Synod 2007 dealt with the issue of organized congregations seeking to call a ministry associate to serve as their solo pastor. Synod decided to allow such practice in certain ministry contexts. The guideline approved by synod as ratified in Synod 2008 reads as follows:
“The ministry context is ordinarily one in which cultural differences (e.g., ethnic, social, economic, educational, language) between the congregation and its ministry context on the one hand, and the dominant culture of the denomination as expressed in the seminary, other leadership development entities, and broader denominational life on the other hand (a) present significant obstacles to raising up indigenous leadership in ways that are sustainable by the respective congregations and communities, and (b) have resulted in limited –or non-availability of competent indigenous leaders trained for ministry via one of the prescribed routes for ministry of the Word.” (Church Order Supplement Article 23-d)
Synod 2007 also decided that ministry associates serving in such a ministry can be delegated by a classis to synod as a ministerial delegate. Note the following statement added to Church Order Supplement Article 45.b.2: “Ministry associates serving as a solo pastor of an organized congregation may be sent as a ministerial delegate to synod and nominated to serve in other denominational functions where a person must normally be a minister of the Word.”
