Guidance for Referees

Referees should state how they know the applicant (eg their minister, small group leader, etc) and since when. The trustees will treat this reference confidentially. although, Under the Data Protection Act, applicants can apply for copies of references provided about them.

The trustees are looking for frank references and would like the referees to include the following:

• their opinion of the applicant's ability and suitability for the proposed ministry and how they have formed that opinion.
• concerns or reservations about the applicant and/or the ministry
• whether they would be prepared to back the applicant or the ministry with their own money

For church-based applications - or for parachurch applications or similar - the references should be from people who know both the proposed ministry and the key individuals involved.

For individual applications, one reference should be from a church minister to whom the applicant is spiritually accountable. The second reference should be from a mature Christian who knows the applicant and his/her ministry well - except for current theological students, whose second reference should be academic from their place of study.