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Zoeken > Literatuur > Oene, W.W.J. van, With common consent, 1990

A practical guide to the use of the Church Order of the Canadian Reformed Churches

auteur(s): Oene, W.W.J. van
genre: Commentaren
bundel:
tijdschrift:
jaargang:
uitgever: Premier Publishing
plaats: Winnipeg
jaar: 1990
druk: 1
ISBN/ISSN: 0-88756-050-4
aantal pagina's: 365
  • Preface
  • Table of Contents
  • With Common Consent
  • Article 1. Purpose and Division
  • Article 2. The Offices
  • Article 3. The Calling to Office
  • Article 4. Eligibillity tor the Ministry
  • Article 5. Ordination and Installation of Ministers of the Word
  • Article 6. Bound to a Church
  • Article 7. Recent Converts
  • Article 8. Exceptional gifts
  • Article 9. From One Church to Another
  • Article 10. Proper Support
  • Article 11. Dismissal
  • Article 12. Bound for Life
  • Article 13. Retirement of Ministers
  • Article 14. Temporary Release
  • Article 15. Preaching in Other Places
  • Article 16. The Office of Ministers of the Word
  • Article 17. Equality Amoung the Ministers of the Word
  • Article 18. Missionaries
  • Article 19. Training for Ministry
  • Article 20. Students of Theology
  • Article 21. An Edifiying Word
  • Article 22. The Office of Elder
  • Article 23. The Office of Deacon
  • Article 24. Term of Office
  • Article 25. Equality to Be Maintained
  • Article 26. Subscription to the Confessions
  • Article 27. False Doctrine
  • Article 28. Civil Authorities
  • Article 29. The Ecclesiastical Assemblies
  • Article 30. Ecclesiastical Matters
  • Article 31. Appeals
  • Article 32. Credentials
  • Article 33. Proposals
  • Article 34. Proceedings
  • Article 35. President
  • Article 36. Clerk
  • Article 37. Jurisdiction
  • Article 38. Consistory
  • Article 39. Consistory and the Deacons
  • Article 40. Constitution of a Constistory
  • Article 41. Places without a Consistory
  • Article 42. Meetings of Deacons
  • Article 43. Archives
  • Article 44. Classis
  • Article 45. Cousellors
  • Article 46. Church Visitors
  • Article 47. Regional Synod
  • Article 48. Deputies of Regional Synod
  • Article 49. General Synod
  • Article 50. Churches Abroad
  • Article 51. Mission
  • Article 52. Worship Services
  • Article 53. Days of Commemoration
  • Article 54. Days of Prayer
  • Article 55. Psalms and Hymns
  • Article 56. Administration of Sacraments
  • Article 57. Baptism
  • Article 58. Schools
  • Article 59. Baptism of Adults
  • Article 60. Lord's Supper
  • Article 61. Admission to the Lord's Supper
  • Article 62. Attestations
  • Article 63. Marriage
  • Article 64. Church Records
  • Article 65. Funerals
  • Article 66. Nature And Purpose of Church Discipline
  • Article 67. Consistory Involvement
  • Article 68. Excommunication
  • Article 69. Repentance
  • Article 70. Readmission
  • Article 71. Suspension and Deposition of Office-bearers
  • Article 72. Serious and Grievous Sins on the Part of Office-bearers
  • Article 73. Christian Sensure
  • Article 74. No Lording It Over Others
  • Article 75. Property of the Churches
  • Article 76. Observance and Revision of the Church Order
  • Appendix I. Regulations for the Election of Office-bearers
  • Appendix II. Letter of Call
  • Appendix III. Form of Subscription
  • Appendix IV. Credentials
  • Index
    		•

    Ministers from Non-Sister Churches

    What happens when a minister from a church with which the Canadian Reformed Churches do not maintain a sister-church relationship comes and asks to be declared eligible for call? He is not eligible as such even though he is a minister.

    It may not happen all that often that a minister alone comes with such a request. Most likely he will take care of a congregation and will have tried to take his congregation along in the way he has learned to be the way of obe­dience. Whether he comes with a flock or not, the case remains basically the same: his being received into the federation must follow the regular proce­dure.

    What is this procedure? In the first place he will have to submit proof that he has been lawfully called to the ministry. No self-styled adventurers need to come with a request. This condition does not imply that we recognize the legitimacy of his position or approve of the community from which he comes. It only means that we want to make sure that everything was done in an or­derly way and that we can be reasonably sure that this man has not made himself what he is.

    Secondly, he has to submit a written exposition of the reasons which led him to his request to be declared eligible for call within the Canadian Re­formed Churches. Merely making an oral declaration is not sufficient for such a serious step and decision. When he has to give a written account, the brother himself is compelled to realize full well what he is doing, and why he came to such a request and what the consequences of it are or may be for himself, for his family, and for the congregation which he takes along, if he has succeeded in convincing others of the correctness of the course he is following.

    The churches, on the other hand, have the opportunity to see everything in writing and to consider the question what the consequences may be of ac­ceding to this request. It must be realized that receiving the brother into the federation as a man eligible for call and, if he receives one, as a minister of the Gospel may have far-reaching implications for the federation as such.

    [29] It is a step which must be weighed and considered thoroughly by both par­ties involved.

    In the third place a good testimonial concerning his conduct is required. Everyone will understand that we do not ask for an attestation regarding his doctrine. This would be worthless if it came from a body which itself does not uphold the Scriptural truths. In other instances it might be a testimony com­ing from a body that maintains doctrines which deviate from Scripture and differ greatly from what we confess.

    A testimony concerning his daily conduct is a different matter. The Lord tells us in His Word that we should live in such a manner that an unbeliever, too, may see our godly walk and praise our heavenly Father for it. Of an of­fice-bearer it is required that he has a good reputation among outsiders, and so we learn from God's own Word that even the testimony of an unbeliever would not be worthless. However, when the brother submits testimonials concerning his daily conduct, he will in all likelihood not ask pure unbelievers and haters of the Lord to provide him with a document of that nature.

    We gladly hear what others have to say about his way of life. Besides, if he comes alone or with his family, it may be expected that he has already joined one of the churches before he comes with his request. In that case members can testify about his conduct.

    Finally, an examination is required which shall be on no lower level than the preparatory and peremptory examinations to which our own candidates for the ministry have to submit. We did speak about the preparatory exam­ination above; the peremptory examination will be discussed in connection with the following article.

    Because of the far-reaching consequences which possible admission of such a brother may have for the whole federation, this examination has to be attended also by regional-synodical deputies, or, in short, Deputies ad Art. 48. They represent the federation as such and have to have their input. In the discussion of Article 48 we shall deal with their position and task further.

    When everything is favourable, there follows the signing of the Subscrip­tion Form for ministers and admission into the federation as a minister in case a congregation comes along. If the brother does not bring a flock along, he will simply be declared eligible for call, after having promised that he will not teach anything contrary to or deviating from Holy Scripture as the churches have summarized the doctrine of it in their confessional formulas.