6516
From Wesleyan Discipline
6516. Criteria for Advancement to Established National/Regional Conference Status. In addition to the recommendation of the supervising General Conference to the International Board, the following is a checklist of documentation that must accompany any application for advancement of a mission unit or other body to Established National/Regional Conference status. It is to be understood that these criteria will be used for a comprehensive review and composite evaluation of each application. Therefore, it is the overall strength that is being assessed rather than a rigid focus on each criterion. An applicant may request an exception on a specific requirement for cause.
- (1) Effective church organization on local, district, and/or national/regional levels demonstrated by:
- (a) An organized district or national structure.
- (b) A minimum of fifty fully organized or established local churches (not counting preaching points or missions).
- (c) A minimum of two thousand full members.
- (d) Sufficient number of ordained ministers to support district and/ or national/regional levels of administration.
- (e) A process for collection of local church statistical data.
- (2) Effective program of discipleship and membership training demonstrated by:
- (a) Curricula for discipleship, lay leadership, and membership training systems that reflect commitment to Wesleyan-Arminian theology.
- (b) Active delivery systems for discipleship, lay leadership, and membership training.
- (3) Effective program of ministerial education demonstrated by:
- (a) An approved curriculum or standards for ministerial education leading to ordination and reflecting commitment to Wesleyan-Arminian theology.
- (b) A delivery system for ministerial education, such as a Bible school, theological institute, college, university, or seminary; a program of ministerial education conducted in cooperation with another denomination or consortium; a non-residential ministerial training program; a properly supervised correspondence or internet-based training program.
- (4) Evidence of responsible stewardship demonstrated by:
- (a) A self-supporting system for financing the district and/or national/regional administration.
- (b) Properly approved annual budgets for district and/or national/regional administration.
- (c) Annually audited financial reports for district and/or national/regional conferences.
- (5) Defined and operational programs of evangelism, church planting, and mission outreach demonstrated by:
- (a) Active missions engagement multiplying disciples across linguistic, cultural, national, and/or geographic boundaries.
- (b) A process for annual reporting of conversions and baptisms.
- (c) An ongoing strategy and track record of church planting.
- (6) Functioning property-holding body (or bodies) per local laws
demonstrated by:
- (a) Directory information providing the legal name(s) of each such body.
- (b) A copy of bylaws or official registration(s) identifying each such body.
- (7) Adherence to the Essentials of The Wesleyan Church, demonstrated by a covenant of adherence to the Essentials signed by all the members of the highest governing board of the national/regional entity.
- (8) A Discipline approved by the supervising General Conference.