RECOGNITION STANDARDS AND PROCESS

Extracted and modified from "Recommended Procedures for Ordination, Commissioning and Recognition for the Christian Ministry in the American Baptist Churches" 
 
PROCEDURE FOR RECOGNITION OF NON-AMERICAN BAPTIST ORDINATIONS
1. The congregation which desires to call a person who has been previously ordained by another denomination initiates the process by communicating with the department of ministry in the region where ministry is to occur.  The person indicates intention to have the person's previous ordination recognized.
2.  The individual upon his/her own request, or the request of the local congregation appears before the Department of Professional Ministry.  The committee undertakes the following functions at this meeting.

         A.  A review is made of the "letter of ministerial standing"  which the individual has secured from his/her present denomination. 

        B.  Discussion focuses on the individual's

               1)  personal background, faith, baptism, and ministerial experience.

               2)  educational background (including transcripts or other forms of certification of graduation)

               3)  character references; and

               4)  written request for the recognition of his/her prior ordination.

          C.  The committee determines the adequacy of the person's understanding of Baptist history and polity.  If no polity and history course has been completed, the committee should make specific recommendations to the individual in this regard.

          D.  During the discussion the candidate should state his/her reasons for entering the ministry of the American Baptist Churches and his/her intention to participate in its agtencies.  The committee also should determine whether the candidate understands and subscribes to the Covenant and code of ethics developed by the Minister's council

         E.  The person must meet Track I, II or III's standards, including the ethics course and candidacy assessment.

3.  The committee should vote to (or not to) recognize the person's previous ordination.

 
NOTE: Should the ordination under consideration for recognition not be from an established denomination but done under the auspices of only a local church, a paper (as described in the section on ordination standards) will be required.