Ministerial Candidate Workshop

During the MCW, candidates will explore their call to ministry, increase their self-awareness and gain a deeper understanding of their spiritual growth. The event includes consultation with a counselor, participation in a variety of equipping seminars and ministry development opportunities.

Attendees to MCW 2027 have been nominated by their districts to participate. If you have not been directed by your DS or his/her representative to register for MCW, please contact your district office before registering. For those who have been instructed to register for MCW, in the coming months you’ll be contacted by your district superintendent and/or district coordinator, MCW administrative assistant Kristie Selvidge, and Dr. Earles to make sure that you have the information needed to prepare for the workshop.

Preparation involves the completion of a number of psychological assessment inventories and questionnaires – which you (and your spouse, if married) will complete online or via an electronic document. The assessments are lengthy and will likely take several hours to complete.

In order to proceed, you’ll need to register for the event online and submit your registration fee separately.

Our receipt of the registration information and payment allows us to reserve your place at the workshop and ensure that you receive the assessment materials.

If you are married and your spouse is also an ordination candidate nominated to attend MCW, both of you need to complete the online registration and one of you pay the appropriate registration fee.

MCW 2027 begins at 12:30 p.m. CT on Friday, March 12, with sign-in and room assignment. The event will conclude by 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, March 14.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does MCW stand for?

MCW is the Ministerial Candidate Workshop held annually for ordination candidates in the Church of the Nazarene’s Southeastern Region by TNU’s Center for Pastoral Health.

What is the purpose of the MCW?

TNU’s Center for Pastoral Health, with support from the Southeast Region Districts, conducts a workshop for district licensed ministers and their spouses. The overarching goal of the Southeast Field’s Ministerial Candidate Workshop (MCW) is to assist licensed ministers in their preparation for ministry and possible ordination. MCW is a carefully planned assessment and learning experience. In order to be of maximum benefit, the goal of MCW is to yield the following outcomes:

- To provide helpful assessment information and insights to assist district leaders in offering support, encouragement and supervision to their participating candidates.

- To deepen self-awareness in each candidate through a consultation with a professional assessment consultant who will provide feedback and guidance based on an interview and the results from several questionnaires (PAI, NEO-PI-3, Strengthfinders, Life History Questionniare, Adverse Childhood Questionnaire, Gottman 17 Areas Scale and 360 Ministry Effectiveness Survey).

- To explore and clarify the call to ministry

- To provide candidates with instruction and assistance in the development of a personal spiritual formation plan.

- To encourage candidates with equipping and instructional workshops on topics such as:

Developing a spiritual formation plan

Healthy family relationships in pastoral service

Maintaining personal boundaries and coping with ministry stress

Strength-based ministry

- To foster a network of support and community of care among participating candidates, their spouses and district leaders.

What should we expect of the experience?

The weekend is not a retreat, but an intense time of learning. During the weekend you will receive a lot of information and it may take you days and weeks to process what you experienced and learned from the workshop. Come prepared to listen, participate, and grow. Try to prepare yourself to gain lots of information about yourself and healthy girls care that you can apply in your life and ministry.

Where is it held?

Camp Garner Creek, Dickson, TN. The rooms at Camp Garner Creek will be motel style rooms with one or two double beds in the room. All linens are supplied. You can find directions and more information about the campground on the following site: https:// www.campgarnercreek.org. The link has a map of Camp Garner Creek at the bottom of the webpage so you can begin to familiarize yourself with the grounds.

Camp Garner Creek is about 45 minutes west of Nashville, TN so if you are flying, you will need to rent a car, carpool with friends or use a ride share service to get to the campgrounds. For your return trip there are many attendees from the Nashville area who will be able to drive you to the airport after the workshop is over

When is MCW?

March 12-14, 2027. Registration begins at 1230 CT in the Camp Garner Creek Tabernacle Foyer. Please plan to arrive no later than 1pm CT to receive the key to your room and registration materials. The first session begins at 1:30pm CT.

When does MCW end?

We should be done by 1100CT on Sunday.

How much does it cost?

Single candidates = $300

Married candidates = $350

Married dual candidates = $400 ($200 each)

What does registration costs include?

Registration includes a room on the campgrounds for Friday and Saturday nights and 5 meals (Friday supper, 3 meals on Saturday and Sunday breakfast). Registration fees also contribute to the speakers and consultants with participating Districts and CPH also funding workshop costs.

Do I need to bring bedding, etc.?

No, all bedding and towels are provided.

Should my spouse come?

Yes, spouses are expected to attend the workshop with the ordination candidates. If for any reason you or your spouse are unable to attend MCW, please let MCW personnel know as soon as possible.

Is it ok if I bring my children or should I bring my children?

No, we discourage you bringing your children. Childcare is not provided and we want you to get the most from the workshop with as few distractions as possible. If you’d like to ask for an exception, please contact Jay Earles to discuss your situation.

What should we wear?

This will be a casual weekend so feel free to dress comfortably as you would for a retreat or camp type setting.

What do we do to prepare?

1. Pray for God’s leading during the workshop, for discernment and for His wisdom.

2. Complete all MCW forms and assessments as honestly as possible.

3. Your MCW consultant will contact you to schedule an online interview in the weeks prior to the event. The consultants interviews are for the consultants to get to know you better and provide some context for the assessment results.

Important Dates

Here is a general timeline of the workshop:

November-December: Candidates register for the workshop. Registration closes on December 4, 2026.
January: Candidates complete and return assessments to the TNU Center for Pastoral Health
February: Assessments are received and reviewed, and results are sent to MCW consultants
Late February/March: MCW consultants conduct online interviews with their assigned candidates
March 12-14: Ministerial Candidate Workshop at Camp Garner Creek in Dickson, Tennessee

Preparation

The time you spend in preparation and prayer for the workshop is nearly as important as the time you will spend at the workshop. You may wonder why we have designated so much time for the review and preparation of the assessment packets; this is due to the diligence of our consultants who review the results of your assessments in order to provide you with feedback on your personal and professional development in preparation for ministry.

Thank you for your attention to these details. The MCW planning team is excited about providing this event again this year and we look forward to your attendance.

If you have any questions, please contact your district representative or email Kristie Selvidge at ministerialcandidateworkshop@gmail.com or Jay Earles at jeearles@trevecca.edu.