An assigned minister may start a local church when authorized to do so by the district superintendent or the general superintendent having jurisdiction. Official organization reports are to be filed with the General Secretary’s office by the district superintendent. (100, 208.1)
Section: Ministry and Christian Service
536.13
Membership in the district assembly shall be by virtue of being a pastor or other assigned minister who is actively serving and maintains employment in such ministry as his or her primary vocation in one of the assigned ministerial roles defined in paragraphs 505–526.
536.14
Information disclosed to a minister during the course of counseling, advising, or spiritual direction shall be held in the strictest confidence possible, and shall not be disclosed without the informed consent of the person, except as required by law.
Whenever possible and as soon as possible, the minister should disclose those circumstances under which confidentiality may be breached:
- When there is the clear and present threat of harm to self or others.
- When there is the suspicion of abuse or neglect perpetrated on a minor child, disabled person, elderly person, or other vulnerable person as defined by local law. It is not the responsibility of the reporter to ascertain the veracity of the report or to investigate the context of the report, but only to report suspicion to the appropriate authorities.
- In legal cases when under court order to provide evidence.
Ministers should keep secure minimal records of the content of sessions, including a record of the disclosures given and the informed consent received.
Knowledge that arises from professional contact may be used in teaching, writing, homilies, or other public presentations only when measures are taken to absolutely safeguard both the individual’s identity and the confidentiality of the disclosures.
While counseling a minor, if a minister discovers that there is a serious threat to the welfare of the minor and that communication of confidential information to a parent or legal guardian is essential to the child’s health and well-being, the minister should disclose information necessary to protect the health and well-being of the minor.
536.15
All elders and deacons are expected to be involved in 20 hours of lifelong learning per year, to be administered by the District Ministerial Studies Board. (527.6)
536.16
537
The general secretary is authorized to receive and hold for safekeeping the credentials of a member of the clergy in good standing who, because of inactivity in the ministry for a period of time, wishes to file them. At the time of filing the credential, the member of the clergy shall certify to the general secretary that the credential is not being filed for the purpose of avoiding discipline. The filing of the credential shall not prevent a member of the clergy from being subject to discipline as a member of the clergy. Members of the clergy who file their credentials with the general secretary may have them returned according to the provisions of 538.2.
537.1
When a member of the clergy in good standing ceases from an assigned ministry to pursue a calling or vocation other than being a member of the clergy in the Church of the Nazarene, he or she may resign the rights, privileges and responsibilities of being a member of the clergy and return the credential to the district assembly in which he or she holds standing, to be placed in the care of the general secretary. The record in the district minutes will show that he or she was “removed from the Roll of Ministers, having resigned his or her order.” A member of the clergy who thus resigns may have his or her credential returned according to the provisions of 538.3.
537.2
A member of the clergy who fails to fulfill the responsibilities of being a member of the clergy by remaining unassigned for four or more years will be considered to be no longer participating as a member of the clergy. In such instances, the person will be required to file his or her credential. The District Ministerial Credentials Board shall report to the district assembly “the credential of (the elder or deacon in question) has been filed by the District Ministerial Credentials Board.” This action should be considered nonprejudicial to character. The individual who files may have his or her credential reinstated according to the provisions of 538.2.
537.3
A member of the clergy may be removed from the Roll of Ministers if he or she receives a Letter of Commendation from his or her local church and does not use it in joining another Church of the Nazarene by the time of the next district assembly, or if he or she declares in writing that he or she has withdrawn from the Church of the Nazarene, or if he or she changes his or her residence from the address of record without providing the District Ministerial Credentials Board within one year with a new address of record, or if he or she joins another denomination either as a member or a minister, or if he or she fails to submit an annual report as required in 530.8 and 536.9; the District Ministerial Credentials Board may recommend and the district assembly may order that his or her name be removed from the membership roll of the local church and the Roll of Ministers of the Church of the Nazarene.
537.4
A member of the clergy not in good standing may resign his or her credential, upon recommendation of the District Advisory Board. (538)