I don't think I've ever written a blog post about this so I thought I'd put something up today. This comes after reading a couple posts put up by Adam Walker Cleaveland and Tony Jones about the PCUSA Ordination Process. The just of the story is that Adam is a candidate for ordination, has dual degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, has passed all his ordination exams yet is being told by a Presbytery he is transferring too that it is not enough and he needs to go back and take 7 additional classes in order to be considered for ordination. Now I don't know the finer details of Adam's process but I have read through much of the responses on both their blogs and is has really caused me to think.
In 2000 I entered into the ordination process. At the time I was the Director of Youth Ministry at Bel Air Presbyterian Church. I was also working on a Masters in Divinity Degree from Fuller Theological Seminary.
My process involved quite a bit of growth. I was at the time a pretty raw youth minister who said what he thought a bit too carelessly. The journey through the inquirer phase was a good one but also really difficult. I often felt a bit alone trying to navigate the waters of the process. My committee was great but I didn't quite know how to utilize them. After a couple years as an inquirer I became a candidate right as I finished seminary. I remember having to schedule my meetings to move to candidate stage really far in advance. At that time I was beginning to question where God was calling me. We were living in a small house in Van Nuys California and had a couple of sons. A position opened up at a beach church in San Diego and it seemed like a good fit. It was a large evangelical church but had a different view of the ordination process and who they would ordain. I made the decision to leave the PCUSA ordination process at that point because I felt like I wasn't ready for it.
After a very short time at that new church I realized that I missed the PCUSA. I realized after I left it that the theology, the ecclesiology and the polity were who I was. But, I had made a huge move, bought a new house and wasn't able to go back to the PCUSA. I made the decision at that time to pursue further theological training and decided to pursue a Doctorate studying at George Fox Seminary with Leonard Sweet. This was one of the best decisions I've ever made. In the three years I was at George Fox I grew in ways that I never thought I could. I was challenged to think through all my ministry paradigms and practices as I knew them. In the middle of that program I lost my job at the church in San Diego and was in the middle of a job hunt. Interestingly all of my top possibilities were in the PCUSA. God was doing something in leading me back.
After a long and very good process with a couple of great PCUSA churches I was led to Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas Texas. At HPPC I have the opportunity to be a Youth Minister using my gifts and skills learned from many years of youth ministry to lead an amazing team of youth workers. I feel like God has put me in the perfect situation and I feel blessed every day to be in it.
I have had quite a few people ask me if I am going to enter back into the ordination process. The answer is for now: Yes. I made the decision that I would not think about that until finishing my doctorate which I did this year. I recently received my file from the Pacific Presbytery and am working with Grace Presbytery to begin the process again. This time I'm entering into the process with a lot of hope because I'm doing it at the right time of my life, my ministry and my career. I know that the process tends to weed people out as I believe it should. I'm a bit nervous to begin meeting with new committees with different expectations and ideas of what I should and shouldn't do in order to be ordained.
I guess I should just say I'll keep you posted. I don't know how this will go but I'm hopeful because I believe God is leading me back into it.
gray oat Lars. We’ll gave to chat sometime soon. I’d hazard a guess that Grace Presby will be very glad to have you as they should.
We will be praying that the process will be smooth for you! Having just completed the HPPC officer training course to be a Deacon, the intricacies of PCUSA polity and structure are fresh on my mind. I agree with Don that you would be a great addition to Grace Presbytery.
Is ordination really supposed to make it so hard that people just move on? Or is it supposed to be made up of wise and prayerful people that work to guide people into the ministry and guide those that are not called into their calling. I have read some of the stuff about Adam Walker Cleaveland and I really don’t know the story, but I know others where the process is much more about the “process” than the preparation for ministry. My brother has been at his for three years, invested a couple thousand dollars in extra classes and such that were not in the process when he started and still he doesn’t have an end in view. But he hasn’t been told that he needs a new direction either.
I was ordained in an independent baptist church. And while I really do believe in denominations and accountability, I see much more of the negative of them than the positive.
Hey Lars, I was reading your post and realizing again how long we have been friends. I love the connection and feel privileged to have known you as you have gone through some of this stuff. You are a good friend bro. I will come to your ordination party for sure.
Strangely similar roads we have followed. I did my MDiv and then my ThM at Princeton and finished in 2000. Passed everything and was cleared to accept a call, but backed down primarily due to academic pursuits (that did not pan out then) and a sense that the process was more political than promising.
Got a good job at a university in instructional technology and moved up in that world to my current position as an academic admin. 10 years later, and almost done with PhD work, I want to see what happens if I try to kick that door down again.
The calling to, whatever it is, never went away, i guess i always did a good job of suppressing it. So I started listening again about two years ago and here I am again… But this time i have a hell of a lot more maturity and wisdom to deal with the politics without malice and the people without contempt.
Thanks everyone who has commented on this. Both old friends and new ones. I am slowly exploring this process again. God is good and I believe that he leads me to it. What I’m most scared about though is trying it again and finding out that I’m supposed to be in a different place in the church. But, I’m prepared to not be dissapointed or let down because I believe God is in the details of this. I know I’m where I’m supposed to be now and if this is where I need to be for the long haul I’m committed to it. God is Good. All the time.
interesting, found this after googling pcusa ordination exams, which I’m taking this week. This whole ordination process is a beast if you ask me, especially not going to a presbyterian seminary. Thanks for the post!
I believe this is an ocean of knowledge, i really admire your article in your mind. You let me learn a lot from your blog. I wish you continue to update, i will continue to support your blog.
I came across your blog while preparing for my initial session meeting to become an Inquirer in the PCUSA. Now that about a year has passed since the blog I just read,I’m really curious as to how the process has panned out. I feel very intimidated by this process and your words of wisdom will definitely be appreciated! Thanks!