My hope is that our quest for knowledge, accuracy, and orthodoxy will not deprive us of a welcoming, affectionate, inclusive, and mentoring kind of credentialing environment. I pray that every man who sits or stands for exam will know that even though we expect great things from them we are for them, we want them to succeed, we need them, and are ready to help and welcome them if they will in turn help us to follow Jesus.

One of the challenges for the Presbyterian Church in America is the process we have for ordaining our ministers.  If you want to be a pastor in this denomination there are certain “hoops” one has to jump through.  I am in favor of being true to Scripture, and holding our Elders to that standard, both Teaching and Ruling.  However, I submit there can be several competing) dynamics that afflict this process and it is important for presbyteries and their “Credentials Committee” to keep these in mind.

1. The ACADEMIC DYNAMIC

Our pastors, or Teaching Elders, need to be competent theologically.  We want them to not only be competent in knowing theology but “orthodox” (as per the PCA standards) in what they believe.  It is not enough to know what the denomination confesses and professes but the candidate for both licensure and ordination must actually hold to these beliefs and be ready to defend them with a biblical and intellectual argument.

There is a lot to know in a church that declares itself to be biblical (one has to know what the Bible says as to content, and how the Bible is organized, and where in the Bible something is said) and confessional (one has to know how the Westminster Confession and Larger and Shorter Catechism explains and understands the Scripture, what they say, and where those things are said).  We want men to understand the “system” that flows through the Scripture.

One has to know how to interpret the Scriptures accurately so as to remain orthodox, and that implies skill in exegesis and translating the Bible from the original languages.   One has to know Church History (or at least the part that is of interest to our denomination) and one has to know our form of church government.  One has to understand and explain the Sacraments, and practice them in a way that keeps one orthodox.  As you can see, there is a lot to know.

In addition one has to have “views” that are orthodox on various and sometimes arbitrary issues that have been or might be controversial, or at least hold (understandable and well stated) views that are acceptable to the presbytery that is examining you.  As you can see, there are lots of ways to get caught up in controversy.

2. The CHARACTER DYNAMIC

The Presbyterian Church in America wants men who are indeed born-again Christians, which implies that they be men of Jesus with godly character, fulfilling the character qualifications found in 1 Timothy and Titus.  The test for character usually comes by way of exception.  Unless there is some exception that is noted by the local church of which he is a member, and whose Elders have recommended he come under care of presbytery, or some exception noted by somebody (school, family, or anyone) there will probably be no questions about behavior or character asked of the candidate.

His testimony of salvation, his testimony of personal calling to the ministry, and his commitment to be Reformed and Presbyterian is pretty much all the presbytery will want to know.  Hardly any personal questions about holiness, or family life, or hidden sin will be asked.  In a day and age of such horrendous stories of sexual and emotional abuse in churches, with both legal and reputational consequences, it is more important than ever that the church knows to whom it gives the authority to shepherd souls.

The moral area of the job of being a Pastor, Missionary, Chaplain, Professor, etc. while carrying the reputation of the denomination wherever he goes as to his personal and public integrity and morality, and is expected by most everyone in both the religious and secular world to be of the highest probity and reputation, will likely be given the least examination prior to ordination.  If he has any hidden wickedness it will be difficult to see unless it blows up, in some way, someday.

Another aspect of this is that some personality characteristics and even psychological pathologies are left unexamined and unseen.  Tendencies for people pleasing, greed, jealousy, envy, arrogance, anger patterns, emotional extremes, bouts of depression (I am not declaring depression to be sinful),  contentiousness, quickness to argue, pride, obstinate stubbornness, etc. all of these, and more kinds of sinful attitudes and/or behaviors are allowed into the ministry without much hindrance, as long as they are not scandalous at the time of ordination.

3. The CALLING AND GIFTED-NESS DYNAMIC

In order to be ordained in the PCA a man must have a sense of “internal calling” (and this stretches from a mild sort of conviction to that of a mysterious, compelling, even unrelenting sense of God’s Holy Spirit giving a man no choice but to preach).  This sense of calling he must articulate to the presbytery.  It is hardly ever questioned.  In addition he must have a job offer, which is always a question, and the presbytery will take that offer of employment as a sign of an outward calling.

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