Program Manual:

The Seminary Apprenticeship Program Manual serves as the official governing document for the school's functions and operations. It serves in conjunction with the legal bylaws, providing greater details on the everyday aspects of the school rather than the minimum legal requirements outlined in the bylaws

School Governance:

The school will be established as a corporation to maintain its autonomy from any individual or organization, thereby ensuring its long-term stability and independence. This will require some startup costs to develop a business license, obtain non-profit status, complete incorporation paperwork, and draft bylaws. Once established, the school should be able to operate on a minimum budget for website maintenance, online video classroom services, and bank account fees.

 

A. School Officers:

Four officers will govern the school: one Administrator and a three-person Education Board.

  1. Administrator– The Administrator will have full authority to execute the Seminary Apprentice program as outlined in the governing documents. The Administrator is accountable to the Education Board, which reserves the right to remove them if necessary. Due to the foreseeable workload of the Administrator's responsibilities, the Administrator will serve a 4-year term. 

Qualification: The Administrator is not required to be or have been a Pastor of a church, but it is preferred. The Administrator should meet the expectations of an elder with the Spiritual gift of administration and attention to detail.

 

  1. Education Board: The Education Chairs will have full decision-making authority over the Seminary Apprentice program and can change any aspects of the program's governing documents, as needed. The Education Board will oversee and monitor the quality of the school and its participants. The first Education Board chairs will serve with 4-, 5-, & 6-year commitments, followed by 5-year terms thereafter. The Education Board should utilize resignations and extensions so that no two positions are vacant at any given time. The two remaining veteran chairs should educate/train the incoming chair on the intent and history of the school.

Qualification: The members of the Education Board are required to be Pastors or former Pastors with a minimum of 25 years of experience. The Education Board should have a passion and desire to educate upcoming preachers to be pastors, and must maintain the expectations of an elder.

 

  1. School Officer's Perpetuity: The intent of the 4-person officers and term assignments is so that no two positions are vacant at any given time. There is no limit to the number of terms a person can serve, as long as the petition is approved by formal vote. In the event of the unexpected vacancy of the Administrator, the senior Education Board will serve as the acting Administrator until a replacement is appointed. If there is an unexpected vacancy of any Education Board Chair, then the Administrator can vote on behalf of the vacant Education Board Chair.

 

  1. School Officer's Removal: If it becomes necessary to remove an individual as an officer of the Seminary School, Administrator, or Education Board, then one officer will make the formal recommendation for the removal of another officer. The remaining two officers will serve as the deciding panel to remove the officer, and the final decision is recorded in the Seminary School Record of Decisions. Means for removal of any school officer are on the grounds of combative, disruptive behavior, or behavior unbecoming of an Elder of the church.

 

  1. School Officer Recruitment: Each School Officer is expected to take the lead in recruiting their replacement, if they do not intend to serve another term. The Replacement recommendation should be presented to the remaining officers to vote before the start of the next Academic year.

 

  1. School Officer Startup: For the startup of the Seminary School only, the School founders will be given a special invitation to Pastors to establish the school. Once the Pastors have accepted the invitation and signed the covenants, the School Officers will be formally established and follow the decision-making procedures outlined in the Program Manual thereafter.

 

B. School Support Staff:

  1. Secretary Position: During the initial start of the Seminary School, the Administrator will perform the duties of the Secretary position. The Secretary position will maintain the official permanent school records:

- List of approved Apprentice Preachers

- Attendance Records

- Official Certification Records

- List of graduated Apprentice Preachers

- Record of Decision by the Education Board

 

  1. Treasurer Position: As long as the school meets the intent of minimal operating costs, the Administrator should be well-equipped to provide an annual financial report. However, if the school elects to deduct tuition from apprentice preachers or expenses exceed the estimated $100/month, the corporation will need to establish a Treasury position to maintain the integrity of the Seminary School's finances.

 

  1. Implementing Requirements: When it becomes necessary to separate the Secretary or Treasury positions from the Administrator position, the Administrator will present the proposal to the Education Board for a vote.

 

  1. Support Staff Recruitment: The School Officers will have the obligation to recruit individuals with the necessary skills and passion to support the Seminary School in the performance of these duties. The decision-making procedure shall be followed to formally elect or remove any person from these support staff positions.

 

C. Decision-Making Procedures:

  1. Records: A record of all decisions will be maintained as a permanent record by either the Administrator or the Secretary. When decisions are necessary, a search of the record for relevant decisions will be conducted and presented to the Education Board. When possible, the Education Board should honor previously held decisions. 

 

  1. Voting Procedures: When changes to the program are necessary or a decision needs to be made, the following procedural guidance should be followed. The Administrator will function as the role of 'neutral' party and present the decision to the 3-member Education Board. To the best of their ability, the Administrator should present the pros & cons of the decision and the proposed impact on the execution of the Apprenticeship Program, whether it's positive or negative. The 3-member Education Board will then vote, and by majority vote decide. The decision will be recorded in the school record.

 

  1. Voting for Officer Positions: The vacating officer is expected to recruit their replacement and present the incoming officer to the remaining 3-School Officer positions. The majority vote will determine whether the incoming School Officer is accepted. Once the incoming School Officer is approved by vote and signs the Covenant agreement, they shall officially assume the duties of the elected position.

Business Requirements:

As the Seminary School is intended to be independent of any Church or Association, the School will register as a Non-Profit Business. It shall follow the basic requirements of a State Apprenticeship standard.

 

A. Business Startup:

The Seminary School founders will solicit and collect donations using a dedicated personal bank account for the "Seminary Startup" to formulate a business plan and establish legal bylaws, if possible, with the assistance of formal legal counsel.

 Since the Seminary School founders and first acting administrator reside in Washington State, the Seminary School will incorporate as a business in Washington State and apply for a Washington State non-profit business status.

Upon completion as a Non-profit in Washington State, the personal bank account for the "Seminary Startup" will be closed, and a business bank account will be established using the Seminary School's legal name. All start bank records will be transferred to the School for a permanent record.

Once the business account is established, the Seminary School will collect donations to apply for federal non-profit status with the IRS under the Seminary School legal name.

The Seminary School will continue to strive to remain autonomous and self-governing, and work to maintain its Non-profit status perpetually.

 

B. Business Officers:

Administrator: For the incorporation paperwork, the Administrator will serve as the president of the non-profit organization.

Education Board: For incorporation paperwork, the Education Board will serve as vice-presidents of the non-profit organization with equal authority.

When it becomes necessary, the Seminary School will register the business officers of Treasurer and Secretary under its incorporation license.

 

C. Disbanding the School: 

When conditions require disbanding the Seminary School, the remaining School Officer must be in unanimous agreement to disband the School. With the vote, the School Administrator or acting Administrator will close down the relevant services to the School; any physical assets shall be liquidated; the School Business Bank account will be closed. All liquidated funds will be divided evenly among the remaining School Officers and donated to the Church Congregations of those School Officers. 

 

C. Apprenticeship Program Requirements:

Since the Seminary School will be incorporated in Washington State, it will seek to follow the guidelines of the Washington State Apprenticeship program in all aspects, as permitted by its status as a religious organization.

As a Religious organization, the Seminary School will not register with the Government or state. As not to allow the Government the ability to dictate to the Seminary School any requirements over any aspect of the School.

 

Washington State L&I - Outline of Requirements for Sponsoring Apprenticeship Programs:

(Adapted from www.LNI.WA.Gov)

All apprenticeship programs need a sponsor [Administrator]. Sponsors [Administrator] can include employers, unions, employer associations, and other relevant entities. Sponsors oversee every aspect of a registered apprenticeship program, from development to actual administration.

Each apprenticeship program creates a written agreement, or "program standards," [Program Manual] that are reviewed by L&I and approved by the Washington State Apprenticeship & Training Council (WSATC). Program standards clearly outline how a program will operate, as well as the expectations of both the program and the apprentices. Program standards [Program Manual] specify:

  • The length of training: Apprenticeships typically range from two to five years in length, depending on the occupation, with a minimum of hours of on-the-job training (OJT) [Monthly & 3-yr Certification Cards].
  • Related Supplemental Instruction (RSI): A minimum number of RSI hours of relevant education is required for each year of the apprenticeship [Training Modules]. This can include online courses, classroom instruction, or courses at a local college, among others.
  • Wage progression: [Not Applicable]
  • An outline of the skills of the occupation: Program standards [Program Manual] define the specific work skills required to complete the program and the approximate number of hours it takes to learn each skill.

 

Program standards [Program Manual] also list the minimum qualifications, ratio of apprentices to journey-level professionals [Mentoring Pastors], disciplinary procedures, sponsor [Administrator] responsibilities, committees [Education Board] responsibilities, etc.

It is also the responsibility of the sponsor [Administrator] to:

  • Oversee on-the-job training and monitor attendance at related training classes.
  • Recommend award of the certificate of completion when an apprentice has satisfactorily completed the required coursework and on-the-job training.

Seminary School Operation and Apprenticeship Program Execution:

A. Apprentice Preacher Applications:

  1. Applications Submittals: To apply for the Seminary Apprenticeship, please gather and submit the following documents to the School Administrator.
    1. The Preacher applying to enroll in the Seminary Apprenticeship must complete the Apprentice Preacher Covenantal agreement.
    2. The Proposed Pastor to serve as the Mentoring Pastor must complete the Mentoring Pastor Covenantal agreement.
    3. The Apprentice Preacher must provide a written essay that describes or testifies to the Preacher's salvation experience, Baptism, and call to the ministry.

 

  1. Application Acceptance: All completed applications will be collected by the School Administrator and submitted to the Education Board for admission consideration. All accepted Apprentice Preachers will be enrolled in the official record for tracking purposes. The Apprentice Preacher's official start date will be at the beginning of the following training module.

 

B. Introduction Meeting:

Upon acceptance into the school, the Apprentice Preacher, Mentoring Pastor, and School Administrator will schedule a one-time introduction meeting to the program. The purpose of the meeting is to review the program element, participation requirements, and certification deadlines.

 

C. Monthly & 3-yr Certification Cards:

  1. Monthly Certification: For a minimum of 36 months, the Apprentice Preacher is required to submit a Monthly Participation form, signed by both the Apprentice Preacher and the Mentoring Pastor, every month. The Monthly Certification outlines monthly participation requirements. The form is due by the 15th day of the month to receive credit, and there are no exceptions to this requirement.

 

  1. Apprenticeship 3-Year Certification: Upon entering the program, the Apprentice Preacher will be issued a 3-year Certification training card that outlines all the requirements for graduation from the Seminary Apprentice program. Each quarter, the Apprenticeship Preacher is required to submit a copy of the 3-year certification, demonstrating systematic progress of the 3-year Apprentice program requirements. At the end of the 36-month participation, the Mentoring Pastor, who serves as the primary educator of the Apprentice Preacher, will sign and certify that the Apprentice Preacher is recommended for graduation from the Seminary Apprenticeship program.

 

D. Training Modules:

As a program participant, you will be required to attend Seminary Classes each Thursday during the Academic year. Attendance is expected to be live via video conferencing; however, there will be times when attendance is impossible. Missed classes can be made up by watching the recorded sessions. The quality of the Apprentice Preachers' education is solely dependent on the participants. If you are willing to put in the work and make the necessary sacrifices of time, then you will have a higher quality of experience. The Seminary School provides an opportunity to receive an education; however, you must be willing to put in the work to achieve it.

 

E. Annual Seminary Preacher's Meeting:

As conditions allow, the Seminary School will work to host an annual preacher meeting and network event, specifically targeted at all participants of the Seminary School: School Officers, Support Staff, Instructors, Mentoring Pastors, and Apprentice Preachers. To minimize costs, these events should be combined with other Bible Conference, Association meetings, or Fellowship meetings.

 

F. Expulsion Requirements:

  1. Failure in Attendance - A missed or incomplete monthly submittal requires additional submittals until all 36 months are completed. Missing three consecutive submittals or five submittals in one year will qualify for automatic disenrollment from the Seminary Apprenticeship program.

 

  1. Disruptive Behavior – The Seminary School is working to provide an atmosphere of learning. All participants are encouraged to function as willingly engaged learners, presenting themselves as open to education. The Seminary School cannot tolerate disruptive or argumentative behavior, as it disrupts the intended learning environment. Suppose conditions continue in which the Mentoring Pastor or Apprentice Preacher fails to maintain the cooperative & amiable learning environment. In that case, the Administrator will recommend to the Education Board the removal of the Apprentice Preacher. Upon majority vote, the Apprentice Preacher shall be removed, and the Administrator/Secretary will record the dismissal of the Apprentice Preacher.

 

G. Graduations:

Since the Mentoring Pastor is the primary educator of the Apprentice Preacher, the Mentoring Pastor will be the final recommendation to the Seminary School that the Apprentice Preacher is ready to graduate from the program.  Since the Seminary Apprenticeship School is established to minimize program costs and overhead, the Mentoring Pastor is expected to arrange funding for the graduation certificate and the associated frame. The Seminary School will place an order to ensure the continuity of products ordered for all graduates. When possible, graduation certificates should be publicly handed out at the Annual Preacher Meeting.

 

H. Church Vacancy Roster:

The Seminary School will work to maintain a list of like-minded churches that need Pastors. The church will be added to the roster only upon the request of the church representative. Upon graduation of the Apprentice Preacher, all churches on the roster will be notified of the graduating Apprentice Preacher.