FFM Meeting

Ecclesiastical Program for Ministerial Candidacy Requirements

  1. Fall quarter in residence at Calvin Theological Seminary (show | hide)

    The fall quarter for EPMC students begins with a required orientation session Friday, August 29 from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. with psychological testing taking place from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

    Fall quarter classes in 2008 begin Tuesday, September 2 and end Wednesday, November 12. The fall exam period ends Friday, November 21, 2008. No classes will be held October 3 (Reading Break), October 13-15 (Canadian Thanksgiving holiday) and October 23-24 (Reading Break)

    You do not need to register for these courses. The Registrar will do that for you and inform you by e-mail when registration is complete.

  2. Summer seminar in residence at Calvin Theological Seminary (show | hide)

    2009 Summer Seminar

    Two classes form the core of the in-residence summer seminar which will be held from May 26 to June 5, 2009.

    Professor Carl Bosma will be teaching Biblical Hermeneutics and the Libronix Seminar. Attendance at every session of the summer seminar is mandatory to receive credit for the seminar. The daily class schedule during Week 1 is 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Daily lunches will be provided.

    Students will be given reading and writing assignments in advance of the seminar taught in Week 1. No later than April 1, the seminar syllabus and assignments will be available by clicking on the class name above. The Libronix Seminar taught in Week 2 combines biblical language review, exegesis for preaching, and biblical studies software training in an intensive training experience that gives students powerful resources and exegetical tools for biblical preaching. The Libronix seminar is strongly encouraged for all EPMC students but required only of students who choose this seminar as an alternative way of satisfying the Greek and Hebrew language comprehensives requirements. (This seminar is offered two times per year, as Week 2 of the summer seminar and at the end of the Fall quarter.) It is very important to consult the Libronix Seminar link for information needed to prepare for this seminar, including computer specifications and the specific version of Windows and Libronix required for the Libronix Seminar.

    Students should inform the Registrar of their intent to take the Hermeneutics course (NT240) and/or Libronix by April 15, 2009. It is preferable, though not required, that students take the summer seminar before the fall quarter in residence.

    This summer seminar is specifically designed for the EPMC and does not qualify for academic credit except by special arrangement with Dr. Duane Kelderman, EPMC director. Students completing this seminar will be granted a completion certificate and will receive five Continuing Education Units.

    The cost is $500.00. Once the course is registered (no earlier than April 15), students will be able to view their statement online. The statement will also include information about payment.

  3. Ministry Formation (including field education) (show | hide)

    "Formation for Ministry" is the integrating principle of all professional degree programs at Calvin Theological Seminary (CTS). Formation focuses upon the whole person: head, heart, hands, all in the context of community. Formation transcends the separation between academic and practical, between the classroom and the church. Formation seeks to make every part of the learning experience form students into increasingly faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

    The entire Ecclesiastical Program for Ministerial Candidacy (EPMC) is also rooted in this formation vision. However, "Ministry Formation" in this section of the EPMC description is a specialized term that refers more narrowly to the EPMC requirements that involve the person in ministry and are managed by the Office of Ministry Formation whose director is Rev. Don Byker.

    The "Ministry Formation" component of the EPMC includes the four activities listed below. Please note that the first three activities are not sequential but should all be addressed at the outset of one's EPMC journey and early in one's M.Div. program.

    1. Congregational Internship (show | hide)

      Students must complete 600 hours (12 weeks full time or its equivalent) of supervised, congregation-based, ministry leadership experience that offers significant engagement with congregational ministry and opportunity to accomplish the Ministry Formation Program Goals.

      The good news is that EPMC students can satisfy part, or sometimes all, of this requirement as part of their M.Div. program at another seminary and long before they ever take a course at CTS! By seeking admission to CTS early in their M.Div. studies at another seminary and planning their congregational internship experience at their seminary in consultation with the CTS Director of Ministry Formation, students can receive maximal credit for congregational internship experience. The Director of Ministry Formation will also assist EPMC students who need more congregational ministry experience and internship credit in securing a congregational internship (usually during the summer before the fall quarter in residency) that will achieve the Program Goals.

      Students should consult with the Director of Ministry Formation (DoMF) as early as possible in their M.Div. program and should initiate the following two steps:

      1. Gather for presentation to the DoMF the following materials:
        • A concise summary of all ministry leadership experiences and congregational internship experience(s) that contribute to the Ministry Formation Program Goals. This summary should include the names and locations of any congregation(s) with which you served and a description of your ministry responsibilities. (Ideally students will be contacting the Director of Ministry Formation before they have congregational internship experience, but past experience indicates that many students do already have congregational internship experience by the time they matriculate at CTS.)
        • Any documentation related to the above ministry experiences, e.g., job descriptions, statement of internship objectives, self evaluations, supervisor evaluations, mentor reports, council evaluations, etc.
      2. Schedule a meeting with the DoMF. Ideally this meeting would be in person but it can be by phone if necessary. The purposes of this meeting are to:
        • review the materials presented, and, if available, the psychological evaluation report (see below);
        • in situations where students already have congregational internship experience, determine whether the amount and range of congregation-based ministry experience is adequate to satisfy the 600 hour program requirement and meet the Program Goals;
        • construct a plan through which outstanding requirements, if any, can be met and Program Goals achieved.

    2. Psychological Assessment (show | hide)

      A thorough psychological assessment is required of all those seeking ministerial candidacy in the CRCNA.

      CTS makes use of a staff of high quality psychologists who are aware of the peculiar demands of pastoral ministry and assess students' strengths and weakness with a view to increasing their effectiveness in pastoral ministry. The assessment guides students and seminary staff in maximizing learning and growth for each student.

      Ideally this assessment can take place early in the student's seminary studies thereby allowing time for the student to address the psychologists' recommendations in the context of a supervised internship. In reality, for many students this assessment takes place and is processed around the dates of the summer seminar or early in the fall quarter of residency.

      Psychological assessments done at other seminaries may be acceptable substitutes for CTS's psychological assessment. In most case it is necessary to do the psychological assessment provided by CTS. Please submit psychological assessment materials from another seminary to the Director of Ministry Formation in order to determine their suitability for CTS's assessment program. The costs of this psychological assessment are included in the Ministry Formation program fee.

      The Director of Ministry Formation works with students to follow through on all psychologists' recommendations.

    3. Ministry Formation Assessment (show | hide)

      Upon completion of congregational internship requirements and psychological assessment recommendations, students will meet with the Director of Ministry Formation to assess their formation in light of the Ministry Formation Program Goals and sketch out the Ministry Formation Reflection Paper. One important task in this assessment meeting will be to review the six ministry practice areas listed in the Program Goals and determine, for purposes of the Reflection Paper, the two areas of greatest strength and of greatest weakness.

    4. Ministry Formation Reflection Paper (show | hide)

      After the meeting with the Director of Ministry Formation, the student will write the Ministry Formation Reflection Paper and submit it as a WORD document by email attachment to ministryformation@calvinseminary.edu. This paper is due March 1. Please make the subject line of your email and the document name "Ministry Formation Reflection Paper" followed by your name.

      The purpose of this Reflection Paper is to give evidence that the three Program Goals of the Ministry Formation component of the EPMC-pastoral identity, ministry practice competencies, accountability-have been substantially achieved. Please carefully reread those Program Goals and prayerfully reflect upon your growth in these three areas as you prepare to write this Reflection Paper.

      The Reflection Paper should be approximately 12 pages in length (double-spaced) and should contain three sections:

      1. Pastoral Identity -- approximately two pages

        In light of Program Goal #1, Pastoral Identity, reflect upon your developing pastoral identity, personal spiritual formation, and understanding and confirmation of call to ministry.

      2. Ministry Practice Competencies - approximately 8 pages

        In the two ministry practice areas identified as strengths, (1) summarize some of the practical ministry skills you have acquired in each Ministry Practice area, (2) reflect on how your ministry practice in this area has contributed to your own personal spiritual formation, and (3) reflect on how your call to ministry has been challenged, shaped, or deepened through your work in this Ministry Practice Area.

        In the two ministry practice areas identified as weaknesses, (1) summarize some of the practical ministry skills you have acquired in this Ministry Practice area, (2) describe the areas in which you most need greater competence and more experience, and (3) sketch out a possible plan for achieving such competence and experience in the coming three years.

      3. Accountability -- approximately 2 pages

        In light of Program Goal #3, Accountability, briefly describe a ministry situation in which you experienced tension or conflict with the supervising pastor and/or supervising body. Summarize some of the things you learned about yourself, ministry, and/or God through that experience.

    5. Formation for Ministry Group (pdf)

  4. Examinations (show | hide)

    1. An interview with the faculty. Toward the end of the fall quarter, each EPMC student meets with a small panel representing the various divisions of the seminary faculty. The purpose of this interview is to more fully inform faculty and provide feedback to the student regarding the student's readiness for ministry and confessional soundness. Following the interview, faculty can knowledgeably recommend the student to CC and synod.

      Description of Interview

    2. Bible Knowledge Exam

    3. Language Comprehensive Exams

      EPMC students can demonstrate competence in both Hebrew and Greek in one of three ways:

      Comprehensive Exam Schedule

    Questions about Bible Knowledge or Language Comprehensive exams should be addressed to Dr. Henry De Moor, Vice-president for Academic Affairs.

  5. Preaching Requirements (show | hide)

    EPMC students are required to preach and have evaluations completed on four different sermons by March of the year in which they intend to be declared a candidate. See EPMC EVALUATED PREACHING REQUIREMENTS (pdf) for further details.

  6. Licensure (show | hide)

    After being accepted into the program, EPMC students are encouraged to apply for licensure to exhort in the CRCNA. This is a denomination-wide license to exhort, and as such assists students in completing the EPMC preaching requirements. Inquiries regarding application for licensure should be addressed to the Director of Ministry Formation (DoMF). Students given permission by the DoFE to apply for licensure may complete their licensure application online at http://www.calvinseminary.edu/resources/licensure/index.php.

  7. Housing Information (show | hide)

    For questions about housing during your time in Grand Rapids, please contact the Housing Office via email or 1-800-388-6034 X 8618.

  8. Costs (show | hide)


    Estimated Costs (EPMC)

    RequirementCostPayment Due
    Fall quarter Tuition Costs for 2008 (11 credit hours X 263.00 per hour) 2,893.00 October 15
    Summer Seminar (including Libronix Seminar) 500.00 August 15
    Libronix software 300.00 When ordered
    Ministry Formation - Psychological Evaluation 625.00 October 15
    Ministry Formation - Internship and Ministry Formation assessment, internship and reflection paper 625.00 April 15
    Books (estimate) 400.00 When ordered

    Additional Notes:

    1. Students taking the Libronix Seminar will also need their own computer for the seminar.
    2. Because students meet their housing needs in any number of ways, it's difficult to project accurate cost estimates.
    3. Other costs include travel, medical insurance, food and other living expenses.