MINISTERIAL VOCATION RESOURCES
The resources below are offered to assist EPC churches and pastors in the preparation, calling, development, and care of ministers, as well as Ministerial and Candidates Committees of the presbyteries as they oversee the ordination testing process.
Use these quicklinks to navigate to the appropriate section of this page:
Ministry Staff Opportunities
Written Ordination Exam Study Guides
Procedure Manual for Ministerial and Candidate Committees
Pastoral Care Resources
Revitalization/Transitional Pastor Resources
Seminary Resources
Pastoral Search Resources
Relocation Services Discount
Biblical Interviewing Skills for Church Search Teams
Disability Ministry Resources
Other Resources
MINISTRY STAFF OPPORTUNITIES
Ministry opportunities in the EPC are updated regularly on the Ministry Staff Opportunities page. Listings are at the request of the church.
WRITTEN ORDINATION EXAM STUDY GUIDES
As required by the EPC Book of Government, Section 13-2, candidates for ordination must successfully complete four written ordination exams: English Bible; Theology, Sacraments, and Reformed Tradition; Polity; and Biblical Hebrew and Greek Exegesis.
Biblical Languages Exegesis Examination Instructions
Scripture passage for exam is selected by the Ministerial Vocation Commitee
PROCEDURE MANUAL
Revised in 2021, the Procedure Manual for Ministerial and Candidates Committees brings together Scriptural principles, the EPC Book of Order, the legislative actions of the General Assembly, and standard practices relating to ministry. It was designed especially for Presbytery ministerial and candidates committees, church search committees, ministers seeking a call, and Candidates under Care. The Manual also contains links to forms commonly used by Presbytery committees, and is a valuable reference tool for every EPC minister and church office.
Procedure Manual
for Ministerial and
Candidates Committees
Third edition,
published April 2023
PASTORAL CARE RESOURCES
These resources are designed to help with pastoral coaching, counseling, self care, marriages, and (when necessary) crisis, burnout, and divorce recovery.
Broom Tree Ministries
Broom Tree Ministries provides no-cost spiritual retreats for pastors and their spouses, with locations in western Michigan and southern Wisconsin.The retreats are designed to provide uninterrupted time with God in rest, reflection, and beauty.
Deer Ridge Ministries
Founded in 2003, Deer Ridge Ministries is dedicated to supporting pastors and spouses by providing the gift of five-day, rest-and-renewal retreats and other services of encouragement at their retreat center in Freeport, Illinois.
ELIM Retreats
ELIM Retreats, as a ministry of Barnabas International, is devoted to caring for the hearts of global workers. ELIM offers six-day retreats for missionaries and other Christian leaders and their families for rest, reflection, recovery, and spiritual renewal at their retreat centers in Huron City, Michigan, and Eagle, Wisconsin.
The House of Gladness
The House of Gladness seeks to help Church leaders experience God’s delight and to serve Him with gladness. We offer nurturing hospitality that receives you as you are, encourages you to share your story (with its pain, doubt, and questions), creates emotional space for encounter with Christ through lament, and leads to joyful partnership with the Holy Spirit that empowers you to serve the Lord with gladness.
Moving On
In this book, Deanna Harrison shares her own journey through the trauma of a forced ministry exit. Writing as the spouse of a pastor forced to resign, Moving On is a tremendous resource for those in ministry who have experienced the grief of a forced termination, for people who participate in local church leadership, and for anyone who knows a minister who has been terminated.
Pastors at Risk
Written by EPC minister Chuck Wickman and published by Pastor-In-Residence Ministries, Pastors at Risk discusses issues many pastors face in the ministry—issues if not addressed can lead to risk of forced termination. Written from years of experience, each chapter has a testimony of victory, and a study guide or further understanding of each chapter’s topic.
Pastor-In-Residence Ministries
Research shows that more than half of all pastors will experience a forced termination. Pastor-in-Residence (PIR) Ministries helps exited pastors navigate vocational transition by providing a proven process of restoration within a caring and restorative environment.
PastorServe
The Church is God’s “Plan A” for transforming peoples’ lives through the redemptive power of the gospel, and PastorServe serves pastors by providing coaching, crisis support, and consulting toward a healthier, more effective, and long-lasting ministry.
QuietWaters Ministries
QuietWaters Ministries has helped hundreds of Christian leaders with personal and professional crises. Through one-on-one intensive programs with licensed counselors at their Retreat Home in Parker, Colorado, you can receive the renewal, restoration, redemption, and strength you need to get back on track.
RouteOne
We strive to equip the local church, and community leaders with the tools they need to understand trafficking, identify vulnerable people, and respond in the most healthy ways to those who have experienced sexual abuse.
Starting Over
Dealing with the loss after divorce is one of the most painful times an individual can experience. Starting Over, led by EPC minister Mark Skalberg, has been providing hope and healing for more than 20 years to thousands experiencing divorce, separation, or the loss of a significant relationship.
REVITALIZATION / TRANSITIONAL PASTOR RESOURCES
GO Center
The GO Center is a ministry of the Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic and serves churches across the United States through regional training events.
Interim Pastor Ministries
Interim Pastor Ministries provides a wide range of services, including Transitional Pastor training and coaching; matching experienced pastors with churches in transition; assisting in the development of healthy churches; and supporting and serving denominational leaders.
Mike Bonem
Mike works with congregations, denominational bodies, faith-based non-profits, and their leaders on vision discernment, strategy implementation, organizational design, change management, and transition planning. A longtime business executive with an MBA from Harvard, he also served 11 years as Executive Pastor for a large, multi-site church in Houston, Texas. He is author of Leading Congregational Change, Leading from the Second Chair, Thriving in the Second Chair, and In Pursuit of Great and Godly Leadership.
VitalChurch Ministry
VitalChurch Ministry evaluates and trains individual pastors; diagnoses the health of churches in transition; prescribes transition strategies; and provides specialized support for denominations, such as regional assessments, training, and deployment.
SEMINARY RESOURCES
The programs and scholarships below are available to seminary students preparing for ministry within EPC churches.
Erskine Theological Seminary
Erskine Theologiocal Seminary is Due West, South Carolina, offers a 50% tuition discount for EPC members
Mentored Apprenticeship Program
The MAP is a partnership between the EPC and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, in which eight courses in practical ministry disciplines are available in a mentored setting. Each course provides hands-on ministry experience as well as transferable credits at half the normal tuition cost.
Heartland Theological Seminary
Heartland Theological Seminary in Kansas City offers an affordable and practical education to prepare students for a lifetime of ministry in the Kingdom of God
Andrew Jumper Scholarship
The Andrew Jumper Scholarship is available to EPC Candidates Under Care in the Master of Divinity Program at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS). Recipients are expected to seek ministry positions within the EPC. Applications are available from any RTS Admissions Office or RTS Dean of Students.
PASTORAL SEARCH RESOURCES
These resources are designed to serve our churches, pastors, and Candidates Under Care who are searching for a call.
Armstrong Relocation Services
United Van Lines discounts are available to EPC churches, ministers, and church staff members through Armstrong’s Chattanooga office. For a free estimate, call 1-800-283-5814 and identify yourself as a member of the EPC, or click here for an online estimate (in the notes section, identify your association with the EPC).
Biblical Interviewing Skills
This audio series is designed to train pastoral search committees with Bible-based, professionally tested interviewing skills to properly screen applicants for service within the church. This material also is applicable to any church committee that is selecting applicants for various positions within the local church.
Vanderbloemen Search Group
Vanderbloemen helps churches with their staff search process to ultimately hire the right person. The Vanderbloemen team has completed hundreds of searches serving churches and ministries that range from 70 to 70,000 in size.
DISABILITY RESOURCES
These resources are designed to help churches understand the need and minister to the disabled in their congregations and communities
At the King's Table
Imagine a body of believers of all ages, of all ethnicities, of all abilities. When you seek the disabled in your community, you will find every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Key Ministry
Key Ministry provides knowledge, innovation, and experience to churches as it ministers to and with individuals and families of kids with hidden, developmental, and physical disabilities.
OTHER RESOURCES
inFaith
inFaith.org connects people to a variety of ministry opportunities across the country.
Thirdmill
Third Millennium Ministries creates and distributes high-quality, multimedia seminary curriculum in the major languages of the world, all at no cost.
Faithful Presence
Whole-Life Discipleship. In the Whole of Life. For the Whole of the Public Square.
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info@epc.org