Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a copy of the recommended terms of appointment for ministers?
What is the recommended stipend for ministers this year?
How do we as a church go about finding a new minister?
What does it mean if we appoint a Newly Accredited Minister?
Is it possible to appoint a minister who is from outside the UK?
How do I submit a complaint against a minister?
Where can I find guidance about manses for ministers?
How can I find out more about becoming a Baptist minister?
What happens if a minister takes a sabbatical?
What are the rules for registering a marriage?
One of my ancestors was a Baptist minister. How do I find out information about them?
How do I get a copy of the recommended terms of appointment for ministers?
Please select either
full time or
part time terms of appointment.
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What is the recommended stipend for ministers this year?
Details of the current recommended stipend can be found on our
financial guidance pages.
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How do we as a church go about finding a new minister?
The first step is to contact your
Regional Minister who will come and meet with the church leadership or church meeting to explain the process to you. Churches are able to advertise their ministerial vacancies on the Pastoral Vacancy List (PVL) which is only available to accredited Baptist ministers, ministerial students and nationally recognised pastors. More information can be found in the
Baptists Together Settlement Guide for Churches.
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What does it mean if we appoint a Newly Accredited Minister?
Ministers who have completed their initial training at a Baptist college and started in a church, chaplaincy, or pioneering setting are enrolled as
Newly Accredited Ministers. Their formation as ministers continues to be guided for a further three years by one of the colleges working in partnership with their regional association. During this probationary period, they are helped to embed the habits of continuing ministerial development. They are given a mentor, they continue in some guided study and they are encouraged to reflect on their developing ministry. The church is expected to allow them time to engage in this programme and to cover related expenses. At the end of the three years, their accreditation is confirmed at the annual Baptist Assembly.
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Is it possible to appoint a minister who is from outside the UK?
Typically, a minister who is not a UK citizen will be required to comply with certain government regulations. These aim to prevent illegal working, people trafficking and the propagation of violent extremism. Meeting government expectations is not straightforward. To explore this more, please see the leaflet,
Sponsor licences for Baptist Churches, or the government's right-to-work webpages.
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How do I submit a complaint against a minister?
We hope this is not a ‘frequently asked question’, but sadly sometimes a minister might act in a way that unacceptable and needs to be addressed. The Ministries Team have a process for dealing with complaints against accredited ministers, ministers-in-training, nationally recognised pastors and recognised local ministers. The process begins when we receive a completed
complaints form. The form gives examples of the misconduct that would give rise to an investigation by the Ministries Team. It also lists those matters that are less serious and should be dealt with by the minister’s local congregation or oversight group.
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Where can I find guidance about manses for ministers?
We have a range of
resources and guidelines for manses which can be downloaded.
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How can I find out more about becoming a Baptist minister?
Your Regional Minister is the best person to contact but you may find it helpful to read some initial information on our
Baptist ministry pages.
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What happens if a minister takes a sabbatical?
Ministers may take a period of sabbatical leave for up to three months every seven years. We have two leaflets that offer
sabbatical guidance for churches and
sabbatical guidance for ministers.
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What are the rules for registering a marriage?
The way marriages are registered changed in May 2021. Paper marriage registers have been withdrawn and marriage registrations are now made by the local register office in an electronic register. Couples will have to contact their local register office in order to acquire a marriage schedule, which is a single form containing all the information about the marriage. This document gives them permission to marry in a named, registered Baptist church. It is signed after the ceremony by the couple, the witnesses and the authorised person for the registered church building in question. The authorised person is responsible for returning the completed schedule to the local register office for the details to be entered onto the electronic register. It is the register office that will later issue a marriage certificate to the couple. A detailed guide for authorised persons can be found on the UK Government website. Please note that the processes followed by the Church of England and the Church of Wales are different and they should not be followed by a Baptist church.
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One of my ancestors was a Baptist Minister. How do I find out information about them?
We do not have the resources to conduct research here at Baptist House. We would direct you instead to two websites. The
Angus Library and Archive at Regents Park College in Oxford is the leading collection of Baptist history and heritage worldwide. It contains more than 70,000 items relating to the life and history of Baptists in Britain and elsewhere. And the
Baptist Historical Society aims to help British Baptists understand their heritage and history. Their website can be the starting point for your research into a Baptist family member. Also, memoirs of some ministers and mission personnel are available on the
Baptist Times obituaries page.
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