Education Must Accompany Solo Pastoring

Synod 2025 changed some of the rules regarding commissioned pastors called to serve as solo or lead pastors in an established church including requiring theological education in line with what is required to be a minister of the Word. That education process is part of a program known as bridge ordination, governed by Church Order Article 24-b.

Susan LaClear, director of the Candidacy Committee, told delegates that a person serving in a lead pastor role—meant to only rarely be filled by a commissioned pastor—requires more theological training. She said the journey of preparing the pastor should involve the local church, the classis, the Candidacy Committee, the seminary, and the synodical deputies because ordination as a minister of the Word is a denominational matter. Synodical deputies act on behalf of the denomination.

Gary van Leeuwen, Classis Alberta South/Saskatchewan, expressed concern that adding synodical deputies to the process moves deputies to a role they have never played. “This brings the weight of synod to a matter (the appointment of commissioned pastors) that is classical and local.”

Scott Elgersma, Classis California South, agreed with the changes. “These are folks who are living into ordination circumstances (serving as the sole pastor of a church) that would require synodical deputy concurrence (for a minister of the Word). It helps us better support folks in this ordination setting.”

LaClear said they’ve added synodical deputy concurrence because “these people are (going to classis as) minister delegates and are considered ministers in their classis.”

Synod 2025 made it clear that the requirement to pursue bridge ordination applies only to commissioned pastors entering a new call to be a lead or solo pastor. Those already serving in that role will not be required to pursue ordination as a minister of the Word.

Exceptions to the new rules also can be made for those who can’t receive the prescribed training in their language or if the process presents significant obstacles to raise up Indigenous leaders.

After some delegates expressed concern that commissioned pastors who are working bivocationally—holding another job while serving as a pastor—might find it difficult to pursue further education at the same time, synod delegates adopted an addition to the rules stating that the calling church and classis should take into account the weight of balancing ministry and study simultaneously and extend grace in its expectations regarding the length of time it might take a commissioned pastor to complete the prescribed theological education for ordination as minister of the Word.

“Everyone in (this) process is extremely busy. We let them take their time,” said LaClear. It’s a learning process, not slamming a Master of Divinity degree in two years. We’re trying to make it as pastoral as possible while including the learning.”

Commissioned pastors might be entering a call as a solo pastor for a variety of reasons, including someone serving in a church plant that subsequently becomes an established congregation with its own council; a commissioned pastor serving alongside a minister of the Word who subsequently leaves; or someone called to serve as a solo pastor with permission of the classis.

In other actions, synod approved wording changes that changed references to “chaplains” to “noncongregational ministers” to be more inclusive of leaders serving in a wider variety of ministerial roles.

Synod 2025, the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, is meeting June 13-19 on the campus of Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ont. Find daily coverage from The Banner at TheBanner.org/synod. Visit crcna.org/synod for the agenda, advisory reports, recordings of plenary sessions, and to subscribe to the daily Synod News email.