Discerning the Call to Commissioned or Ordained Ministry
“Feed my sheep".”
“Whenever a faithful disciple asks me if they are called to ministry, that is easy. Yes. Of course. Following Jesus means serving others. The only question is what kind of ministry are you being called to, today.”
Rev. Jean-Daniel O’Donncada, national pastor
Paths of Ministry Leadership
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The priesthood of all believers.
All who seek to follow Jesus live and act in his name on earth. We call this the priesthood of all believers. Sometimes this is called “lay” ministry. It is the life blood of Christian community. People with other professions giving their time and talent!
In our church, all Christians are allowed to preach and lead prayers and baptize and celebrate Holy Communion, according to congregational tradition.
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Commissioned ministers.
Commissioned ministers are called by a local community for a temporary ministry. They have specific gifts and skills to help in leadership but may not have advanced theological education.
Local congregations call who they desire to positions of leadership. Commissioned ministers are primarily accountable to their local community, but are collegial relationship with other ministers.
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Ordained ministers.
Ordained ministers ordinarily hold graduate degrees in religion and commit to a life-time of full-time church service.
Ordained ministers covenant to be accountable collectively to one another through the national church. Ordination status is independent of current employment and transfers between locations.
Our ordained ministers are recognized as clergy in the wider community and by other Christian churches.
Ordinary Steps to Commissioned Ministry.
A local ministry calls someone to a specific leadership role such as interim pastor, associate or student pastor, or pastor.
That ministry (via a representative such as a board chair) notifies the national pastor of the call.
The national commission on ministry meets with the person called to get to them, their gifts, and their needs. They may create a mentorship or continuing education plan to empower the person to do their ministry well.
The person may be subject to a background check, if the congregation has not already done so, and agrees to abide by the ministerial code of ethics of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
The person is commissioned by a vote of the commission on ministry and granted standing as a Disciples minister for a set period of time, renewable, and depending on ongoing adherence to mentorship and education plans and ongoing endorsement from the local ministry. The commissioned status is immediate, even if a celebration in worship cannot be scheduled immediately.
If this is a new commissioning ordinarily the national pastor will visit as soon as possible after to celebrate with the minister and congregation, including a prayer and laying on of hands in a worship service.
Ordinary Steps to Ordained Ministry.
This is a loose sketch of paths that are diverse, and not necessarily in order! The calling comes in many ways and in many seasons of life. If your story does not neatly match this outline, that is not necessarily a roadblock.
The person discerning a call to ministry first meets their own local pastor to prayerfully discuss it. Such a conversation may include mutually sharing of sense of call. It is wise for someone discerning ministry to meet with multiple people serving in ministry, perhaps in diverse settings and from diverse backgrounds. The local pastor can assist in making such connections.
The person discerning a call ought to be actively involved in church life and known in the congregation. As all parties feel comfortable, allowing the person to lead in prayers or Communion or teaching will help the person get a sense of the work to which they may be called and allow the wider church to know their gifts.
The congregation, according to its own policies, meets with the person discerning and decides whether to endorse their candidacy for ministry to the national commission on ministry. They may say no, not yet, yes under conditions, or yes. The national commission cannot advance a candidate without a local endorsement. However if a candidate feels they are being treated unfairly, they may contact the national pastor for a confidential conversation about other options or paths, with no guarantees.
The national commission on ministry will meet with the candidate, get to know them, and develop a mentorship and education plan.
The person discerning a call pursues advanced education in theology. A “master of divinity” diploma from an accredited university is the standard course. Whether by an M.Div. or another course, the commission on ministry will expect a demonstration from studies and work experience, knowledge within our sixteen core competencies.
The person discerning a call should be familiar with and committed to our ministerial code of ethics. We do not expect ministers to be perfect, no human is, but they should strive to be examples of Christian life in their way and setting.
Upon completion of the education requirements and continued endorsement of the local congregation, the commission on ministry may choose to ordain the candidate. Ordination services may occur at the local church or a national gathering. Ordinarily the national pastor presides, but all present are invited to lay on hands and ordain the minister together.
Ordination, except in extreme cases of discipline, lasts a lifetime, but standing, active permission to act in the name of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) must be maintained by collegial relationships, continuing education, and commitment to ethics. Standing may be transferred to other regions of Disciples. When Disciples serve in partner denominations in Canada, they maintain standing with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada.
For ministers ordained in other churches
We are an ecumenical movement, committed to Christian unity! We ordinarily recognize other ordinations when people accept a call with one of our congregations. To have standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada, a minister of another tradition ought to be present in Canada, involved in our church life either through serving a local congregation or pro-active involvement in our national church life while serving in other setting.
Standing is not exclusive, meaning as far as our policies are concerned, a minister may have standing in multiple denominations.
Every situation is different, so we invite clergy of other traditions interested in being part of our covenantal community to please contact the national pastor.