Becoming a PCA Minister Q/A session

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Christopher88

Christopher88

Puritan Board Sophomore
I'm still very young, (early 20's) but I like my pins in order before I bowl. So I am asking some premature questions in which I hope they can be answered.

Sorry if a thread like this has been posted, but there are about a million threads on the PB, its hard to swift through them all.

How does one become a PCA Minister? (Ordained)
Will the PCA accepted non accredited schools such as Ligneror Academy? (SP? Sproul school)
With a BD (Bachelor in Divinity) would one meet the requirements for being ordain?

Any question I should be asking but have not?
 
Hi Chris,

If you look at the PCA Book of Church Order, I think it's chapter 21 or so, it lists the process. But I'll lay out sort of the basic way this happens.

(1) Go under care of your presbytery. You would need to talk to your elders about this.

(2) Be in a seminary program. Generally, the requirement is a Bachelor's plus a Master's in Divinity, but exceptions are made (B.Div., etc), but you would have to speak to the credentials committee of your presbytery.

(3) Study for licensure. You will have to take written and oral exams and also preach before presbytery. Check out "Preparing for Licensure and Ordination Exams" by Chapell and Meek to get an idea as to what you will need to know. I'm planning to start going through a lot of the material in that book on my website soon as I begin to study for this. Licensure primarily covers basic Bible knowledge, theology, and the book of church order.

(4) Finish seminary, and do a minimum of a 1-year internship (either in seminary or afterward).

(5) Receive a call to a church (or the mission field), and then go before the presbytery for ordination exams. I believe this typically covers Church History, the Sacraments, biblical languages (though I think if your seminary program included this it's not always tested, could be wrong), and possibly another sermon in front of presbytery.

Given that I haven't yet gone through this process, don't consider me authoritative, but as I've been looking into it all, I believe this is the process.
 
In short . . .

1) Get an approved seminary degree, complete a year-long pastoral internship with a PCA church, receive a call from a PCA church (or other ministry), accept said call, pass examination for licensure and ordination.

2) Depends on the presbytery and the school.

3) See #2.
 
You can attend seminary on your own, but that first step of talking to your elders and seeking to go under care of your presbytery is important. They'll guide you through the rest. Most importantly, they can confirm (or question) your giftedness. If you don't have elders and pastors in your church concurring that you're called to this ministry, you really need to question it yourself. Your elders can also give you tasks in the church that'll help you see if this is your calling. You can find out before seminary if you're cut out to be a teacher. If for any reason the elders at Redeemer are hesitant to let you try out some sort of teaching, you need to find out from them why this is so because it probably reveals a necessary area of growth that means you aren't ready for seminary yet.

So... I realize you're just starting down this road, but be sure to talk to some of those church staff people and elders. They're invaluable, and I'm confident they'll be honest and helpful with you.
 
Notwithstanding the other fine guidance you've received, be sure as well to have your head examined to determine whether you have all your wits about you. And if you have any glamorous thoughts about such a calling, find the most experienced minister you know and ask him every question you can imagine about the pitfalls and rewards of such service to Christ.
 
I know Chris has already spoken to the moderator of the session. Someone had thought that our presbytery might be more accommodating in its education requirements than most, so I suggested he also ask here to get a broader view. I apologize to Chris if that was bad advice.
 
SRoper said:
I know Chris has already spoken to the moderator of the session. Someone had thought that our presbytery might be more accommodating in its education requirements than most, so I suggested he also ask here to get a broader view. I apologize to Chris if that was bad advice.
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I hope we didn't jump on Chris for his question. Apologies to both of you if that's the case. And I would agree it's possible your particular presbytery is more accomodating in some ways than many, so you bring up a good question. Any PCA pastors (outside of the NC Piedmont Triad) want to give an answer to the OP?
 
It's only one opinion, but my experience is that Presbyteries are loathe to waive any of the standard requirements (esp. education). I found it difficult to get traction on the extraordinary clause, and I was an RE with almost a decade's experience, having chaired several PCA GA committees, and having chaired the Candidates Committee at Presbytery for 3-4 years. I also had preached 1-2 times a month for a year or so at our church. With all that, there was still strong resistance to a non-seminary degreed ordination.
 
fredtgreco said:
It's only one opinion, but my experience is that Presbyteries are loathe to waive any of the standard requirements (esp. education). I found it difficult to get traction on the extraordinary clause, and I was an RE with almost a decade's experience, having chaired several PCA GA committees, and having chaired the Candidates Committee at Presbytery for 3-4 years. I also had preached 1-2 times a month for a year or so at our church. With all that, there was still strong resistance to a non-seminary degreed ordination.
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Would this also apply to those who do have the seminary education (B.Div.), but do not have a Bachelor's degree? I know several guys in that situation, and haven't heard that talked about as much.

Additionally, in your experience, are MA degrees frowned upon instead of the M.Div.? I am currently doing finishing my MAR (which has included the languages, as I spent a year on campus), and am in the early stages of seeing whether I will need to try to go to another local (unaccredited) institution to finish my M.Div. at some point. Thanks, Joel.
 
fredtgreco said:
It's only one opinion, but my experience is that Presbyteries are loathe to waive any of the standard requirements (esp. education). I found it difficult to get traction on the extraordinary clause, and I was an RE with almost a decade's experience, having chaired several PCA GA committees, and having chaired the Candidates Committee at Presbytery for 3-4 years. I also had preached 1-2 times a month for a year or so at our church. With all that, there was still strong resistance to a non-seminary degreed ordination.
Click to expand...

Fred,

You'll be glad to know that the new Ohio Presbytery just approved the ordination examination of a man educated through the Reformed Evangelical Pastors' College (run by David Bayly's church), and also approved the licensure examination of another. I'm thinking about going through REPC myself to guide my licensure studies (which, up to this point, have been done through self-study).
 
brothers I took no words mentioned as harsh. I took them as advice.
So becoming ordained with the PCA is done through my presbytery not the denomination?
Are schools like TNARS not accepted? B.div degrees are they more frowned upon?

Thanks for the answers, and Rae I saw the REPC I'm quite curious of this program.
 
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