DBMD Process

Let’s Do This Together!

The DBMD Process is a 3-way partnership between the pastor, the ministerial candidate, and the District Board of Ministerial Development (DBMD) — each have a pivotal role to play in helping the candidate step into their God-given calling with The Wesleyan Church (TWC).

Pastor, It Starts With YOU

When someone in your congregation senses God’s call to pursue ministerial education, first, CELEBRATE! God is moving! You are making disciples!

Here are a few simple steps for YOU, the PASTOR, to take in the discipleship process with the DBMD:

  1. Review the Guide To Exploring The Call with your potential ministerial student. Ask them to complete the Student Application for Recommendation found on the last few pages of the packet. (To go a little deeper, first have them read Keith Drury’s book, The Call of a LifeTime, and report back to you.)

  2. Review their completed form with them.

  3. Schedule their entrance interview with your Local Board of Administration (LBA). Here are some questions to ask and a simple form your LBA can use in that 15-20 minute interview.

  4. If your LBA approves the ministerial applicant, email a letter on church letterhead to the district office (office@chesapeakewesleyan.com) recommending they pursue ministerial credentials with TWC.
    Note: Please include the ministerial candidate’s email address on the Letter of Recommendation.

  5. Once the district office receives a Letter of Recommendation, the ministerial candidate will receive a welcome email outlining the steps they need to take to keep moving forward in the process.

    Note: If you do not have an LBA, and the District Board of Administration (DBA) is your governing board, please replace LBA with LAC (your Local Advisory Council).

Ministerial Candidate, Let’s Roll … And Enroll

Now that your pastor and your church board said, “Yes, let’s do this together,” you’ve got some work to do before you are considered for ministerial student status. You will receive a welcome email with next steps. Once those next steps are completed in a timely manner, you will then be considered for ministerial student status by the DBMD. The DBMD will recommend you to the DBA, and at the subsequent DBA meeting, you will officially be approved as a ministerial student in the Chesapeake District. 

The 3-Way Call Continues

  • The pastor continues to encourage and work with the student in their calling and progress, including helping and overseeing the completion and accuracy of the DBMD forms.

  • The student continues serving in the church and taking educational courses. Make sure your transcripts are emailed to ECD (education@wesleyan.org) so that your student record stays up to date with your completed courses. Once you think you are ready for licensure, please contact the district office.

  • The DBMD continues to encourage accountability and progress (through DBMD forms and interviews on the journey).

Contact DBMD

Contact DBMD