General qualifications for the office are presented in the CRC Church Order Supplement, Article 23a. Individuals, ministries and classes are encouraged to develop a learning plan for each potential Ministry Associate, based on this Church Order document. The Candidacy Committee has a section of their website devoted to displaying material that may be helpful toward that end. Go to www.crcna.org/pages/planMA.cfm.
The following organizations have training programs that may be useful for those preparing to be a ministry associate. These organizations can function as a resource for a classis Leadership Development Network (LDN) or they can fill a need for those ministries and persons whose classis does not have an LDN.
1. Church Leadership Center (CLC)
CLC uses mentoring and online resources. The group has a cooperative relationship with the Reformed Church in America, our sister denomination, for Commissioned Pastor training. It has a highly relational, technology friendly, contextually relevant, and personalized approach for those who want to be Ministry Associates. You can look at the following websites: www.churchleadershipcenter.org/ and www.commissionedpastor.org/elgg/
Contact for assistance:
Burt D. Braunius, Ph.D.
President, Church Leadership Center
Coordinator of Commissioned Pastor Program, Synod of the Great Lakes, RCA
burt@braunius.org or bbraunius@yahoo.com
2. The Timothy Institute
The Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLTI) is a CRC sponsored ministry that trains and equips pastors, lay leaders, and evangelists around the world for church self-sustainability. Last year alone, about 10,000 participated in their trainings. TLTI is now receiving many requests for trainings in North America, and therefore is committed to expanding the number of trainings in the U.S. and Canada. You can look at the following web site: www.timothyleadershiptraining.org
Contact for assistance:
Julie Baker
Regional Director for North America
jbaker@timothyleadershiptraining.org
3. Christian Leaders Institute (CLI)
Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) brings you online ministry training as an alternative to accredited residential seminary. You stay connected to a local mentor or pastor for local ministry experience. The CLI ministry training certificate or diploma may be useful for Ministry Associate training. CLI’s eagerness to be of service to the CRC is demonstrated by their advertisements in The Banner. Students at Christian Leaders Institute who wish to pursue further studies at Calvin Seminary can take classes at CLI that will help them test out of some requirements, earning course credit, and gaining advanced standing. You can look at the following web site: www.christianleadersinstitute.org
Contact for assistance:
Rev. Henry Reyenga
henry@reyenga.net
4. Calvin Theological Seminary
Our denominational seminary has developed a number of certificate and diploma programs intended to serve the church with training options beyond their traditional degree offerings. A number of courses are available in the evenings. Certificate and diploma programs may soon be available online. You can look at the following website and search for “certificate programs” or “diploma for ministry”: www.calvinseminary.edu
Contact for assistance:
Matt Cooke, Director of Admissions
mkc071@calvinseminary.edu
5. Greater Chicago Land
Greater Chicago Land LDN seeks to equip local lay leaders through intensive training and mentoring so that they can advance the mission of God in their churches and in their communities. Training focuses on development of leadership skills, increasing biblical knowledge and maturing in character formation. The LDN is perfect for first time elders and deacons, youth leaders and church staff members.
Contact Person: Pedro Aviles
Email: rev.pedroaviles@gmail.com
Website: www.crosspointstrategicnetwork.org/ldn.cfm
Phone: 773-901-7231
6. Evangelist Training Program
Three year program to train evangelistically minded leaders.
Contact Person: Al Breems
Email: breems1@juno.com
Phone: 951-653-0737
7. Kamloops BC
Contact Person: Henry Devries
Email: office@sahalifellowship.com
Phone: 250-371-3055
8. Pine Tree, Maine
Contact Person: Bill Johnson
Email: kase6@myfairpoint.net
Phone: 207-487-5075
9. Ascending Leaders
Mike Johnson founded Ascending Leaders in 2006. Ascending Leaders attacks the problem of low or stalled character in leaders by helping churches grow people of character and impact. AL does this through a 3 step method: 1. Personal Reflection through reading and a practical exercise 2. Small Group Peer Learning 3. Triads for application. AL imbeds that method into a number of character related topics, put into workbook form. AL currently has 21 different workbooks published that are used across North America. You can see samples at www.ascendingleaders.org Mike is also adjunct faculty at Fuller Seminary Texas for “Leadership and Character Development.” He was the founder and director of the Texas Leadership Development Network and was on the second alternate routes synodical committee. On that committee, he worked on the subcommittee which shaped much of the current guidelines for Ministry Associates.
Contact Person: Mike Johnson
Email: mike@ascendingleaders.org
10. The Vine Institute
The mission of The Vine Institute (TVI) is to connect, educate, and celebrate the love of Christ across many cultures in the Intermountain West. Students may pursue a Certificate in Christian Leadership in small, multicultural, peer learning groups preparing for ministry. TVI also facilitates Christians and congregations to grow more attentive, wise and faithful in intercultural life among the people of God and with our neighbors. TVI is supported by Classis Yellowstone.
Contact Person: Tom McClenahan
Email: tmcc@vine-institute.org
Website: www.vine-institute.org
Phone: 801-581-1900
11. Eastern Canada
Our mission is to work in partnership with Christian Reformed churches to help identify,
shape and empower emerging leaders for the harvest. In a shared learning community of other
adult leaders, participants are given opportunity to deepen their character, increase biblical and
theological knowledge, and broaden ministry skills. Starting in 2003, we have expanded to two
sites (Burlington, ON and Brighton, ON). We serve CRC churches from Southern Ontario and Eastern Canada. Some of the now 30+ graduates are furthering their studies, or serving local churches as staff, or being equipped as volunteer leaders in their local settings.
Contact People: Erick Schuringa (Burlington) ericks@rogers.com
Norm Sennema (Brighton) nsennema@sympatico.ca
Barb VanGiessen (Burlington) barbvangiessen@gmail.com
Terry Kloosterman (Brighton) TerryKloosterman@gmail.com
Website: www.ecldn.ca
12. Grace Maine
This is a new leadership development network. The greatest need in Maine is the development
of thoughtful, gospel-transformed leaders. The purpose of this LDN is to train present and future
leaders around Bangor for Church Planting and Church Leadership.
Contact Person: Greg Selmon
Email: cottonman@mac.com
13. British Columbia
BC LDN offers Reformed theological training for the whole people of God, maturing disciples of
Jesus Christ conversationally around the text of scripture and the text of our lives. We exist to
discover leaders who aspire to ministry leadership in the CRC; develop their character, competence and content and then deploy them into ministry in accordance with their gifts and calling. We have a great time doing it!
Contact Person: Wilma van der Leek
Email: wilmavdl@shaw.ca
Website: www.bcldn.ca
Phone: 604-594-6873
14. Sierra
Sierra Leadership Network is the leadership development program of Classis Central California of the Christian Reformed Church of North America. The Sierra Leadership Network has two learning tracks.
The single event learning track is open to anyone who wishes to learn more about ministry in the local church from recognized leaders in their fields. We’ve done seminars on grief, adoption, Islam, church fathers, and a number of other topics. You can also find mp3 recordings of past seminars.
The ordained ministry training track is for participants who are interested in developing their gifts for more formal ministry in their local church. Graduates of this program may become ordained as Ministry Associates in the Christian Reformed Church to serve as staff persons, youth pastors, associate pastors or church planters. The program involves training in biblical studies, theology, preaching and teaching, and other elements of ministry today. The program can be completed in three years but can also be pursued at a participant’s own pace.
Contact People: Kevin Adams, Granite Springs Church, 916-645-9620
Paul Vander Klay, Living Stones CRC, 916-422-0550
Email: kadams@granitesprings.org
vanderklay@sbcglobal.net
Suggestions of other training programs may be made to the CRC Director of Candidacy, Rev. David Koll, dkoll@crcna.org. You are also welcome to contact Rev. Koll with questions regarding any organization on this list. Keep an eye on this web page for future updates based on your input.
