just a single “unidimensional Part.” God has gifted the church with many diverse people whose gifts—when brought together—can be used for the kingdom.
The desire of the Commission on Ministry in offering these Leadership Assessment Tools is to help individuals and discernment groups determine what those gifts might be. These are tools, not exams or tests used to sort out those called to ordination and those not called. Rather they provide another lens through which discernment can take place.
Click here to download the compiliation of Leadership Assessment Tools.
Download the 2009 Convention presentation by Becky Beall-Moore, chair of the Commission on Ministry
Download the 2009 Report to Convention from the Commission on Ministry.
Contact the Commission on Ministry
