I. The Candidate
Your interest in preparing for the ministry in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) is of great significance to the denomination. Even though the call to mission goes out to every believer, God also places a specific call upon some individuals to provide leadership in the church, preparing his people for works of service. As you explore the possibility of serving as a Minister of the Word in the CRC, it is our intention to encourage and support you, and provide you with the appropriate materials you need in order to determine God ’s call upon your life.
The Church Order of the CRC describes three different routes into the Christian Reformed ordained ministry. Church Order Article 6 addresses those who prepare for the ministry through academic training that leads to a Master of Divinity (M.Div) degree. Article 7 of the Church Order makes provision for those who have not obtained the prescribed theological training but who nevertheless give evidence of exceptional giftedness and a “native ability ” to preach the Word. The last of these articles, Church Order Article 8, provides a means for ministers who have been ordained in another denomination to enter the Ministry of the Word in the CRC. These sections of the Church Order are outlined below.
Article 6
a. The completion of a satisfactory theological training shall be required for admission to the ministry of the Word.
b. Graduates of the theological seminary of the Christian Reformed Church who have been declared candidates for the ministry of the Word by the churches shall be eligible for call.
c. Those who have been trained elsewhere shall not be eligible for call unless they have met the requirements stipulated in the synodical regulations and have been declared by the churches to be candidates for the ministry of the Word.
Article 7
a. Those who have not received the prescribed theological training but who give evidence that they are singularly gifted as to godliness, humility, spiritual discretion, wisdom, and the native ability to preach the Word, may, by way of exception, be admitted to the ministry of the Word.
b. The classis, in the presence of the synodical deputies, shall examine these men concerning the required exceptional gifts. With the concurring advice of the synodical deputies, classis shall proceed as circumstances may warrant and in accordance with synodical regulations.
Article 8
a. Ministers of the Reformed Church in America are eligible for call to serve in the Christian Reformed Church, with due observance of the relevant rules.
b. Ministers of other denominations, other than from the Reformed Church in America, desiring to become ministers in the Christian Reformed Church shall be declared eligible for a call by a classis only after a thorough examination of their theological training, ministerial record, knowledge of and soundness in the Reformed faith, and their exemplariness of life. The presence and concurring advice of the synodical deputies are required.
c. Ministers of other denominations who have not been declared eligible for a call shall not be called unless all synodical requirements have been met.
Synod 2000 adopted a number of standards in the areas of character, knowledge, and skills for those entering ministry. In adopting these standards, Synod was guided by the following principles:
- The Reformed confessional heritage should be the basic foundation for all ministry-staff job descriptions. A principle of proportionality should be thoughtfully applied to all persons who fill staff positions in any Christian Reformed church. The degree of understanding and skill required to apply the confessional tradition is proportional to the level of ministry responsibility assigned. As one ’s sphere of authorized service extends, so should one ’s capability for understanding, articulating, and discipling others in the Christian faith and Reformed confessional tradition.
- The CRC is committed to a theologically well-trained clergy and to maintaining the expectation that “the completion of a satisfactory theological training shall be required for admission to the Ministry of the Word ” (Church Order Article 6-a).
- The church needs to take note of the general scriptural teaching concerning personal qualifications for ministry found in passages such as Matthew 18; 20:20-28; 28:18-20; Acts 6; II Corinthians 4; 5; Ephesians 4; and I and II Timothy.