Ordination

Disciples making disciples
 
"No Creed But Christ, No Book But The Bible, No Law But Love."
 
MINISTERIAL CREDENTIALS offered through the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada (Christian Disciples) are a partnership between the local church and a life vocation in ministry as a minister of God, in which a believer's God-given leadership gifts (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher) are exercised and recognized.
 
The Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) accepts those found in local churches, house churches, small groups, evangelism, missionaries, prison and hospital chaplains, police and military chaplains, hospice, and transport for Christ chaplains. It also accepts Senior pastors, music directors, counselors, children and youth pastors, assistant pastors, bi-vocational pastors and ministers, music directors, funeral directors, Para church ministries, Bikers for Jesus, and marketplace ministries. These leadership roles can be found in para-church organizations, marketplace ministries, counseling agencies, para-church ministries in the local church, and those who work and minister in other denominations.
 
The Evangelical Christian Church in Canada (Christian Disciples) ministerial credentials enable the local church and this fellowship to affirm the Christian character, testimony, and spiritual maturity of its clergy and to extend authority to those who minister in the exercising of servant leadership within the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada (Christian Disciples). Ministerial credentials affirm the presence of leadership as found in the New Testament pattern of the church. This spiritual covering extends legal status to the exercise of the person's ministry, which marks the completion of preliminary and preparatory steps for a person and a progression beyond a license. It also testifies to the concurrence of the minister and the denomination, affirming the gifts of the servant, continuing in ministry, and a level of maturity achieved.
 
The ecclesiastical church body of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada (Christian Disciples) is made up of clergy who are serving other independent church agencies and fellowships while holding ministerial credentials with the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada (Christian Disciples).
 

ELIGIBILITY FOR MINISTERIAL CREDENTIALS

The Covenant of Certified Christian Worker 

In some exceptional cases, we will issue an individual a "Certified Christian Worker" certificate. A pastor or mentor must request it on behalf of someone they feel has a potential calling and is preparing to fulfill it. It acknowledges their willingness to work in ministry under the supervision of the pastor and the local church leadership until they are recommended for regular ministerial credentials or meet the requirements of the Credentials Standing Committee. The Christian Worker credentials are issued to a person who has a call in his/her life to the work of ministry. Those candidates who are Sunday School Superintendents, Sunday School Teachers, Church Administrators, Hospital or Nursing Home workers, House-to-House Visitation workers, Altar Workers, Street and Jail Ministry workers, and other leadership ministry roles that are in the Local Church will be accepted by the Credentials Standing Committee for this credential.

The Covenant of License 

A license will be granted to pastoring, preaching, or evangelizing persons. Those authorized by a recognized organization or denomination will also meet that requirement. Applicants should submit copies of a license when applying to the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada. A license granted by the Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) in Canada entitles the holder to perform all the church functions, including baptism, burial services, and the Lord's Supper. It allows them to use the title "Reverend."  The main requirements that the Credentials Standing Committee will be looking for are in areas of Christian maturity, experience in ministry, and Biblical training. The license holder is not authorized to perform the marriage ceremony unless granted temporarily at the discretion of the Credentials Standing Committee.

The Covenant of Ordination 

Canada's Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) considers ordination a critical ordinance. If the applicant is an ordained minister, a copy or other proof of ordination must accompany the application during the interview. Suppose a recognized denomination did not ordain the candidate and is seeking ordination. In that case, the main requirements that the Credentials Standing Committee will be looking for will be found in the areas of Christian maturity, experience in ministry, and Biblical training. The candidate must meet all the requirements of the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada (Christian Disciples). Training at the time of the interview is to be considered. Only credentials obtained through a recognized organization or denomination will be considered for transfer. Documents submitted to the Ministerial Examination Committee for ordination must show that their activities and training are a requirement for this status.

Certified Pastoral Counsellor

The Certified Pastoral Counsellor certificate is the recognition of qualified pastoral mental health service practitioners where individuals must develop and maintain skills in two distinct areas - counseling and ministry. The candidate must hold an ordination certificate from a reputable denomination or organization, have a counseling education, or be willing to take an intense certificate or diploma course from Waterloo Bible College. (The candidate must be ordained to qualify for this credential).


Download the Application Form here!

 

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