The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order
Chapter 18 : Candidates for the Gospel Ministry
Paragraph 2 : On Coming Under Care
18-2. Every applicant for the ministry must put himself under the care of Presbytery, which should ordinarily be the Presbytery that has jurisdiction of the church of which he is a member. The endorsement of his Session must be given to the Presbytery, consisting of testimonials regarding his Christian character and promise of usefulness in the ministry. The endorsement should also describe the activities of ministry the applicant has participated in with brief evaluation. PCA 1973, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, It is recommended that every candidate for the ministry should put himself under the care of Presbytery, which should ordinarily be the Presbytery that has jurisdiction of the Church of which he is a member. Every applicant seeking to be taken under the care of a Presbytery as a Candidate for the ministry shall file his application at least two months before the meeting of the Presbytery. Upon receipt of the application it shall be the duty of the Presbytery to inquire diligently into the Christian character, the personality, the vocational fitness, and the physical, mental and spiritual qualifications of the applicant, and to make a careful report to the Presbytery upon these and other points which would have a bearing upon his qualifications for the ministry. The report should also contain the recommendation of the Committee as to whether the applicant should or should not be received under the care of the Presbytery. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, 19-2, Proposed text, p. 21 It is recommended that every candidate for the ministry should put himself under the care of Presbytery, which should ordinarily be the Presbytery that has jurisdiction of the Church of which he is a member. Every applicant seeking to be taken under the care of a Presbytery as a candidate for the ministry shall file his application at least two months before the meeting of the Presbytery. Upon receipt of the application it shall be the duty of the Presbytery to inquire diligently into the Christian character, the personality, the vocational fitness, and the physical, mental and spiritual qualifications of the applicant, and to make a careful report to the Presbytery upon these and other points which would have a bearing upon his qualifications for the ministry. The report should also contain the recommendation of the Committee as to whether the applicant should or should not be received under the care of the Presbytery. PCUS 1933, XXI, § 103 and PCUS 1925, XXI, § 103 It is recommended that every candidate for the ministry should put himself under the care of Presbytery, which should ordinarily be the Presbytery that has jurisdiction of the church of which he is a member. He should be encouraged by the Session to do this; and upon his request, the Session should furnish him with a certificate of his membership, and with testimonials of its judgment regarding his Christian character and promise of usefulness in the ministry, to be laid before the Presbytery. No comparable text in the following editions: 1. PCUS 1879 2. PCUS 1869 draft 3. PCUS 1867 draft COMMENTARY : 1986 [M14GA, 14-19, Item 7, p. 91] 1989 [M17GA, 17-6, Item 11, p. 53] |