General Regulations
The office of commissioned pastor is applicable to a variety of ministries, provided that these ministries fit the guidelines adopted by Synod 2001 and that the other Church Order and synodical regulations for the office of commissioned pastor are observed. These include ministries such as education, evangelism, pastoral care, music, and ministries to children, youth, adults, and others within or outside of the congregation. Before examining a person for the office of commissioned pastor or granting permission to install a previously ordained commissioned pastor in a new position, the classis, with the concurring advice of synodical deputies, will determine whether or not the position to which the person is being called fits the guidelines adopted by Synod 2001. In addition, the candidates for the office of commissioned pastor must have proven ability to function in the ministry to which they are being called.
Before a person who will serve as the solo pastor of an emerging or an organized church is examined for a position as a commissioned pastor, that person, in cooperation with classis, shall develop and complete a contextualized learning plan, adopted by classis and approved by the Candidacy Committee. Ordinarily the learning plan would include an introduction to the CRC Church Order, CRC history, CRC ministry, CRC creeds and confessions, Reformed hermeneutics, and an introduction to the discipline and art of preaching.
The candidate shall also sustain a classical examination. The
concurrence of synodical deputies is not required for the
examination of a candidate for the office of commissioned pastor.
The classical examination shall include the following
elements:
1) Presentation of the following documents
a) A council recommendation from the church in which the
appointee holds membership
b) Evidence (diplomas, transcripts, etc.) of formal general
education and of specialized training in the ministry area to
which the candidate is being called
c) A copy of the letter of appointment from the church that is
requesting ordination of the candidate as commissioned pastor
d) A copy of the candidate’s letter of acceptance
2) Where applicable, presentation of a sermon
a) In an official worship service, preferably on the Sunday
preceding the meeting of classis and in the church to which the
candidate for ordination has been called, the commissioned pastor
shall preach a sermon on a text assigned by classis. Two members
of classis shall be present to serve as sermon critics.
b) A copy of the sermon shall be provided to the classical
delegates. In the presence of the commissioned pastor, the sermon
critics shall evaluate the sermon and the commissioned pastor’s
manner of conducting the entire worship service.
3) Examination in the following areas
a) Knowledge of Scripture
b) Knowledge of Reformed doctrine
c) Knowledge of the standards of the church and the Church
Order
d) Practical matters regarding Christian testimony, walk of life,
relationships with others, love for the church, approach to
ministry, and promotion of Christ’s kingdom
The classis shall ensure that the candidate meets the standards
of character, knowledge, and skill adopted by Synod 2004
(Acts of Synod 2004, p. 619) and inserted below.
The classis shall also ensure that commissioned pastors,
especially those working at some distance from their calling
congregations, will have proper supervision and support for their
ministry.
When the commissioned pastors accept another call, their
ordination shall require the approval of the classis to which
their calling church belongs, to which the commissioned pastors
shall have presented good ecclesiastical testimonies of doctrine
and life given to them by their former council and classis.
A calling church that terminates the service of a person in an
approved commissioned pastor position must seek the concurrence
of the classis in which approval was given.
Elements of a Good Job Description
1. A description of the functions and responsibilities that are
ministerial in nature (see the first paragraph of Church Order
Supplement, Artricle 23-a).
2. A description of the supervision and lines of accountability
for the position.
3. Specific notation of whether preaching and/or administering
the sacraments are to be included in the position.
(Acts of Synod 2012, p. 741)
(Amended Acts of Synod 2013, p. 557)
Standards to be Met by Those Seeking to be Ordained as a Commissioned Pastor
An examination for the office of commissioned pastor will require that all commissioned pastors meet the church’s standards for character and knowledge, whereas the standards for skill competence will relate specifically to the particular commissioned pastor’s area of calling and expertise.
Qualifications for a Commissioned Pastor
Character
The commissioned pastor is mature in Christ. “Christ-likeness”
covers all of what it means to be godly. The following
guidelines, which are rooted in Scripture (references are meant
to be illustrative, not exhaustive), suggest many aspects of
godly character:
1. Devoted to Jesus - The commissioned pastor is
“in Christ” (John 15: 5), filled with his Spirit (Acts 1: 8), and
exercises personal spiritual disciplines.
2. Committed to the church and its mission (Acts
20: 28, 1 Peter 5: 1-4, Eph. 4: 11-13, 1 Tim. 5: 22) - The
commissioned pastor is a person in Christian community. She/he
has been tested and proven. She/he has been recognized as
prepared for ministry by the community of believers and evidences
accountability to it.
3. Called and gifted (Matt. 28: 16ff, Acts 1: 8)
- The commissioned pastor has a calling from God that is
confirmed by the church. That calling provides her/him with a
mission, with vision, and with intrinsic motivation. She/he
ministers out of giftedness (1 Cor. 12, Rom. 12, etc.).
4. Filled with love (Matt. 22: 37-40) - The
commissioned pastor is characterized by love — love of God, love
of self, and love of others, including lost and diverse
people.
5. Possesses the fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:
22-23) - The commissioned pastor gives evidence of love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness,
and self-control.
6. Possesses the qualities of an officebearer (1
Tim. 3: 1-13, Titus 1: 5-9) - The commissioned pastor
demonstrates such qualities as being: reputable, loyal,
self-disciplined, respected, hospitable, mature, honest, sincere,
teachable and able to teach, emotionally stable, blameless, lover
of God and not money, resilient, responsible, not quick-tempered,
not overbearing, not quarrelsome, not abusive (of others or
substances), managing her/his own household well (including
spousal support of ministry), risk-taking, exible,
adaptable, etc.
7. Has a servant’s heart (Matt. 20: 26) - The
commissioned pastor is a servant-leader.
8. Possesses wisdom (Prov. 1: 1-7) - The
commissioned pastor lives according to God’s design, recognizes
Christ as “wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1: 30, Col. 2: 3), and seeks
wisdom from above (James 1: 5, 3: 13).
9. Manages life well - The commissioned pastor
practices good stewardship of time, talents, nances, and
physical creation (Gen. 1: 27-28, Ps. 8: 6-8).
10. Eager to learn - The commissioned pastor is
a lifelong learner, ever studying God’s word and world (Ps. 19)
and demonstrates that she/he has been and is currently being
mentored.
Biblical Knowledge
The commissioned pastor has a working knowledge of the Bible in
her/his native language, and:
1. is able to identify Scripture’s main themes (covenant, kingdom
of God, missio Dei, etc.) and to locate their place in the
redemptive history that is centered in Christ;
2. has command of the divisions of Scripture (Law, prophets,
gospels, epistles, etc.), the historical and literary contexts of
each biblical book, and basic hermeneutical principles required
to interpret them;
3. is able to demonstrate knowledge of key Scripture passages,
and to apply them appropriately to life and ministry.
Based on the above, the commissioned pastor is able to prepare
and preach/teach meaningful and motivational messages/lessons
that are true to Scripture. The commissioned pastor is able to
communicate clearly the gospel to unbelievers and believers.
Theological Knowledge
1. The commissioned pastor has knowledge of doctrinal standards
and systematic theology at the level of Berkhof’s Manual of
Christian Doctrine. This would include knowledge of Reformed
systematic theology, the Ecumenical Creeds, and the three
confessional standards of the Christian Reformed Church.
Furthermore, the commissioned pastor is able to differentiate and
defend the Reformed faith biblically from other systems of
thought, both Christian and non-Christian. She/he is able to
reflect from a biblical perspective on the cultures,
circumstances, and events of everyday life and ministry.
2. The commissioned pastor has a basic knowledge of church
history (including Christian Reformed Church history and culture)
and is able to apply its lessons to present reality and ministry.
Skill - Practice of Ministry
Commissioned pastors give evidence of ministry skills. The skills
necessary for ministry are many, and not all commissioned pastors
possess them in the same measure. Someone in a ministry position
will be expected to demonstrate skills in relation to the
particularity of her/his position. Commissioned pastors, whether
in specialized ministry within an organized congregation or in
new church development, use skills to lead the church of Jesus
Christ to fulfill the New Testament purposes of outreach,
worship, fellowship, discipleship, and service. Some necessary
ministry skills are:
1. Leadership & Administration - The
commissioned pastor is able to help people and the church move
from where they are to where God wants them to be. To do this,
commissioned pastors possess such skills as: casting vision;
creating ownership; creating functional organizational systems;
resolving conflict; developing gift-based ministries; planning
ministry; developing and mentoring leaders; and managing time,
money, and people (according to principles of CRC polity).
2. Outreach - The commissioned pastor is able
personally to share (witness); to defend (apologetics) the faith;
and to lead the church in reaching out to the lost, in receiving
them, and in developing new churches.
3. Worship - The commissioned pastor is able to
prepare and deliver messages/teach lessons (homiletics),
administer the sacraments, and lead in worship and prayer.
4. Pastoral Care - The commissioned pastor
possesses relational skills that enable her/him to provide
personally and through the church (corporately) pastoral care,
visitation, small groups, youth ministry, spiritual counsel, and
conduct of weddings and funerals.
5. Fellowship - The commissioned pastor is able
to foster a nurturing Christian community.
6. Discipleship - The commissioned pastor is
able to raise up, teach, and nurture disciple-making
disciples.
7. Service - The commissioned pastor is able to
respond to personal and community needs by mobilizing the church
for ministry.
8. Specialized - The commissioned pastor has any
necessary skills specific to her/his particular calling within
the church.
(See Acts of Synod 2004, p. 619 and Agenda for Synod
2004, pp. 373-75)
(Amended Acts of Synod 2009, pp. 583-84)