ORDINATION

Ordination to the office of Teaching Elder is always to some specific (definite) call.  This call may come from a local church, a mission agency (e.g. MTW), a campus work (e.g. RUM), or other ministry necessitating ordination. The Book of Church Order is clear about this:

    17-1 Those who have been called to office in the church are to be inducted by the ordination of a court.

    17-2.  Ordination is the authoritative admission of one duly called to an office in the Church of God, accompanied with prayer and the laying on of hands, to which it is proper to add the giving of the right hand of fellowship.

     17-3.  As every ecclesiastical office, according to the Scriptures, is a special charge, no man shall be ordained unless it be to the performance of a definite work.

The Prerequisites for Ordination are:

1. A bachelor’s degree and a seminary education or its approved equivalent.

2. Completion of an Internship Program.

3. A call to a particular church or work. A copy of the call should be sent by the calling church (or agency) to the Chairman of the Committee and to the Stated Clerk of Presbytery.

As a part of his Ordination trials, a man must submit BY THE APPLICABLE DEADLINE the following:

1. Transcripts from college and seminary awarding your degrees (if not previously submitted).

2. Completed “General Candidacy Application.”

3. Exegesis paper.

4. Theological paper.

5. Sermon materials as described in the “Guidelines for Sermons Submitted to Great Lakes Presbytery. (NOTE WELL!! If you were licensed in Great Lakes Presbytery and prepared and preached a sermon for those trials, you will NOT be asked to preach a sermon for ordination.)

6. Completed set of examinations: English Bible, Theology, Church Government (BCO), Church History, Sacraments and Views.

7. A call to a particular work (properly attested and signed: see BCO 20-6 through 20-8).

8. Recommended Commission (members, date and time) to ordain and install you. Your Commission should consist of three teaching elders and three ruling elders from Great Lakes Presbytery. At least one of each should be from churches other than the one to which you have been called.

Another important fact to remember is that the candidate for ordination is not permitted to move onto the field of his labors before his examination (BCO 21-1).  This is to ensure the integrity of the examination process and to protect the candidate, the congregation and the Presbytery.  The trials for ordination include an extensive series of examinations, set forth by the BCO 21-4.  These requirements from the BCO are met by GLP in the following manner: 

BCO Requirement	GLP Examination
·         Experiential Religion	·         Testimony of conversion and call to      the ministry
·         Knowledge of Greek and Hebrew	·         Seminary Transcripts and      examination in languages
·         Bible content	·         Examination in English Bible
·         Theology	·         Examination in Theology and      Examination on Views
·         The Sacraments	·         Examination on the Sacraments
·         Church History and History of PCA	·         Examination in Church History
·         Rules of Government and Discipline	·         Examination on the BCO
·         Exegesis of Scripture	·         Exegetical paper on a passage of       Scripture
·         Thesis on some Theological topic	·         Theology paper
·         Preach a sermon	·         Sermon materials and sermon      preached before presbytery
·         Call to a specific work	·         Written call in the form of BCO 20-6

 Many of these sections of the ordination examination completed for licensure will not need to be repeated.  The Chairman of the Committee should be consulted prior to filling out any ordination exams.  In addition to a written copy of your call to a particular ministry, you must also provide a commission for your ordination.

Among the matters that may be properly executed by commissions are the taking of the testimony in judicial cases, the ordination of ministers, the installation of ministers, the visitation of portions of the church affected with disorder, and the organization of new churches.

 Every commission appointed by presbytery shall consist of at least two teaching elders and two ruling elders, and the presbytery at the time of the appointment of the commission shall determine what the quorum shall be.  However, should a presbytery clothe a commission with judicial powers and authority to conduct judicial process, or with power to ordain or install a teaching elder of the Gospel, the quorum of such commission shall not be less than two teaching elders and two ruling elders.  The quorum for a commission appointed as an interim session need not conform to the requirements of a judicial commission, but only to those of a session (BCO 12-1). When the ordination of a minister is committed to a commission, the presbytery itself shall conduct the previous examination.  (BCO 15-2)

 This commission shall consist of three teaching elders and three ruling elders and may include “visiting brothers” from other PCA presbyteries.  This will allow a quorum of two teaching elders and two ruling elders to conduct the ordination service.  The written copy of the commission should include the date, the place and the time of the ordination service.

The PCA's Book of Church Order explains the process in greater detail.  Go here to find BCO 21.

The questions asked for Ordination vows are HERE.

The Questions for the Minister and the Congregation for Installation of a Pastor are HERE.

You may find a listing of the various forms required for Ordination HERE.

The Ordinary Procedure for Ordination is as Follows:

1. Submit all required paperwork by Schedule of Deadlines.
2. Take written examinations.
3. Be examined by Credentials Committee and then by full presbytery in all areas listed in BCO 21-4.
4. Contact the chairman of the Credentials Committee for exact dates, times and locations of committee meetings and examinations.
5. Be ordained and installed by a commission of presbytery.