Each Minister in Training is assigned a coach that may or may not be the pastor whom they serve under. As a coach, be sure to let the pastor of the MIT know that you are serving in this capacity under the direction of the District Board of Ministry (DBM). Let the pastor know that you are coming alongside them and will check in with them on a regular basis to see how things are going on the local level. The pastor should feel free to contact you if they have input, questions or concerns. You are there to work together in seeing the MIT through the program.
It is desirable that you make contact with your MIT on a quarterly basis. At least one contact each year should be a face to face contact. If you are working with an MIT of the opposite gender, please establish appropriate boundaries and meet in a more public space.
1st Quarter Contact — June, July or August (could occur at District Assembly for face to face)
2nd Quarter Contact — September, October, November
3rd Quarter Contact — December, January, February
4th Quarter Contact — March, April, May
The District Board of Ministry will be counting on your insights as they make decisions regarding moving the MIT along in the process toward ordination. We request that you send a quarterly written summary of your meeting, MIT's goals and progress toward those goals, questions or concerns you may have and any relevant information to the Secretary of the DBM. A form is provided for your use.
You will follow this MIT throughout their process from your first assignment with them through their ordination. You will be there to encourage them and to advise them. They should be making progress each year on their educational requirements and experience requirements.
During the last few years of their involvement as an MIT, particularly as they reach Level 3 and 4 of the program, they have supervised ministry experience that they must fulfill prior to being recommended for ordination. If they have a senior pastor who is an ordained elder for whom they are working, that senior pastor will be responsible for guiding them through those experiences. If they are themselves a senior pastor or are not working under the direct supervision of an ordained elder as senior pastor, we will ask that you also oversee that supervised ministry experience.
In order to help guide your coaching conversations, the following discussion and topic areas are suggested throughout your years of working with your MIT. These topics are a guideline only and can be interchanged between levels. Some topics you may want to discuss at each meeting or during each of the levels. Some students will pass through these levels quickly, others may take up to 10 years. You may have an MIT who comes into the program at Level 4 because of educational and experience credits received prior to receiving their first district license. In those case you will want to review topics and discussion from prior levels to have a complete understanding of your MIT's insights, plans and progress.