Throughout much of the history of the Advent Christian denomination, the matter of examining and approving candidates for Ministerial Credentials has been the responsibility of the various Conferences of the Advent Christian General Conference. Each Conference developed its own standards for ordination expressing a wide divergence in these standards across the denomination.
In 1982, the Ministerial Committee of the Eastern Regional Association developed a Manual of Ministerial Office and Procedure to serve as a model and guide for the Conferences, Churches and Pastors of the Region. The standards for ordination were subsequently adopted, with minor modification, by the Advent Christian General Conference of America and recommended to member Conferences as a resource and guide with the hope of achieving a greater sense of uniformity in the standards and procedures for ordination.
This proved to be a useful step, but many Conferences still applied standards and procedures independently, creating a less than uniform approach to the ordination process. The non-ordained credential was also issued by Conferences using a variety of names for the credential as well as different standards and privileges. The result was often confusing.
Not only was there a lack of a uniform standard across the Region, but some Conferences had grown weaker over the years and were not able to give adequate attention to this important matter. Some other Conferences, most notably the Maranatha Conference, began rethinking their mission and decided that their energy and resources could be more effectively utilized addressing the health and vitality of member churches.
Consequently in 1999 the Maranatha Conference requested the Eastern Regional Association to consider processing ministerial candidates on their behalf. The idea of issuing Regional credentials, as opposed to Conference credentials, had been under discussion for many years and this request was met with a favorable response by the Eastern Regional Association. With one body processing candidates for ministerial credentials a greater degree of unity would be achieved along with a higher level of meaning for the credential. Regional credentials were first issued in Y2000 on behalf of the Maranatha Conference. Subsequently, six of the seven Conferences of the Eastern Region voted to participate in Regional credentialing. A revised Manual of Ministerial Office and Procedure reflecting the change from Conference to Regional credentials was developed in consultation with all Conference Boards and was presented to the Board of Directors of the Eastern Regional Association for adoption in the spring of 2002. The Manual has been consistently upgraded to reflect improvements in the credentialing process.
The Eastern Regional philosophy for credentialing candidates for Christian ministry is based on the understanding that the credentialing body is responsible to facilitate a candidate’s entry into ministry through a process of inquiry and assessment wherein the candidate demonstrates a reasonable qualification for the credential in question.
The process not only affirms the candidate in respect to his call, his character and his competency, but also provides assurance to the church at large that the candidate has been properly examined and deemed worthy of the calling God has placed on his life.
Two levels of credentialing are recognized by the Eastern Region. One level is designated as Commissioned Minister and the other is Ordained Minister of the Gospel. A comprehensive set of procedures and standards have been developed and approved by participating conferences for both credentials.
Acceptance of any credential issued by the Eastern Regional Association, Advent Christian General Conference is recognition of that Body as the owners of the credential having the exclusive prerogative of determining rights and privileges associated with said credential as well as establishing standards and requirements for maintaining the credential in good standing. It is understood that the Eastern Regional Association, Advent Christian General Conference may suspend, withdraw, or revoke a credential at any time for due cause. The credentialee agrees that any dispute arising from a disciplinary action will be adjudicated through the church’s normal channel for settling disputes and under no circumstances will the credentialee seek redress in a civil court of law.
The Eastern Regional Association, Advent Christian General Conference, presents the following standards and procedures for processing candidates for ministerial service, confident that in so doing a new level of recognition and uniformity has been achieved.
While the issuance of ministerial credentials by a Regional entity represents a new step in processing candidates for ministerial service, the Eastern Regional Association recognizes the right of any established Advent Christian Conference or Church to process and credentialize ministerial candidates independently and will normally recognize said credentials providing a commensurate standard has been applied to the credential process.