Search & Call Process
Clergy & Seminary Students
Overview
The Search & Call Process is a process by which the Alliance of Baptists helps individuals, congregations, and organizations who are seeking God’s call to live out their vocation. Clergy or seminary students who wish to have their desire for a call shared with Alliance affiliated congregations and/or organizations can participate in the Vocational Assistance Process.
If you wish to participate in the Search & Call Process, please take the following steps:
1) Become an individual member of the Alliance. If you are not currently a member you may join at allianceofbaptists.org.
2) Complete the attached Individual Profile.
3) Send the completed Individual Profile and your resume (preferably in electronic form) to Chris Copeland, Minister for Leadership and Congregational Life, at or Alliance of Baptists, 1328 16th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20036.
4) Contact Chris Copeland at or 866-745-7609 to schedule a personal meeting and/or phone conversation to discuss your understanding of your vocation and your hopes for a call to ministry.
5) Following the conversation, your Individual Profile and resume will be sent to congregations and/or organizations who are seeking ministerial leadership.
6) When you receive a call to a congregation or organization or wish to be removed from the Search & Call Process, contact Chris Copeland.
7) You must maintain contact with the Alliance – including updating your profile and resume, sending an email, and/or initiating a phone conversation or personal meeting – at least once a year to remain active in the Search & Call Process.
Responsibilities
In the Search & Call Process, certain responsibilities are accepted by the individual completing the Individual Profile, by the staff of the Alliance who share the Profile with congregations and organizations, and by those who receive the Profile from the Alliance.
· It is the responsibility of the individual, in completing the Profile voluntarily, to do so completely and truthfully. It is also the responsibility of the individual to reflect any substantive changes by updating the form or completing a new Profile.
· It is the responsibility of the Alliance to share the Profile only with the consent of the individual. Such consent is implied by the completion of this Profile and will be considered to be in force for one year from the date of the signature, after which the individual will need to complete a new Profile. Any qualifications or revocation of this consent must be provided in writing.
· It is the responsibility of the individual or committee representing a congregation or organization that receives this Profile to handle the information confidentially and not to share it with others without written permission from the individual. It is also the responsibility of such persons to interpret the information with sensitivity and to take into account any comments provided by the individual. Perfunctory rejection of candidates in the absence of a complete and thoughtful review of the information provided is a misuse of this process.
The completion of this Profile by an individual, the sharing of this Profile by the Alliance staff, and the receiving of this Profile by an individual or committee representing a congregation or organization indicates the acceptance and affirmation of these responsibilities.
Individual Profile
I. Personal Information
Contact
Name:
Address:
Phone:
E-mail:
Date of Birth:
Educational history
Degree/Certificate:
Year Completed:
Institution:
City, State:
Degree/Certificate:
Year Completed:
Institution:
City, State:
Degree/Certificate:
Year Completed:
Institution:
City, State:
Degree/Certificate:
Year Completed:
Institution:
City, State:
Congregational membership
Name:
Address:
Phone:
Web Page:
Involvement (other than employment):
Other Activities & Interests
Denominational and/or Ecumenical Involvements:
Community Activities:
Interests and hobbies:
Part II: Professional Information
Employment History
Current Employer:
Address:
Phone:
Web Page:
Job Title:
Dates of Service:
Previous Employer:
Address:
Phone:
Web Page:
Job Title:
Dates of Service:
Previous Employer:
Address:
Phone:
Web Page:
Job Title:
Dates of Service:
Previous Employer:
Address:
Phone:
Web Page:
Job Title:
Dates of Service:
Licensing & Ordination (if applicable)
Licensing Congregation:
Address:
Date:
Ordaining Congregation:
Address:
Date:
Ecclesiastical Endorsement (if applicable)
Endorsing Body:
Type of Endorsement:
Date:
Part III: Professional References
By listing professional references below, you grant the Alliance of Baptists permission to contact these references without your prior authorization, unless you indicate otherwise.
Reference 1
Name:
Address:
Phone:
E-mail:
How long have you known this person?
What is the context of your relationship with this person?
Would you prefer to know in advance before this reference is contacted? [] Yes [] No
Reference 2
Name:
Address:
Phone:
E-mail:
How long have you known this person?
What is the context of your relationship with this person?
Would you prefer to know in advance before this reference is contacted? [] Yes [] No
Reference 3
Name:
Address:
Phone:
E-mail:
How long have you known this person?
What is the context of your relationship with this person?
Would you prefer to know in advance before this reference is contacted? [] Yes [] No
Part IV: Vocational Call
Ministerial Roles Preferred (check all that apply)
[] Congregational Minister
[] Solo pastor
[] Co-pastor
[] Senior pastor of multiple staff church
[] Interim Minister: Can relocate Cannot relocate
[] Christian Education / Spiritual Formation
[] Children
[] Youth
[] Singles/Young Adults
[] Senior Adults
[] Music
[] Church Starter
[] Bivocational
[] Other:
[] Chaplain
[] College / University
[] Hospital / Hospice
[] Prison
[] Other:
[] Professor
[] College/University
[] Seminary
[] Pastoral Counselor
[] Other:
Compensation Preferred
Salary: $
Housing: $
Total Cash Compensation: $
Benefits Preferred
[] Social Security Offset
[] Retirement
[] Health insurance
[] Life insurance
[] Continuing education funds
[] Housing allowance preferred [] Parsonage preferred
[] Conference funding
[] Book allowance
Leave Preferred
Vacation:
Continuing Education:
Sick:
Sabbatical:
Other Issues
Other personal factors related to possible relocation, for example, geographical preferences or prejudices, spouse’s employment needs etc.:
Part V: Question For Reflection
Describe your understanding of your call to ministry. What is God calling you to at this time?
Part VI: Misconduct
Have allegations of misconduct – including but not limited to sexual harassment, exploitation or misconduct, physical abuse, child abuse, or financial misconduct:
· led to civil, criminal, or ecclesiastical complaint(s) being filed against you?
[] Yes [] No
· led to your resignation or termination from a position? [] Yes [] No
· led you to resign or terminate your employment to avoid such charges?
[] Yes [] No
· led to your conviction of a felony? [] Yes [] No
Please attach an explanation for each incident or action that caused you to answer “yes.” Please include the date, nature, and place of each incident; where and when each was adjudicated; or the disposition. Indicate steps taken toward resolution, if any. Use additional pages as needed.
Part VII: Ethical Behavior
1. I affirm that the ministry of an individual affiliated with the Alliance of Baptists, together with any position power and authority associated with such a ministry, extends and participates in the ministry of Jesus Christ. In accepting a role with a congregation or church-related organization, I pledge to enter into a covenant relationship for the advancement of the ministry of Jesus Christ and the benefit of all to be served by this ministry. Initial:
2. I will maintain the highest ethical standards with my colleagues and the institution where I am employed. Initial:
3. I will not use my position, power or authority to exploit others financially, sexually or emotionally. Initial:
4. I will honor all confidences shared with me, and I will maintain that confidentiality when I move to another field of ministry. Initial:
5. I will seek to build constructive and supportive relationships with my colleagues in ministry, not only with the staff where I work, but also with ecumenical and interfaith professional religious leaders. Initial:
6. I will live a life which honors my commitments to myself and those with whom I live. I will honor my need for physical, spiritual, and intellectual renewal, and I will respect my family’s need for privacy and time together. Initial:
7. I will accept responsibility for all debts that I incur and be a responsible steward of my finances. Initial:
8. When I enter a new field of ministry or retire, I will sever my professional relationships with my former constituents, and I will not interfere with the ministry of my successor. Initial:
9. Relying on the grace of God, I will live a life worthy of the calling to which I have been called. Initial:
Part VIII: Affirmation
I affirm that I have responded to the previous items on this Profile completely and truthfully. I take responsibility to reflect any substantive changes to this information by completing and submitting a new Profile to the Alliance of Baptists in a timely manner.
I further affirm my commitment to personal and professional conduct of the highest ethical standards in accord with the model of Jesus Christ and the practice of Christian ministry.
Signed: Date:
Revised September 2008
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