Clarification of commissioned minister status

From the Ministry Office of the Church of the Brethren and Executive Committee members of the Council of District Executives

The following is offered as a clarification of the status of commissioned ministers in the denomination following the recent article reporting on an action taken by Shenandoah District. According to the 2014 Ministerial Leadership polity paper of Annual Conference, a commissioned minister “holds the legal credential of clergy and is commissioned to perform all ministerial services and to preside at the ordinances practiced by the denomination in the specific congregation for which they have been commissioned” (p. 15 of “Church of the Brethren Ministerial Leadership,” find a link to the paper at www.brethren.org/ac/statements).

This indicates that commissioned ministers are indeed credentialed ministers as are ordained ministers. In order to qualify for commissioned status they will have completed requirements similar to those of the ordained ministry. The difference is that the scope of a commissioned minister’s pastoral ministry is restricted to a particular congregation. When their ministry at that congregation ends, their credential ends. They are free to accept a call to serve another congregation in the district if approved by the district leadership, but they are not free to enter the placement system and accept a call within the wider denomination. They can serve in ministry contexts as called only within the district where they reside.

If a district terminates the ordination of a minister and then chooses to grant commissioned minister status as was the case in Shenandoah District, this does not imply a reduction of status or a diminishment of importance in any way. Commissioned ministers are not “second class ministers.” They are fully credentialed ministers who are restricted to a specific setting and require the approval of the district to move to a new ministry setting.

It is the practice within districts that commissioned minsters are welcomed to serve on boards and commissions and to be fully active in the life of the district and denomination as are other clergy. Indeed we are all called to live out the priesthood of all believers within the body of Christ. It is important to note that given the Brethren understanding of the priesthood of all believers, credentialed status is not required in order to “preside” over any ordinance. It should be mentioned that officiating weddings may require credentialed status in some states. It seems clear that the call to “settled” pastoral leadership in a congregation as a commissioned minister is geographically bound, but the deeper call to embrace and live out one’s call as both a credentialed commissioned minister and as a member of the body of Christ ought not to restrict one from using one’s spiritual gifts in ways that build up the body of Christ.

— Contributors to this article include Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, director, Ministry Office, and Executive Committee members of the Council of District Executives: Walt Wiltschek, chair; Beth Sollenberger, vice-chair; Andy Hamilton, secretary; Russ Matteson, treasurer.

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