Questions

A.    In one sense, all believers are called to minister.  In other words, all believers are called upon to serve God with their entire lives, to live lives that are above reproach, and to share the Gospel with others.  All Christians have a holy calling in this sense and are responsible directly to God for fulfilling it.  

    Ministerial credentials, however, pertain to that segment or group of believers who have been entrusted with certain duties within the fivefold ministry.  Their functions and responsibilities differ significantly from those of a volunteer lay worker or a person serving in a helps capacity (Sunday school teacher, prayer group leader, nursing home visitation, etc.).  The nature of their work also causes them to be recognised by and receive certain benefits from civil authorities.

    Not only has the Bible established the spiritual qualifications and standards pertaining to the character and work of one who is to be recognised as a minister, but our own social and legal system has defined what constitutes a minister, clergyman, or pastor from a functional standpoint.  It would be improper and misleading for any organisation to issue credentials to individuals who do not conform to the generally accepted definition of a minister.  It is generally understood that ministerial credentials are granted to an individual who meets the following criteria:

• One who has a divine call to public ministry in the fivefold sense of ministry as stated in Ephesians 4:11.
• One who has completed a course of study in preparation for the ministry.
• One who has been set apart by a group recognising and concurring with this call.
• One who is held responsible by that group for compliance with doctrinal and ethical standards.
• One who has exhibited proper fruit in character and in ministry.
• One who devotes significant time to preaching and teaching the Word of God from a recognised ministerial position.
• One who is required by his ministerial position to administer the ordinances of the church and to conduct weddings and funerals.
• One who derives the majority of his income from ministerial duties, or is at least making definite strides in that direction.  Credentials are not necessary for one who intends to maintain a secular career.

The above-mentioned criteria do not minimise the importance of the efforts of individuals involved in other forms of “helps” ministry, but they do lay the groundwork for establishing proper qualifications for those who are to receive ministerial licensing or ordination.

A.     In a day when ministerial credentials can be obtained from “mail-order” vendors, this is a very pertinent question.  There are two main areas that should be considered.  The first area is the credibility of the organisation itself.  Is there proper leadership?  Are there proper standards and accountability?  Is there a concern for and ministry available to the members?  Is the direction and doctrine of the organisation consistent with the Word of God?  These questions need to be answered.  

    Once satisfactory answers are obtained to these questions, the second consideration is the heart of the member or potential member.  The organisation should be one to which he can willingly submit himself in loyalty and commitment.  He should sense a spiritual “connection” with and respect for the group and its leaders.  In other words, one’s formal connection should reflect one’s heart commitments and his loyalties.  Our experience has shown that it is advisable for a person to be a committed member of one organisation rather than to be only partially committed to more than one Denomination.

    It would be unethical for a person to join a ministerial organisation only to benefit from that group’s credibility when his heart was not at all committed to that group.  It would be especially unscrupulous to use such a formal connection to mislead others into believing that the organisation condones or endorses doctrines or practices which are not at all in harmony with the organisation itself.

    If a minister esteems an organisation enough to seek its credentials, he should also respect the organisation enough to make every effort to attend its functions and show his support through prayer and giving.

A.    Some organisations ordain “for life,” and that is their prerogative to do so.  The directors of RHEMA Family Churches Australia felt it best to make credentials renewable on a yearly basis so that those holding credentials are those who are active in ministry.  There is simply no necessity for a person to have credentials who is not in active ministry.  

When an individual ceases to minister in a qualifying capacity and returns his credentials to RFCA, he is simply placed on inactive status and the certificate is held in the national office.  The inactive member may request that his credentials be reactivated as soon as he is in a qualifying position.

It should be added that the RFCA Ministerial Opportunities program stands ready to assist any member, active or inactive, who is seeking assistance in ministerial placement.