Church Order
Appendix 3: Guidelines for an Ordination Exam
Article 1
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CREDENTIALS
- A valid letter of call
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PROCEDURE
- Exceptional case: If the ordination exam would occur in the same classis in which the candidacy exam was sustained, then the ordination exam may be waived by the delegates conducting the candidacy exam.
- The candidate's calling Consistory must invite classis to participate in an ordination exam.
- The candidate is to preach a sermon in a public worship service which he conducts under the auspices of his calling Consistory.
- Upon sustaining the exam, the classis shall declare the candidate eligible to be ordained as a minister of the Word and sacraments among the United Reformed Churches in North America.
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CONTENT
- The two areas to be covered in this exam are (1) biblical and confessional
commitment, and (2) ministerial competence. The former regards the prospective
candidate's knowledge of and loyalty to Scripture and the Confessions; the
latter investigates his theological and ministerial knowledge and ability. This
exam should, therefore, investigate the following specific areas:
- Practica: the prospective candidate's personal and spiritual life, his relationship with the Lord, his growth in faith, his background and preparation for ministry, his understanding of ministerial office and his motives for seeking entrance thereto, liturgics, homiletics, pastoral care, and evangelism.
- Church polity: the history and principles of Reformed church polity, and the content of the Church Order.
- Confessional knowledge: the history and content of the Three Forms of Unity, concerning the prospective candidate's willingness to subscribe to them by signing the Form of Subscription.
- Reformed doctrine: the teaching of Scripture and the Confessions regarding the six major areas of Reformed doctrine (Theology, Anthropology, Christology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology).
- Ethics: the meaning and function of the Decalogue, also in relation to Christian motivation and character, and to various contemporary moral problems.
- The two areas to be covered in this exam are (1) biblical and confessional
commitment, and (2) ministerial competence. The former regards the prospective
candidate's knowledge of and loyalty to Scripture and the Confessions; the
latter investigates his theological and ministerial knowledge and ability. This
exam should, therefore, investigate the following specific areas:


