For mentors currently mentoring Gordon-Conwell students in a Mentored Ministry course, please find the forms you need for your part in your student’s assignments in Quick Links to the right.
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Mentored Ministry is the field education component of the Masters of Divinity program at Gordon-Conwell. Students have the requirement, opportunity, and privilege to be mentored by an experienced pastor or ministry leader and to gain practical experience in one or a variety of ministries during three semesters of their choice while at Gordon-Conwell.
Two Orientation Saturday Mornings – one in September and one in October – are required for incoming MDiv students in their first semester and must be attended prior to doing any Mentored Ministry for credit in subsequent semesters. (Spring semester Student Mentored Ministry Orientations are TBA depending on spring enrollment numbers. There is no summer Mentored Ministry Orientation.)
Mentored Ministry Courses (MM505, 605, & 705) are when students engage in actual ministry on the field, overseen by an approved mentor. Each course is 12 weeks long (a normal semester in length) and should average 10 hours per week. Up to half of the student’s allotted time may be spent in preparation for ministry (e.g. Bible study, sermon preparation, etc.) with the other half being focused on people ministry, including weekly one-on-one mentor meetings.
Mentors are required to meet with personally with their student once a week for an hour, committing yourself during that time to their spiritual growth and maturity, as well as their ministry knowledge and skill development. Written assignments are required at the beginning (Learning Covenant) and at the end (Progress Report or Final Evaluation) of each 12-week Mentored Ministry course, part of which you are responsible for providing (i.e. “Questions for Mentor Response.”)
Odds of Getting a Student: A “Disclaimer”
Here at Gordon-Conwell Hamilton, we are fortunate to have many more churches and ministries interested in having our students work with them than there are seminarians to go around. Therefore, less than 20% of all church or ministry requests actually find a student. A majority of our students (about 98%) find ministry opportunities by word of mouth, and in addition, do their Mentored Ministry within about a 20 mile radius of the seminary.
While we love the church and are happy to make potential Mentored Ministry opportunities known, we do believe that inquirers need to be informed of the odds, so that churches’ or ministries’ hopes for a student may not be too high – and so that no inordinate amount of labor be done on anyone’s part to try to arrange for something that may not be realistic.
In summary, Gordon-Conwell Mentored Ministry is committed to being student-centered. We reserve the right to decline or limit certain ministry opportunities we may feel do not offer a robust or supportive enough ministry environment for students.
What is an approved mentor, and How do I become one?
All mentors working in ministry with Gordon-Conwell students must be approved by the Mentored Ministry Office of the Seminary. Prior to commencing a mentoring relationship with a student, the mentor must have completed an Application to Mentor, agreed to the Mentoring Commitment, and have been approved by the Mentored Ministry office.
The school requires mentors to have had at least five years of full-time ministry experience before seeking the approved mentor status.
It should be noted that long years of experience and excellent skills in ministry do not necessarily qualify one for supervising ministry students. Therefore, the Seminary requires training in supervision for new mentors. Mentors are expected to attend (once) the seminary’s September (TBA) half-day New Mentor Orientation prior to or simultaneous to beginning working with their student.
Mentors will also be expected to uphold the standards of the Mentored Ministry program in order to continue their status as mentors. This includes meeting the minimal commitment of meeting with their mentoree an average of 1 hour per week for personal and ministry mentoring during the 12 weeks of the student’s Mentored Ministry course(s). It also presumes that the mentor is in basic agreement with the GCTS Community Life Statement.
What is New Mentor Orientation?
This is the half-day training and orientation seminar that each newly-approved mentor is required to attend, once. The New Mentor Orientation is typically scheduled on a TBA Tuesday in September. A complimentary lunch is included.
“I would like a student. How can we get one?”
If you are already an approved GCTS mentor, then all you need to do is fill out the Position Description Form and scan, fax or mail it in to us. We will make a posting for your ministry opportunity and 1) Send it out by e-mail to the student body, 2) Upload it to the web site, 3) Post it on our bulletin board outside of our office for students to view, and 4) Keep a full description on file in our office for reference.
If you are not already a GCTS approved mentor, you must be willing to seriously mentor any student who would choose your opportunity, and to go through the process of being approved before we can post your opportunity. This involves completing an Application to Mentor and attending our ½-day new Mentor Orientation. Please read above under “Approved Mentors” to learn how to move forward.
Please also refer to Odds of Getting a Student: A “Disclaimer”
What denominational considerations are there?
Students sometimes ask, “Is my denominational affiliation important?” Our answer is, “It very much could be.” Here are three reasons why:
Firstly, it could make a huge difference in the kind of networking needed to find a ministry job after graduation – particularly if a student is planning on, or open to the possibility of, ordination. Frankly, we find that students with denominational affiliation have a much easier time. As we often say – unless God has clearly told you to go non-denominational, you should seek to choose an appropriate denomination.
Secondly, it is very helpful to unite and resource with other Christians who share one’s theological and methodological convictions and/or emphases. We advise students to begin the process of finding their best possible denominational fit now, rather than figuring out later that they are uncomfortable with a given ministry situation. Also, selecting a denomination (or association of churches) does not necessarily mean that they are locked in. There is often reciprocity between denominations and non-denominational churches, meaning quite a few are willing to hire people from outside their denominational group.
Thirdly, even though a student may believe that God is not calling them to ordained ministry or a job in the church, a time may come when this might change. They owe it to themselves to at least know their convictions and preferences, “just in case.” Plus, if they do choose a denomination, the inquiry or candidate process can take a long time (one to two-plus years is not uncommon), so the earlier they start, the better!
So, how can students start the process of checking out denominations? Please take a look at our Denominational Chart. We have listed the top-represented denominations from the GCTS student body and categorized them by topics that seem to matter most to our students in their selection process: church polity, theology, stance on women in leadership, and view on baptism. We have also included contact information for the regional and national representatives of these denominations for your convenience.
Finally, please note that we have several copies of The Handbook to Denominations in the United States available on loan in the Career Services office (AC233).