Why you don’t need to fear the dragon’s den!

Gone are the days when your future as a trainee minister hung on surviving a grilling from a black-suited interview panel. How do you become an Elim minister today? Phil Worthington took Chris Rolfe through the process.

We’ve all seen it – the moment a quaking entrepreneur steps into the den, hoping their invention or business idea will wow the fearsome panel of Dragons. That’s what many people think interviews for Elim ministry training are like, says Ministry Department Director Phil Worthington. “Back in the day you felt you had half an hour to prove your worth with a ten-minute sermon and a twenty-minute grilling in the General Superintendent’s office. It felt very intense,” he says.

But not anymore. Today’s revamped process is more relaxed, with group sessions and smaller interview panels putting relationships front and foremost. The pathway into Elim ministry was a topic explored at last month’s ELS. Here, Phil explains how you can become an Elim minister and what your training will involve.

Stage 1: Meeting the Ministry Criteria

“We’re looking for people who aren’t necessarily fully-formed ministers but are showing some capacity,” says Phil. This means that filtering candidates before inviting them to interview is an important first step. When you apply for ministry training, therefore, there are three criteria you’ll need to meet.

Elim calling You may feel called to ministry, but do you feel called to Elim ministry? “People have to have a connection with our movement,” says Phil. You can demonstrate this by having actively participated in an Elim church for two years or having been a Regents student or a missionary with Elim for five years.

Church support Coupled with this is a reference from an Elim pastor, Regents lecturer or missionary team leader. “Do you have a calling in their eyes as well as in yours?” Are you actively serving and entrusted with leading people in church already?

Theological training Have you been to Bible college or done theological training? If not, you’ll be asked to complete Regents’ Ministry Foundation Certificate. “We’ve had applicants with a degree in theology from Cambridge University, which is fantastic, but you need practical training in how to minister in the Spirit, as well as Biblical training.”

Stage 2: Applying for Training

If you meet those criteria, you’re good to apply. Here’s what happens next.

Registration: You apply for training and are invited to a two-hour online seminar where the next steps are explained.

References: You’ll complete a doctrinal questionnaire about your beliefs and provide references from your minister, a Christian friend and a minister from another church. You’ll also fill in a self-declaration before completing a full government DBS check.

Review: If you’re judged to be theologically sound you’ll be invited for interview. Before that, you’ll also be asked to submit a video of yourself and complete a couple of short courses about Elim.

Stage 3: The Interview

Then the big day – or rather two days – arrive and it’s time to attend a Ministry Selection Day in Malvern. These involve:

Group sessions: You’ll chat about different scenarios and how you might handle them. If your spouse comes they’ll have their own session about the challenges and benefits of being married to a minister. There’s also an evening session where you can ask questions and get a feel for ministry life.

Interviews: This part of the original process remains, but it’s much less formal. It’s half an hour where you’ll preach a ten-minute sermon prepared in advance and answer questions from two people – not five! If applicable, you’ll be interviewed with your spouse, then a second interview the next day gives you a chance to say anything you missed in the first conversation.

Socialising: People stay overnight and meals are eaten together. It gives everyone a chance to get to know each other in a relaxed way, which is as much a part of the interview process as anything else. Often candidates form good friendships which last beyond the interview process.

Review: Thanks to effective filtering before the interviews most candidates are judged suitable, with around 90 per cent put forward to the National Leadership Team for consideration. After this, you’ll be stationed in a church and become an MiT.

Stage 4: Ministry Training

The MiT process typically takes three years and includes supervision and mentoring while serving in a church full- or part-time. Your training will also include:

Reporting: You’ll submit pastoral reports every three months.

Reflecting: You’ll complete a portfolio, recording and reflecting on evidence of your experience in eight competencies.

MiT conference: You’ll attend three annual MiT conferences in Malvern. After this, you’re eligible to have your portfolio reviewed.

Ordination: First, you’ll be put forward for ordination at a ministers’ conference, then you’ll be ordained at an official ceremony. Now you’re a full Elim minister!

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.