Thank you for choosing to serve as a mentor of an emerging leader in the MidAmerica District. We are grateful for your investment in the multiplication of leaders. This falls under our Biblical Mandate to make disciples who make disciples – something we do not take lightly. We hope that this is as life-giving of an experience for you as it certainly will be for your emerging leader(s). Below is a list of our expectations for you and what you can expect from the District Leadership Team. Please review this with the Leadership Pipeline Director.

As a mentor, first and foremost continue to grow and develop yourself:

Pursue intimacy with God as your first priority.
Attend mentor training as often as possible.
Review the books that your ordinand is reading.
Engage similar assignments as your ordinand.

Familiarize yourself with your ordinand’s Ordination and Consecration Handbook and the requirements of each Module.

Follow the Mentor Handbook guidance for how to coach your ordinand through each Module.

Regularly review interview questions with ordinand throughout the process found in both Handbooks.

·       Share an intentional meal with your ordinand two times a year (include spouse or others as able).

·       Regularly check in to ask questions about your ordinand’s spiritual and relational wellbeing.

·       Seek help from District Leadership as needed if concerns arise.

·       Take advantage of gathering your emerging leaders regularly in a cohort:[1]
What did you get done this month? [2]
What are you working on?
What will you have done next month?

·       Waivers and Substitutions
All waivers must be requested by the mentor: 
Think creatively about your ordinand’s experience and education, “This might satisfy this requirement. Let’s ask.”
Waivers should be done via email or online form.

All waivers must be approved by the Superintendent:
The district office will always lean heavily upon the mentor’s recommendation.
No approval is official until written approval from the district superintendent has been received by the mentor and the ordinand.

·       Online Tracking:
Please track assignments electronically when feasible:
Google Drive and OneDrive are fantastic resources.
The district office would love to help you with this.

Encourage the ordinand to track their own progress:
Review the ordinand’s progress with them (in the cohort or individually).
The mentor is to review all assignments but is only responsible for grading the final paper (use the rubric provided in the handbook for grading).

Final Assignments:
The district office will begin scheduling interviews around three months in advance, but we will not finalize the interview schedule until all assignments have been received by the district office.
All assignments need to be submitted at least 30 days before the interview schedule is finalized.
Help your ordinand(s) set a goal for an interview date.

·       Help your ordinand be prepared for the interview.

Use Quizlet and/or ask regular questions over the course of 2-3 years.

The LO&CC wants to see:

Correct handling of the Word of God.

Lifestyle of Spirit-dependence.

Character of humility and hunger.

What to Expect:

2-3 hours of questions.

Remind ordinand to bring their Bible and USE it during the interview (no notes).

If married, encourage their spouse to come and help precure babysitting if needed.

·       After the interview, we will send the ordinand and spouse out of the room to assess their performance and give them the result immediately following the discussion.

If there are conditions for their ordination, you will be included in the conditions.

·       Please remind the ordinand they are not formally ordained until the affirmation service (titling should not be used until after the service).

·       This should be done in the ordinand’s local ministry context within 2 months.

·       Some questions to help the ordinand and the leaders of the ordinand’s context to consider:

Who is responsible for the service?
Who will be invited?
Who will give the charge to the ordinand?
Who will administer the vows?
Who else should speak/share words of encouragement?
Reception afterward?

·       Please make sure there is a gift prepared by the home church, including for the spouse of the ordinand, (This should not just be a bouquet of flowers. Some better options are a gift card shower, a special gift that is specific to them, or a love offering PLUS a bouquet).