The local congregation is often the context in which people first hear the call to a life of vocational ministry. It is through the local congregation where people are nurtured in the faith and encouraged to a life of service. A congregation and its leadership are therefore often in an ideal position to identify the requisite gifts for ministry and to give individuals the opportunity to test those gifts in real ministry settings. As a result, local congregations and councils are indispensable partners in a candidate’s journey towards ordination.
Councils fulfill at least six different responsibilities in the candidacy process. Councils work with the classis in fulfilling these responsibilities. These responsibilities include the following:
1. To identify persons who show natural ability and/or spiritual giftedness for ministry through consultation with pastoral staff, ministry leaders, and youth leaders. Some qualities to consider include spiritual maturity, emotional stability, leadership ability, relational skills, and intellectual capacities. As councils identify some of these qualities, they may also want to seek feedback and affirmationfrom the individual, his or her family members, and others.
2. To encourage such individuals to seriously consider whether God is calling them to ministry in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) through, for instance, mentoring or providing appropriate ministry opportunities.
3. To supply interested individuals with materials that will assist them in understanding the process of becoming a minister in the CRC.
4. To endorse an individual’s application to begin preparing for ministry in the CRC, forwarding it to the Classis Ministerial Leadership Team (CMLT). Before recommending a candidate the council should identify and ascertain, if possible, how the applicant’s gifts have been demonstrated in the context of the congregation.
5. To provide support and accountability. Where possible, the council should encourage the student in the journey toward vocational ministry by:
a. Providing support and accountability throughout the preparatory process including, for instance, mentoring, interviews, conversations, written reports, communications of encouragement, financial assistance etc.
b. Maintaining contact and showing active and ongoing interest in the student’s progress throughout the entire candidacy process.
c. Ensuring (where contact is not practical) that the student is an active member of a congregation and is receiving spiritual support.
d. Offering ministry opportunities (where possible), including opportunities to exhort once the individual has been granted licensure.
6. To provide an endorsement for the individual as they are nearing the completion of their preparatory process. In some cases, the final endorsement will not come from the individual’s “home” council, but rather from the council where the individual was most recently worshiping and/or engaged in ministry.
