Credentialing
Theology of Ordination
While affirming the scriptural tenet of the universal priesthood and ministry of all believers, ordination reflects the biblical belief that God calls out and gifts certain men and women for ministerial leadership in the church. Ordination is the authenticating, authorizing act of the church that recognizes and confirms God's call to ministerial leadership as stewards and proclaimers of both the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ. Consequently, ordination bears witness to the church universal and the world at large that this candidate evidences an exemplary life of holiness, possesses gifts and graces for public ministry, and has a thirst for knowledge, especially for the Word of God, and has the capacity to clearly communicate sound doctrine.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Mid-Atlantic District Board of Ministry, as the representative body acting on behalf of the church, shall be to examine, evaluate, encourage, and endorse candidates as to their qualifications for licensure and ordination; this process shall include both the evaluation and nurture of ministerial and spiritual growth and maturity.
CRITERIA FOR ORDINATION
After a candidate has met the minimal service and educational pre-requisites, the Board of Ministry will evaluate the following areas:
1. Evidence of spiritual maturity and growth, which is evidenced by high
moral ethical behavior.
Evidence of doctrinal and biblical integrity, comprehension, and
articulation.
3. 2. Evidence of the gifts and graces necessary for ministry, as seen in
his or her ministry assignment(s).
4. 3. Evidence of personal maturity (and common sense) befitting an
ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene.
5. 4. Evidence of healthy relationships toward family.
Elder or Deacon?
One of the key questions to be answered by those entering the ministry is which track to follow, elder or deacon. This is an attempt to give a basis to begin to find an answer to that question.
1. The 2001-2005 MANUAL: Part V, Ministry and Christian Service, Chapter IV, Credentials and Ministerial Regulations
C. The Deacon
428. A deacon is a minister whose call of God to Christian ministry, gifts, and usefulness have been demonstrated and enhanced by proper training and experience, who has been separated to the service of Christ by a vote of a district assembly and by the solemn act of ordination, and who has been invested to perform certain functions of Christian ministry.
428.1 The deacon does not witness to a specific call to preach. The church recognizes, on the basis of Scripture and experience, that God calls individuals to lifetime ministry who do not witness to such a specific call, and believes that individuals so called to such ministries should be recognized and confirmed by the church and should meet requirements, and be granted responsibilities, established by the church. This is a permanent order of ministry.
428.2 The deacon must meet the requirements of the order for education, exhibit the appropriate gifts and graces, and be recognized and confirmed by the church. The deacon shall be vested with the authority to administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord=s supper, and to officiate at marriages where the laws of the state do not prohibit, and on occasion to conduct worship and to preach. It is understood that the Lord and the church may use this person=s gifts and graces in various associate ministries. As a symbol of the servant ministry of the Body of Christ, the deacon may also use his or her gifts in roles outside the institutional church.
428.3 One who is called of God to this ministry,...may be elected to the order of deacon...provided he or she has been an assigned minister not less than two consecutive years; and provided further that the candidate must currently be serving in a ministry assignment. In the case of part-time associate or part-time assistant ministers, it should be understood that there should be an extension of the consecutive years of in-service time, depending on their level of involvement in local church ministry.
428.4 If in the pursuance of his or her ministry, the ordained deacon feels called to the preaching ministry, he or she may be ordained elder upon completion of the requirements for that credential and the return of the deacon credential.
D. The Elder
429. An elder is a minister whose call of God to preach, gifts, and usefulness have been demonstrated and enhanced by proper training and experience, and who has been separated to the service of Christ through His church by a vote of a district assembly and by the solemn act of ordination, and thus has been fully invested to perform all functions of the Christian ministry.
429.1 We recognize but one order of preaching ministry - that of elder. This is a permanent order in the church. The elder is to rule well in the church, to preach the Word, to administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord=s Supper, and to solemnize matrimony, all in the name of, and in subjection to, Jesus Christ, the great Head of the Church.
429.2 The church expects that one called to this official ministry should be a steward of the Word and give full energy through a lifetime to its proclamation.
429.3 One who is called of God to this ministry,...may be elected to the order of elder...To be eligible for election, the candidate must have been an assigned minister for not less than two consecutive years either as a pastor or as a registered evangelist..., or the candidate must have served three consecutive years as associate or assistant pastor; or one year as pastor and two consecutive years as an assigned associate or assistant pastor...or in a Christian ministry in such other institutions and assigned roles approved by the Board of General Superintendents, and the candidate must currently by serving in a ministry assignment.
2. Comparison
1. Both deacon and elder are ministers invested to perform functions of Christian ministry.
2. The specific distinction between deacon and elder is that the elder has a clear call to preach the Word.
3. Thus the deacon is invested to perform certain functions of Christian ministry and the elder is fully invested to perform all functions of the Christian ministry.
4. The preaching ministry involves unique functions of ministry.
3. Distinctive Ministry Functions
1. Since the preaching of the Word is a primary role of the (sole or senior) pastor, this role is limited to an elder (or licensed minister in the elder track). By extension, a part of the responsibility of district superintendents and general superintendents is also preaching, and so these offices are filled only by an elder.
2. Since preaching is not part of the calling of the deacon, the pastoral role would be that of an associate. Deacons certainly may serve many pastoral roles and be involved in extensive pastoral ministry.
3. The nature of the preparation for ordination as deacon is specialized: thus there is a Course of Study for Christian Education, Compassionate Ministries, Music Ministries, Youth Ministries, Administration, Chaplain. [A note - The Alliance for Ministry & NBC has established task forces to provide curricula for each of these specialities, to provide course work which will be available for portfolio presentation to NBC.]
4. Ordained Ministers
1. It is important to note that the ordination of deacon and elder is the same. There is no hierarchy.
2. Membership on the district boards which are limited to ordained ministers (2 of the Advisory Board, Board of Ministry, Court of Appeals) is open to both deacon and elders.
5. Interview
1. In the interview with the Board of Ministry, as part of asking about the call to ministry, there will be a specific question about a call to preach. If the sense of call is to ministry that does not include the call to preach, there will be a question about the Aspecialty: of preparation.
2. All other parts of the interview will be the same.
