Ordination
ORDINATION THROUGH AMiE
The Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) is a fellowship of faithful Anglican churches committed to gospel mission.
We are passionate about planting, strengthening and partnering for the salvation of many and the glory of God. England desperately needs to hear the gospel, and we are keen to identify and encourage more men and women who are exploring the possibility of full-time Christian ministry and who will join us in sharing the greatest news in the world. Our growing fellowship is committed to the following values: prayerfulness, evangelism, generosity, risk-taking, encouragement, excellence and humility. More information on these can be found in our Identity and Values booklet.
What follows focuses specifically on our assessment process for ordination, rather than other forms of ministry. AMiE holds to the historic ‘complementarian’ Anglican understanding of ordination as appropriate for some men and as faithful to the apostolic teaching. We are also keen to identify and encourage men and women who are considering other forms of full-time Christian ministry. Please see the contact details under ‘Next Steps’ below if you would like to talk further.
WHY PURSUE ORDINATION THROUGH AMiE?
We will provide you with the following as you seek to discern God’s will for your future life and ministry:
A fellowship committed to reformed Anglicanism
If you begin the ordination assessment process with AMiE, you will be connecting with a fellowship of churches that are committed to the Reformed understanding of Biblical faith, as outlined in the 39 Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer, the Ordinal, the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration, and the ReNew Statement of Faith. These documents express our doctrine of God, the Bible, salvation, the sacraments, and church ministry and governance.
A Rigorous Assessment Process
We want to do all we can to work with you to discern carefully whether ordination is the right path for you at this stage of your life and ministry. Ordained ministry is challenging, and we want to show you our love by asking the right questions at each stage. More details can be found below under ‘The Ordination Assessment Process’.
Continuing Advice and Support
We will be on hand to offer advice and support as you go through the discernment process. If you become an AMiE ordinand, that advice and support will continue as decisions are made about appropriate theological and ministry training, options for gaining more ministry experience, and future ministry posts. Although for now AMiE is not able to offer finance for theological training, we will give advice as you work through the financial implications of ministry decisions.
You will attend our annual conference, which provides spiritual, emotional and physical refreshment for AMiE ministers and ordinands, their wives and other members of senior leadership teams. These conferences also help to deepen our love in Christ for one another.
Episcopal Care
Since our fellowship of churches is Anglican by conviction, we are committed to providing godly episcopal guidance and oversight. Our bishops serve our congregations, ministers and ordinands through their biblical teaching, prayerfulness, sharing of ministry wisdom, and active relational care.
Our bishops are also the key gatekeepers of future ordained leadership. Our local churches are committed to identifying and training the next generation of ordained leaders. Our bishops ensure that only those rightly qualified will be ordained for this ministry. Ordinations conducted by AMiE bishops are authentically Anglican and are recognised by Anglicans around the world. AMiE churches are connected to the global Anglican family through GAFCON.
Partnership in Ministry
Those engaged in our ordination assessment process, along with those who have been accepted as AMiE ordinands, are welcomed into a fellowship that provides them with mutual encouragement and challenge, prayer support, and opportunities to learn from one another. We are together seeking to become better equipped for a life of faithful service of Christ wherever he calls us. We want to serve our churches and one another with the gifts, resources, experience and expertise with which the Lord has blessed us.
THE ORDINATION ASSESSMENT PROCESS
These are the steps that we will follow if you decide to enquire about the possibility of ordination through AMiE:
Initial Conversations
When you contact us expressing an interest, we will arrange to talk with you, either by video or audio call. We are keen to hear about you, how the Lord has led you so far, and why it is that you are thinking about being ordained. We will also explain more about the AMiE process. We are happy to keep in touch with you over as long a time as it takes for you to become clear about whether it is right for you take things further
Enquirer's Information Sheet
If you decide to take things further, we will send you our Enquirer’s Information Sheet. This is an initial set of questions, and has a request for details of referees, including your church minister.
References
We will take up references from those who know you well, and who can help us discern the right way forward for you.
Ordination Assessment Questions
If in the light of the reference it seems appropriate to move the next step, we will ask you to complete this comprehensive series of questions. They cover six main areas: your conversion, character, convictions, competence, capacity and context. In the light of your answers, a decision will be made as to whether to move to the next step, or whether an alternative course seems better for you at this stage
Ministry Advisory Panel (MAP)
An AMiE Ministry Advisory Panel (MAP) currently takes the form of two members of the AMiE ministry team coming to spend 24 hours with you. There is a series of interviews broadly covering the areas addressed by the AMiE Ordination Assessment Questions, as well as a pastoral exercise, and informal time over a meal with you (and your wife if you are married). Following the MAP, we write a report with recommendations, including on appropriate training, which goes to an AMiE bishop.
The Bishop's Decision
An AMiE bishop will decide, on the basis of the MAP report along with the other process documentation, whether you should be accepted as an AMiE ordinand, and if so what the next steps should be for theological and ministry training.
Ordination
Once appropriate training has been undertaken, and after a further review by a bishop, an ordinand is first ordained deacon (that is, ordained for service). He will then work on a church staff as an assistant minister. In due course, a deacon can then be ordained presbyter (that is, ordained for servant leadership). See the Book of Common Prayer Ordinal for the biblical patterns of diaconal and presbyteral ministry.
