This November, the church in the United States and the Philippines (as of now) will participate in the election process for new episcopal leadership. Delegations will have the opportunity to engage candidates in conversation about their vision, leadership, spirituality, and more. We are committed to resourcing the church in identifying Christ-Centered leadership that will engage in discussions of equity, culture, diversity, race, gender, etc. Furthermore, we hope to see candidates demonstrate intercultural competence as global leaders that will move the denomination towards anti-racism, anti-tribalism, and equity. GCORR has developed the following resources to help delegations and others in their discernment process for our newly elected episcopal leaders.
EPISCOPAL CANDIDATE QUESTIONS
“Bishops are elected from the elders and set apart for a ministry of servant leadership, general oversight and supervision. As followers of Jesus Christ, bishops are authorized to guard the faith, order, liturgy, doctrine and discipline of the Church. The role and calling forth of the bishop is to exercise oversight and support of the Church in its mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The basis of such discipleship of leadership lies in discipline and disciplined life.” (Para 403.1, Book of Discipline 2016)
This document contains sample questions to consider asking episcopal candidates. These questions can be directly asked to the candidates, they can be on the conference website or newsletter, shared with caucus groups, or made available in your display area.
EPISCOPAL CANDIDATES ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
Episcopal candidates must possess skills and values that are essential for effective Episcopal leadership. This checklist provides questions in four foundational areas that any episcopal leader in the UMC shall exhibit. Please use the checklist to assess the candidate’s skill and gifts. The four foundational areas are: Leadership, Experience, Spirituality, and Relationships. You may add other areas or questions that are important to your constituency.
