2020 Free Will Baptist Ordination Practices Survey

Welcome to a Survey from the Committee on Denominational Research.

You are invited to participate in a research study that explores the characteristics of our Free Will Baptist ordination and presbytery practices.

This study will explore various facets of the church’s makeup including discipleship, outreach, finances, safety, and the overall characteristics of our Free Will Baptist congregations.

Procedures:

If you agree to participate in this study, you will complete the electronic questionnaire available through Survey Monkey. The questionnaire should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.

Voluntary Nature of the Study:

Your participation in this study is strictly voluntary. Your decision whether or not to participate will not affect your current or future relations with the committee or the National Association. If you initially decide to participate, you are still free to quit at any time without affecting those relationships.

Risks and Benefits of Being in the Study:

There are no known risks associated with participating in this study, and there are no known short or long-term benefits to participating in this study. You may refuse to answer any questions that are unknown or that you consider invasive.

Confidentiality:

In any report of this study that might be published, the researcher will not include any information that will make it possible to identify you. There is no hidden agenda behind the research, only an attempt to find out more about our denomination that we may be able to serve each other better.

Contacts and Questions:

If you have any questions, or if you have questions later, you may contact the committee’s chairman, Dr. Danny Baer at drdannybaer@gmail.com. Information about the Committee for Denominational Research and the results of this and our other research is available at www.nafwb.org/research.

Please complete this survey no later than July 31, 2020.

PLEASE CONTINUE ONLY IF YOU PARTICIPATE ON AN ORDINATION COUNCIL OR BOARD

Thank you for participating.

Statement of Consent:

As a participant in this study, I am aware that all records will be kept confidential, and my name will not be included in the analysis, executive summary or any reports of this survey. By participating in this survey I am giving my consent to use my responses.

Question Title

* 1. Do you participate on an ordination council or board, or have you recently participated on one? (If you answer "no", you may continue with the survey, but please do so only if you have full knowledge of the practices of your local ordination council. Thank you!)

Yes

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* 2. Does your ordination committee have a standardized set of questions for each candidate?

Yes

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* 3. Would you be willing to share those questions with the National Association of Free Will Baptists?

Yes (If so, please email them to questions@NAFWB.org.)

We do not have questions.

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* 4. In what state/country is your association located?

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* 5. What is the name of your association? (This is to avoid duplicate answers. The name of your association will not be included in any report of this survey).

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* 6. How likely are you to conduct a criminal background check with the candidate?

We have a policy to conduct criminal background checks and try to always follow that policy.

Likely

Neither likely nor unlikely

Unlikely

We do not conduct criminal background checks.

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* 7. How likely are you to conduct a financial status check of the candidate?

We have a policy to conduct financial status checks and try to always follow that policy.

Likely

Neither likely nor unlikely

Unlikely

We do not conduct financial status checks.

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* 8. If a candidate is married, how likely is it that would you meet with the spouse?

We have a policy to meet with the spouse of the candidate and try to always follow that policy.

Likely

Neither likely nor unlikely

Unlikely

We do not meet with the spouse of the candidate.

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* 9. Please choose the education requirement you have for ordination.

High school diploma

Some college or a certificate

Associate's degree

Bachelor's degree

Some graduate work

Master's degree

We have no education requirement for ordination

Other (please specify)

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* 10. A number of qualifications are listed in 1 Timothy 3. We are curious how the various aspects are reviewed. The following questions (10-16) address those qualifications.

How does the ordination committee/board assess the candidate's knowledge of and commitment to Free Will Baptist teachings and doctrine?

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* 11. How does the ordination committee/board assess the candidate's teaching abilities?

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* 12. How does the ordination committee/board assess the candidate's preaching abilities?

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* 13. How does the ordination committee/board assess the candidate's abilities to minister to the needs of others?

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* 14. How does the ordination committee/board assess the candidate's general leadership abilities?

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* 15. Please describe the process for ordained persons transferring their ordination from other associations or states. For example, how do you determine whether an ordained person who is transferring to your association/quarterly is in good standing with their previous association/quarterly?

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* 16. Please describe the process for ordained persons transferring their ordination to other associations or states.

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* 17. How does the ordination committee/board assess sober-mindedness?

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* 18. How does your committee/board handle erring (moral, doctrinal, or ethical indiscretions) pastors or ordained persons?

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* 19. What is the committee/board's process for restoring a pastor or ordained persons?

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* 20. Please check any of the following that apply to your ordination policies regarding divorce.

We do not ordain anyone who has been divorced.

We will consider ordination if there has been a divorce, but only if it was before salvation.

We will consider ordination if there has been a divorce, but only if we are convinced that it was a divorce approved by the Word of God.

We do not ordain anyone whose spouse has been divorced.

Our policy on divorce for preachers is different than our policy on divorce for deacons.

Please provide an explanation of your policy concerning divorce that is not covered above. Also, we would ask you to provide other information that you feel would be helpful. Thank you.

Question Title

* 21. Has your ordination committee/board ever ordained someone from another denomination?

Yes

2020 Free Will Baptist Ordination Practices Survey

Welcome to a Survey from the Committee on Denominational Research.

Question Title

* 1. Do you participate on an ordination council or board, or have you recently participated on one? (If you answer "no", you may continue with the survey, but please do so only if you have full knowledge of the practices of your local ordination council. Thank you!)

Question Title

* 2. Does your ordination committee have a standardized set of questions for each candidate?

Question Title

* 3. Would you be willing to share those questions with the National Association of Free Will Baptists?

Question Title

* 4. In what state/country is your association located?

Question Title

* 5. What is the name of your association? (This is to avoid duplicate answers. The name of your association will not be included in any report of this survey).

Question Title

* 6. How likely are you to conduct a criminal background check with the candidate?

Question Title

* 7. How likely are you to conduct a financial status check of the candidate?

Question Title

* 8. If a candidate is married, how likely is it that would you meet with the spouse?

Question Title

* 9. Please choose the education requirement you have for ordination.

Question Title

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* 11. How does the ordination committee/board assess the candidate's teaching abilities?

Question Title

* 12. How does the ordination committee/board assess the candidate's preaching abilities?

Question Title

* 13. How does the ordination committee/board assess the candidate's abilities to minister to the needs of others?

Question Title

* 14. How does the ordination committee/board assess the candidate's general leadership abilities?

Question Title

* 15. Please describe the process for ordained persons transferring their ordination from other associations or states. For example, how do you determine whether an ordained person who is transferring to your association/quarterly is in good standing with their previous association/quarterly?

Question Title

* 16. Please describe the process for ordained persons transferring their ordination to other associations or states.

Question Title

* 17. How does the ordination committee/board assess sober-mindedness?

Question Title

* 18. How does your committee/board handle erring (moral, doctrinal, or ethical indiscretions) pastors or ordained persons?

Question Title

* 19. What is the committee/board's process for restoring a pastor or ordained persons?

Question Title

* 20. Please check any of the following that apply to your ordination policies regarding divorce.

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* 21. Has your ordination committee/board ever ordained someone from another denomination?

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* 22. If yes, can you please describe the process your committee took in this ordination?