Credentialing: A Critical Way to Foster Doctrinal Fidelity and Moral Faithfulness

Two men were visiting a cemetery and as they slowly walked through, they paused to read the epitaphs on the tombstones. As they approached one of the graves, one of the men surprisingly exclaimed, “Look, two people buried in this grave. It says, ‘Here lies a pastor and a theologian.’”  

We smile, knowing that truly there was only one individual buried in this grave, one who was a pastor-theologian. Yet, the fact remains that some consider that one is either a pastor serving in a local church, or one is a theologian serving in a Bible college or seminary. But surely, those serving in the local church are to serve as pastor-theologians.  

Let’s continue the anecdotal story. There are two individuals talking about an EFCA church with congregational polity, i.e., a church comprised of professing believers under the Lord and Head Jesus Christ. One turns to another and says, “Look, here are two churches, an independent church and an inter-dependent church.” The thought is that a church is either independent or inter-dependent. However, in the EFCA, local churches are both independent and inter-dependent. (The EFCA Articles of Incorporation refer to the EFCA as “an association and fellowship of autonomous but interdependent congregations of like faith and congregational government.” Emphasis mine.)  

This means that in the EFCA, we are committed to the model of pastor-theologians serving in churches that are autonomous and interdependent. The church affirms the EFCA Statement of Faith, reflecting the autonomous and interdependent polity, and the pastor(s) and other minister(s) pursue credentialing, reflecting the commitment to the model of pastor-theologian. 

Furthermore, in today’s culture, with doctrinal aberrations and immoral behavior which have dishonored the Lord and caused harm to God’s people, it is wise for pastors and other ministers to submit themselves to doctrinal fidelity and moral purity, and it is wise for churches to require this of their pastors and ministers. Although there is no absolute guarantee, this is one means of safeguarding the doctrinal and moral health of pastors and other ministers, and thus the EFCA, both now and for the future.  

With this article, my hope is to encourage and exhort pastors, other ministers and missionaries to be credentialed, and to encourage and exhort elders, leaders and church members to require their pastors, other ministers and missionaries to be credentialed.  

History and Policy of Credentialing 

There was one key reason for the Spirit-prompted origin of the EFCA in 1884, along with two accompanying convictions. The reason: missions—evangelism, church planting and global outreach. The two accompanying convictions: education—training of pastors and missionaries—and credentialing—testing (doctrinal and moral) of pastors and missionaries. With traveling pastors, credentialing was a way to ensure that the pastor had been vetted so they knew he could be trusted.  

In our EFCA Articles of Incorporation, as “an association and fellowship of autonomous but interdependent congregations of like faith and congregational government,” one of our objectives is “to credential and help to place pastors, missionaries and other Christian workers and to hold them accountable for personal life and ministry.” This is done through the ministry of the Board of Ministerial Standing (BOMS), a board affirmed by and accountable to the EFCA Conference.  

As articulated in the EFCA Bylaws, BOMS, in conjunction with districts, is responsible to carry out all matters related to credentialing. Specifically, in matters related to doctrine, BOMS “shall seek to preserve the doctrinal integrity of the EFCA, and shall adjudicate all charges brought to it of doctrinal error among ministers.” In matters related to moral purity, BOMS “shall hear, investigate and adjudicate all charges brought to it of moral error among ministers.” Additionally, BOMS “shall prescribe appropriate discipline for any minister found to have committed doctrinal or moral error and shall prescribe times and means of restoration where possible and in accordance with the policies and rules established by the Board of Ministerial Standing.” 

In sum, BOMS’ task is to “carry out the policies of the EFCA in all matters related to credentialing,” with the primary responsibility to “preserve the doctrinal integrity of the EFCA,” and to preserve moral purity among pastors, other ministers and missionaries. This is one of the important ways of ensuring the EFCA remains a denomination that does not deviate doctrinally and which takes seriously the moral purity of pastors, other ministers and missionaries as a reflection of the gospel and for the glory of God.  

Frequently Asked Questions About Credentialing 

Because credentialing plays an important role in the EFCA, it is important to be informed. What follows is a series of questions and answers that explain several benefits of credentialing. 

What types of credentials are offered? 

One must be in a qualifying ministry which consists of a ministry of the Word of God primarily in the context of a local church. One begins with a Ministry License, required of all (expedited, five-year non-renewable, three-year renewable), and for those who desire a permanent credential, they have the option of pursuing a Certificate of Christian Ministry (for both men and women) or the Certificate of Ordination (for men only), which reflects our complementarian convictions, consistent with our policy and our history. Additionally, all candidates must complete the Policy on Spiritual and Character Qualifications.  

What are the benefits for the candidate of the credentialing process? 

The candidate will be affirmed beyond the local church regarding a calling to and gifting for ministry. Through this process, the candidate will have structure to guide the study and processing of truths and the pastoral applications of those truths in the lives of God’s people. It will also provide accountability, both doctrinally and morally. 

What are the benefits to the local church? 

The local church leaders and membership will be assured that their pastoral staff is aligned with the EFCA and is committed to serve within the EFCA. As members in a local church are under authority (of Christ, the elders and other members), so is the pastoral staff under the same authority, and also the authority of the EFCA, both in doctrinal and moral matters. The pastoral staff is saying to the local church that we, too, are under authority, and we are fully committed to the EFCA.  

Why should the local church encourage or require their vocational ministry staff to be credentialed?  

Because this is a national credential, it provides consistency and uniformity of standards and expectations for all those being credentialed. When a local church has a pastoral staff person credentialed in the EFCA, they can be reassured of the calling, character, and biblical and theological competency of this person. This is true of their pastoral staff who have been credentialed while in ministry with them, and it is also true of those they may call at some point in the future. This is an important way the EFCA national office serves local churches.  

Moreover, this is a very important step to ensure doctrinal fidelity and moral purity in the lives of those who serve as pastoral staff. If there is doctrinal compromise or moral failure with an uncredentialed pastoral staff person, the local church often must address it alone. If a person is credentialed, it provides a national resource to the local church to address these matters intentionally, purposefully and redemptively. This is also an important way in which the autonomous local church communicates their interdependency with other local EFCA churches together known as the EFCA. (There is a difference between being a pastor of an EFCA church and being an EFCA pastor.) 

What does the process of credentialing and the subsequent three-year reaffirmation of all credentialed individuals mean for the EFCA?  

These help to ensure doctrinal fidelity. What one affirms doctrinally at some point in the past is important, but over time there may be changes in doctrinal positions or perspectives. Some of those changes are minor, simply shifts within acceptable biblical and theological parameters. Others are more substantive and compromise or undermine biblical truth through a move towards heterodoxy or heresy. The fact that all those credentialed in the EFCA are asked to affirm initially their commitment to the biblical and theological truths of the Scriptures and our evangelical convictions as articulated in our Statement of Faith, and then subsequently every three years to reaffirm one’s commitment to “subscribe to and affirm without mental reservation each article of the EFCA Statement of Faith” helps to ensure those credentialed in the EFCA remain committed to doctrinal truth both in the present and in the future. This is a means of ensuring the present and future doctrinal fidelity and moral purity of credentialed pastors, other ministers and missionaries, and also the EFCA as a denomination. 

Conclusion 

Returning to the model of pastor-theologians serving in EFCA churches that are autonomous and interdependent, I reiterate what I stated at the beginning: The goal of this article is to encourage and to exhort pastors, other ministers and missionaries to be credentialed, and to encourage and to exhort elders, leaders and church members to require their pastors, other ministers and missionaries to be credentialed.  

I asked several credentialed EFCA pastors the question, “Why be credentialed?” and requested they comment on the benefits personally, to the church and to the EFCA. These affirming responses could be multiplied: 

Personal 

• It is good for the pastor (and other ministers and missionaries) to be formally examined and approved relative to gifting, skills, character and ability to teach the Bible soundly. There is much learning that takes place through the credentialing process.  
• It is good for the pastor to align formally with and to be accountable to the EFCA family of churches, similar to how he challenges his congregants to become church members. 
• A credential is somewhat like board certification for many other vocations—you may not absolutely need it to practice that vocation, but you must meet specified, external standards to get it. This credential—whether license or ordination—reminds us that one is not one’s own Pope, i.e., I do not get to set the standards for my calling. God Himself does that, which is recognized, affirmed and approved by others, and in the EFCA that consists of the local church, the district and the national office (i.e., the three-legged stool). 

Church 

• The church can learn along with the pastor and other ministers when integrating the process with his ministry. 
• It is good for the church to know that the EFCA affirms their pastor officially—both character and doctrine—and by rigorous standards (“Watch your life and doctrine closely” (1 Tim 4:16)). 
• The pastor owes it to the church served and any served in the future to pursue pastoral ministry with doctrinal and ethical integrity. A credential beyond what a local church offers says to the wider church, “Our pastor is recognized as fit for ministry by biblical standards, which has been affirmed by others. And since we are an EFCA church, we gladly follow their guidelines and requirements.” Although there is no guarantee, doctrinal and moral requirements, grounded in Scripture, are confirmed through credentialing, which ensures and fosters fidelity and faithfulness through accountability. Some sort of recognition or certification is required for those serving in most every other vocational profession.  

 EFCA 

• It helps safeguard our present and future doctrinal integrity and moral purity as a family of churches. 
• It safeguards our commitment to apostolic doctrine and holiness by seeing to it that future pastoral leaders are held to the same high standards in both realms, which we believe should be required of all ministers of the gospel. 
• Being credentialed grants one the privilege of serving in some district and national ministries and serving as a member on a district credentialing council. Ordination enables one to serve on a council for a Certificate of Christian Ministry, Certificate of Ordination and a Transfer of Ordination, and it also opens a door for one to be considered for the ministry of BOMS.   

Credentialing plays a critical role in preserving the doctrinal integrity and moral purity of our pastors and other ministers personally, and also directly the local church where they serve, and finally, the EFCA more broadly. It is a wonderful joy and privilege to be able to study doctrinal truths expounded in our Statement of Faith, to write about them and then to be asked to articulate those beliefs before others. It is also important that one reaffirms those beliefs and be asked about moral purity every three years. 

Since we care about and are committed to doctrinal integrity and moral purity, and because we care about the spiritual health and well-being of the church and the EFCA now and for the future, and because we are engaged in a life of worship, if you are a pastor, or a minister in some other capacity, or a missionary, I encourage you to credentialed. If you are an elder, leader or church member, I exhort you to require your pastor(s), other minister(s) and missionaries to be credentialed.  

As I often say, the appropriate context in which credentialing is approached is worship. Theology is the ground of doxology (worship), and doxology is the fruit of theology (truth and doctrine). EFCA credentialing consists of both, so join in the doxological study of theology through credentialing.