Theological Education for Emerging Ministries

Theological Education for Emerging Ministries

Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) is a process by which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America approves for the roster of ordained ministers those persons "who by reason of age and prior experience" (Constitution 7.31.14) are qualified to participate in an alternative program of preparation for ordination. It is for exceptional persons who are identified for ministry in a specific context and complete theological education (non-M.Div. degree) and candidacy requirements.

Criteria for Theological Education for Emerging Ministries
Theological Education for Emerging Ministries provides an alternate preparation process that is uniquely suited to the person identified to provide leadership in an emerging ministry. The normal candidacy process is followed regarding Entrance, Endorsement, and Approval decisions once a person is recommended by an Initial Assessment Panel.

Persons who prepare through TEEM are, without exception, individuals who are perceived by the ELCA to possess those leadership abilities that are needed in specific communities such as African American, Black, Asian and Pacific Islander, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native, Arab Middle Eastern, deaf, remote rural and inner city communities.

Persons who have met the criteria established by the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission unit may be seen as potential pastor developers. Others may be identified by their synod or churchwide staff as persons who demonstrate the potential for leadership in particular ministry settings.

Synods who identify an individual as a potential candidate for Theological Education for Emerging Ministries should have a specific emerging ministry in mind. The synod assumes a greater responsibility for placement in this process than for other routes to ordained ministry.

It is understood that the minimum age for such persons to be considered for this process is normally forty years.

Candidates prepared through TEEM participate in the churchwide assignment process and are prepared to serve the whole church

The Candidacy Process for TEEM
Entrance
The following steps in the process must be completed before the applicant applies to a seminary program:

Step 1
An Initial Assessment Panel meets with the prospective candidate. The panel selected by the synod Bishop or his/her designee includes:
— The Bishop (or designee)
— The chairperson and one other member of the synod candidacy committee
— A representative of the ethnic community from which the candidate comes
Step 2
Once a positive recommendation is made by the Initial Assessment Panel, the candidate completes the application for candidacy, including the psychological and career evaluation and congregation registration. The following should be sent to the Vocation and Education unit at the churchwide office:
— A copy of the application
— Letter of recommendation from the Bishop
— Letter of recommendation from the Initial Assessment Panel
— A copy of the psychological and career evaluation
Step 3
Once the Vocation and Education unit receives these application materials, the churchwide Theological Education for Emerging Ministries evaluation team will review the application and make a positive or negative recommendation for the program. This recommendation will be sent to the synod bishop or the staff person assigned to candidacy and the candidacy committee.
Step 4
The synod candidacy committee conducts an Entrance interview with the candidate and makes an entrance decision.

Theological Review Panel
The Vocation and Education unit appoints a Theological Review Panel (TRP) at an ELCA seminary to assess, direct, guide, oversee and advise the candidate on a suitable program of study. The Theological Review Panel will include two or more faculty members of a seminary of this church. At least one of these faculty members is to be on the faculty of the seminary which directs the candidate’s Theological Education for Emerging Ministries program. The panel also includes a member of the candidacy committee and staff from the Vocation and Education unit. One additional member of the panel will be selected in consultation with one or more churchwide units including the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission, Global Mission, and Multicultural Ministries units, giving priority to the language and cultural background of the candidate. The program of study may include some pre-seminary work depending on the assessment of the committee. Guidelines for the panel are to be followed carefully.

The Program of Study includes a minimum of 20 credit hours, study of Scripture, Christian theology, the Lutheran Confessions, church history, worship, preaching, and the polity and practices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. These are minimum requirements and the Theological Review Panel may exercise judgment in determining additional requirements.

Candidates will be expected to complete a minimum of one year of residency at a seminary of this church, supervised clinical work, and an internship. The Theological Review Panel may waive one or more of these requirements based on criteria described in the guidelines for the panel and in consideration of the candidate’s experience and competency. This decision is made in consultation with the synod candidacy committee at the time of endorsement.

The synod assists the candidate in securing the financial assistance needed to complete this program. The Vocation and Education unit, other churchwide units, and the seminaries of this church, are resources to the candidate and the candidacy committee during the time of preparation.

ELCA seminaries reserve the right to deny a person admission if the applicant is unable to meet the necessary financial requirements, or if the applicant’s academic qualifications prove to be a major barrier to successful completion of studies.

Endorsement
During the course of study, at a time agreed upon by the Theological Review Panel and the candidacy committee, the candidate participates in endorsement, including the preparation of the Endorsement Essay. The candidacy committee acts on the endorsement of the candidate in a regular endorsement interview. This endorsement decision is reported to the Vocation and Education unit, Department for Candidacy.

Approval and Assignment
Upon the successful completion of the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries program the Theological Review Panel reviews the candidate’s file and makes a decision concerning possible further study or preparation. Candidates will normally be expected to complete one year of residency at a seminary of this church, as well as the requirements for supervised clinical work and internship.

The decision options of the Theological Review Panel include the following:

Immediate recommendation for approval of the candidate
Recommendation for approval of the candidate upon the satisfactory completion of the recommended work
A decision to reconsider the candidate upon the satisfactory completion of the recommended work
A decision to recommend that the candidate be denied approval

Upon the successful completion of the required work and the recommendation of the Theological Review Panel the candidate is considered for approval by the candidacy committee. A positive recommendation by the Theological Review Panel shall normally be necessary if the candidacy committee is to approve the candidate. In the case of a candidate who has been denied a positive recommendation by the Theological Review Panel, the candidacy committee must consult directly with the Vocation and Education unit. The Vocation and Education unit will arrange for a member of the Theological Review Panel to be present at the Approval interview and to participate in the committee’s deliberations. The approval decision of the committee is reported in writing to the Conference of Bishops. The candidate is assigned to a region and synod for consideration for a letter of call.

Support and Collegial Relationships
Because Theological Education for Emerging Ministries may allow less time to develop relationships of support with colleagues, it is particularly important that care be given to this important part of a pastor’s ongoing growth. During the early years of service it is recommended that the synod bishop offer the newly ordained pastor a mentor to assist the bishop in providing this support. In addition, First Call Theological Education might provide collegial support as well as additional learning opportunities.