Enabling Ministry Course

The Enabler roles are specifically focused on a leadership role in an area of ministry in a specific benefice. There is no age limit for those entering this course.

However, for those interested in the Pre-Reader stream please note that Reader training involves an additional 2 years of training after this course, as it offers further theological and ministerial depth. Anyone wishing to be a Reader must be under the age of 70 at the time of licensing.

Discipleship Enabler

Those who are involved in teaching the faith – which could include leading home groups and Bible study groups, assisting with baptism or Confirmation preparation, and teaching on discipleship courses – will be commissioned as Discipleship Enablers.

This role links in with the Living God’s Love strand of Going Deeper into God.

Mission Enabler

Those who are involved in mission, pioneering and evangelism – which could include contributing to Mission Action Plans (MAPs), implementing Leading your Church into Growth (LYCiG) principles, encouraging mission and outreach events, sharing their faith and enabling others to do so, taking a leading role in pioneering, involvement in developing and leading a new worshipping community, engaging with those outside the church – will be commissioned as Mission Enablers.

This role links in with the Living God’s Love strand of Making New Disciples.

Pastoral Enabler

Those who are involved in pastoral and community care – which could include pastoral visiting, voluntary chaplaincy work, running foodbanks, community support, prayer and healing ministries, and bereavement support – will be commissioned as Pastoral Enablers.

This role links in with the Living God’s Love strand of Transforming Communities.

Pre-Reader

Whilst the Enabler course is a standalone course leading to commissioned lay ministry (Enablers), it also acts as a prerequisite for Reader training. Reader ministry is a wider ministry covering mission and evangelism, pastoral and community care and teaching the faith as well as leading worship, and can be exercised in churches outside of the local benefice due to being a licensed ministry.

It is a requirement for all Enablers to complete the online Safeguarding courses:

• Basic Awareness
• Foundations.

Once completed, the Foundations module will need to be renewed every three years. The parish is responsible for ensuring that Enablers keep up to date with Safeguarding requirements.

Parishes need to conduct a basic disclosure (DBS check) for those on the Enabler course/commissioned as Enablers.

Please spend some time with your incumbent in discernment of the appropriate stream for you; it should reflect your gifts and skills, along with the needs and context of your local benefice. (During the first term of the course, if you feel that the stream chosen may not be appropriate, there will be the opportunity to discuss this with the Discipleship and Vocations Officer and Enabling Ministry Lead).

During the course, there will be times when all students come together for core training, and other sessions focused specifically for those on the relevant stream. Please note that participants must attend all of the in-person and online sessions for their chosen stream.

Once you have both discerned that the Enabling Ministry course is appropriate, applications should be submitted via the online form; please note that this should be completed separately by the applicant and their incumbent.

The deadline for applications to join the 2026 – 2027 Enabling Ministry Course is Monday 10 August 2026.