The Ministerial Committee makes decisions on ministry credentials and policies that promote the support, health, and training of credentialed leaders and safe church practices for congregations. They meet quarterly to act on recommendations from the credentialing committee, review and revise current policies around credentialed leaders, and provide leadership in cases of misconduct.
Report from the September 4, 2024 Ministerial Committee Meeting
Credentialing Updates and Motions
Ordination
- Effiem Obasi (LA [CA] Faith Chapel)
- Emmanuel Villatoro (Philadelphia [PA] Praise Center)
Withdrawn
- Charles Ness (Towamencin [PA])
- Mark Wenger (Franconia [PA])
License Extension
- Benjamin Toussaint (Solidarity and Harmony [Philadelphia, PA])
Active without Charge to Active
- Samuel Charles (Bethel Worship and Teaching Center [Levittown, PA])
- Tim Weaver – Mosaic Leadership Minister
Other Ministerial Committee Updates
Hearing from Beth Yoder (Salford [PA]) about her Giving and Receiving Counsel Process
Giving and Receiving Counsel Policy Update – adding steps for after committee determination
Misconduct Policy Review – for situations of conflict of interest and enmeshment
Credentialing Renewal Update – approximately half of credentialed leaders have successfully renewed their credentials
Credentialing Process Alternative Questionnaire will be tested with Partner in Ministry leaders outside of the United States.
Definitions Related to Credentials:
- Licensed for Specific Ministry (LSM) – Person called from within the congregation to serve in a specific leadership assignment within the congregation or another organization
- Licensed toward Ordination (LTO) – Issued for a three-year period with the purpose of testing the inner and outer call to ministry, further discerning of ministerial gifts, abilities, and aptitude; may or may not lead to ordination.
- License Extension – A three year-extension is given to a person in active ministry who has a license towards ordination but is not ready for ordination.
- Ordination (ORD) – Long-term leadership ministry credential appropriate for all pastors, area conference ministry staff, chaplains, missionaries, evangelists, and those determined by the church to have a continuing ministerial-leadership role in and on behalf of the church.
Status Definitions
- Active – held by those serving in a leadership-ministry assignment.
- Active without Charge – held by those not presently holding a ministry assignment.
- Inactive – held by those who have been without a ministerial assignment for more than three consecutive years.
- Retired – held by those who have retired from active ministry.
- Withdrawn – is given when a ministry credential is ended for non-disciplinary reasons.
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.