(Church Order Article 7)
Church Order Article 7 was originally included in the CRC Church Order as an exceptional route into ordained ministry. In the ten years leading up to 2007 this article was being used more often, and less carefully. Thus, Synod 2007 decided to “return to the use of Article 7 in line with its centuries-long use by the CRC and its predecessors in the Netherlands. It will be used exactly as the Church Order requires—in highly exceptional circumstances.” (Acts of Synod 2007 (652)). (For a description of the historical use of Article 7, see the notes in the “tool kit” p 45 of this document.) In this context, Article 7 will be used rarely. Please contact the Director of Candidacy in any questions regarding the ongoing use of Article 7.
A. Calling
- The individual experiences a sense of internal calling from the Lord to serve in vocational ministry. This calling is informally confirmed by others, likely including the individual’s pastor, council, family, and perhaps even the local CMLT. The first formal step in the process is then taken as the individual is directed to make inquiry to the Candidacy Committee of the CRC.
B. Inquiry Stage
- The Candidacy Committee of the CRC offers the interested individual encouragement, answers their questions, and determines which Church Order Article would be the most appropriate one for the individual to prepare for the ministry. If it is determined by the Candidacy Committee that the provisions of Church Order Article 7 apply, the Candidacy Committee will outline the necessary steps for pursuing ministry under the provisions of this article. It should be noted that the Candidacy Committee must give this initial determination at this point in the process in order for the individual to proceed with the next steps.
C. Affirmation and Support of Council
- The individual completes a Candidate’s Application to Council Form and then approaches his or her council to seek their official affirmation to begin preparing for the office of Minister of the Word under the provisions of Church Order Article 7.
- Council interviews the individual, completes a Council Recommendation Form, and forwards the form to the Classis Ministerial Leadership Team (CMLT). Along with their recommendation, they also forward the individual’s Application to Council (including his or her Autobiography and Personal Faith Statement).
Note: For a Council to endorse an individual to prepare for ministry under the provisions of Church Order Art. 7, the individual has to have been a member of the CRC for a minimum of three years and had opportunity to demonstrate his or her exceptional giftedness for ministry.
- The council inquires about the individual’s financial needs and considers ways the congregation may be able to assist through the ministry preparation phase.
D. CMLT Interview and the Preparation of a Learning Covenant and Financial Plan
- The individual then appears before the Classis Ministerial Leadership Team (CMLT), or its designated committee, for a personal interview.
- If, the CMLT endorses the individual as a result of this interview, the CMLT and the individual will work together to prepare the next set of documents in the Ministry Readiness Profile, as specified below.
- The individual will draft a Learning Covenant which he or she will review with the CMLT. This covenant will indicate what areas of study (Biblical, Theological, Practical) the individual will be pursuing, and how these objectives will be met (potentially through a combination of academic study at a University or Seminary, on-line learning, mentoring, and/or independent study). The covenant will also include participation in the Modified Ecclesiastical Program for Ministerial Candidacy (MEPMC) or an approved contextually shaped alternative to the MEPMC. Based on the individual’s ministry experience, the Covenant will also specify what type of additional ministry opportunities will be sought.
- The individual will also draft a Financial Plan indicating how they intend to finance their preparation for ministry. This plan, also to be reviewed with the CMLT, may include several sources of funding, including: prior savings, part-time work, loans, spousal income, classical or congregational aid, and/or other means.
- The CMLT completes a Classis Recommendation Form and forwards this form, along with the other elements of the Ministry Readiness Profile gathered to this point (the Learning Covenant, Financial Plan, the CMLT recommendation, and the individual’s application to Council, the Autobiography and Personal Statement of Faith, etc.) to the Candidacy Committee.
E. Admission to the Candidacy Process
- The Candidacy Committee reviews all the initial documents, and endorses the individual’s Learning Covenant and Financial Plan. The Candidacy Committee may suggest changes to the Learning Covenant or Financial Plan before they provide their endorsement. Once the plans are endorsed, the Candidacy Committee gives permission to continue under the provisions of Church Order Article 7 and communicates their decision in writing to both the individual and the CMLT.
- The Classis will then do a preliminary interview for licensure under Article 7. With the approval of classis, the concurrence of the synodical deputies, and the endorsement of the Candidacy Committee, the person may begin a period of exhorting within the bounds of classis.
F. The Ministry Preparation Phase
- The individual will work to complete the program laid out in the Learning Covenant, in consultation with the CMLT.
- The individual works in coordination with the CMLT to gather the other documents required in the process (see checklist on p. 23) and submits them to the CMLT and the Candidacy Committee.
- The CMLT, in consultation with the individual, ensures that the individual has a suitable mentor. It is recommended and preferred that this mentoring relationship be with a CRC pastor, although in certain circumstances it may be appropriate to establish this relationship with someone else.
- Throughout the ministry preparation process, the individual’s council will maintain contact with them, showing active and ongoing interest in their progress. This may involve written communication and (where possible) personal contacts. The council should also provide ministry opportunities for the individual within the congregation, including the opportunity to exhort once the individual has been licensed (where feasible).
- The CMLT also maintains contact with the individual throughout their candidacy preparation, showing an active and ongoing interest in their development. The CMLT will provide encouragement, guidance, and accountability, also ensuring that the individual is a member of a congregation where they are receiving spiritual support. The CMLT may also find it appropriate for the classis to provide the individual some financial assistance.
- Where there are changes to the individual’s Learning Covenant or Financial Plan, the CMLT endorses these changes and notifies the Candidacy Committee. The Candidacy Committee may also initiate suggested changes to the original plan. When any revisions of a plan occurs, the Candidacy Committee, the CMLT and the individual communicate such in writing to one another.
- At fitting points in the individual’s preparation process, the individual’s classis will find appropriate means for celebrating and giving thanks to God for his provision of faithful and gifted leadership for his church.
G. The Candidacy Stage
- As the individual nears completion of his or her Learning Covenant, the church council best able to make an assessment gives its endorsement to the Candidacy Committee for the individual to seek candidacy.
- Candidacy Committee ensures that the Learning Covenant and Ministry Readiness Profile have both been satisfactorily completed and that a favorable endorsement has been received from the appropriate council and classis/CMLT. Once the Candidacy Committee is satisfied that that all requirements for candidacy have been met, Candidacy Committee gives classis permission to proceed with a classical examination.
- Upon receiving permission from the Candidacy Committee, classis then conducts a thorough classical examination in the presence of synodical deputies. Upon a positive recommendation by the classis, and the concurrence of the synodical deputies, the individual is declared a candidate for the Minister of the Word in the CRC and is eligible for call.
- Upon receiving and accepting a call for ministry in the CRC, the individual will be examined in the classis in which the call has been given, according to the regulations of CRC Church Order Article 10.
The Journey to Ordination: Article Seven (Flow Chart)
CALLING
INQUIRY STAGE
AFFIRMATION AND SUPPORT OF COUNCIL
CMLT INTERVIEW AND THE PREPARATION OF LEARNING COVENANT AND FINANCIAL PLANS
ADMISSION TO THE CANDIDACY PROCESS
MINISTRY PREPARATION PHASE
THE CANDIDACY STAGE
“Ministry Readiness Profile”: Article Seven
(Items to be gathered in the portfolio for each individual working through this process)
____ Initial Determination by the Candidacy Committee (contact the Director of Candidacy)
Initial Documents
____ Candidate’s Application to Council (see tool kit p. 45) (including an Autobiography and Personal Statement of Faith)
____ Initial Council Recommendation (see tool kit p. 47)
____ Financial Plan (see tool kit p. 57)
____ CMLT Classis Initial Recommendation Form, including Testimony to Exceptional Giftedness and Learning Covenant (with plan for Modified EPMC) (see tool kit p. 51) (also see tool kit p. 82 for “Alternative Learning Plans”)
____ Initial Endorsement from CMLT Classis and Candidacy Committee, resulting in License to Exhort under Article 7 (“Step One” – see Church Order Supplement Article 7.A.1) (see tool kit p. 55)
More Documents
____ Copy of Academic Degrees and Diplomas (recommended) (see tool kit p. 57)
____ Statement of Psychological Fitness for Ministry (see tool kit p. 57)
____ Background Check (see tool kit p. 57)
____ Disclosure of Any Acts of Official Discipline, Criminal Charges, or Ecclesiastical Complaint (see tool kit p. 58)
____ Mentor Designation Form (recommended) (see tool kit p. 59)
____ Completion of Learning Covenant, including Modified EPMC
Final Endorsements
____ Final Council Assessment (see tool kit p. 61)
____ Personal Endorsement from Applicant (Commitment to Three Forms of Unity and willingness to sign the CRC Form of Subscription) (see tool kit p. 64)
____ Endorsement from Mentor (see tool kit p. 64)
____ Final Endorsement from CMLT (see tool kit p. 64)
____ Candidacy Committee Endorsement to conduct examination under Church Order Article 7
____ Classical Exam with the concurrence of Synodical Deputies (“Step Two” – see Church Order Supplement Article 7.A.2)
____ Eligible for Call
____ Examination in Classis (“Step Three” – see Church Order Supplement Article 7.A.4)
