Synod Approves Continuing Education Initiative
Paul De Vries: Continuing education for pastors has long vexed the CRC.
Karen Huttenga
Synod 2016 approved a far-reaching new initiative for continuing education for pastors.
Synod president Paul De Vries said that the issue of continuing education for pastors has long vexed the Christian Reformed Church, including questions such as who funds continuing education and how pastors and councils should be held accountable. He praised the advisory committee making the new proposal for doing good work.
The centerpiece of the new proposal is the formation of a new Continuing Education Committee that would include members from existing ministries, including the Candidacy Committee, Pastor Church Resources, and Calvin Theological Seminary, augmented by volunteers.
The new committee is charged with creating a continuing education website with resources for pastors, encouraging councils of local churches to develop learning covenants with their pastors, developing continuing education resources and requirements, and more.
Funding for the committee would come in part from an existing fund within Pastor Church Resources. Other funds would have to come from sources such as the CRC Foundation.
For continuous coverage of Synod 2016 including the live webcast, news, video recordings, photos, liveblog, social media links, and more visit www.crcna.org/synod.
