Women in Pastoral Ministry

About the Initiative:

The objective of the NAD Women in Pastoral Ministry (WIM) Sponsorship is to help increase the number of female pastors ministering within the North American Division. The initiative attempts to accomplish the objective through:

1. Education of members
2. Nurture of female pastors within our territory
3. Partnership incentives with conferences to hire more female pastors

The partnership is a three-way matching arrangement between the conference, union, and division. Unions and conferences participate as they are willing and able to do so.

The Process:

Individuals interested in applying to the program must first contact their local conference. Conferences must submit applications after they assess a local congregation’s readiness to receive a female pastor and then make a commitment to the pastor that surpasses the three consecutive years of financial assistance. The program is dependent on the unions finding it in their budgets to fulfill their part after a conference makes the commitment. 

The application for WIM sponsorship is to be submitted and approved by all three partners (conference, union, and division) before the female pastor is employed by the conference. 

*Please note that funding is provided to the conference to hire a female pastor; the money is not issued to the individual.

Eligibility Criteria:

• For the Women in Pastoral Ministry (WIM) Sponsorship, the preferred degree is an MDiv degree from the Theological Seminary at Andrews University. For a female pastor who has not yet attended seminary at the time of application to the conference, we encourage her to work with the NAD Ministerial Association for assistance with enrollment into the MAPM program through the Theological Seminary at Andrews University. 
• The conference must be willing to make a long-term commitment to the female pastor beyond the financial assistance.
• Funding from the conference, union, and division is only for three consecutive years; divided into thirds for those three years.
• Funding supports salary only; no ERI or employee benefits.
• Funding is available for new female applicants who have never been employed by the Church as a pastor.
• The initiative has a limit of 20 sponsorships per year. Funding is given on a first-come, first-served basis from the conferences.

Click Here for the WIM Application.

See the brochure for more information about the Women in Pastoral Ministry Initiative.

For additional questions or assistance, contact Bonita J. Shields at bonitashields@nadadventist.org.