Licensing and ordination proposal sent back for further development

The MFCA, one of the RCA’s key theological certifying bodies, currently grants the Certificate of Readiness for Examination (CRE) to students pursuing a Master of Divinity at seminaries not officially affiliated with the denomination. The agency also oversees the Approved Alternate Route (AAR) to ordination, offering a vital pathway for diverse ministerial candidates.

However, escalating financial pressures have placed the MFCA in a challenging position. Without structural changes, the agency is projected to exhaust its funding within two years. In response, the PFOB has proposed the formation of a new office within the GSC: the Reformed Office for Licensure and Ordination (ROLO). 

The proposed ROLO would absorb the essential responsibilities of the MFCA, with the collaboration of existing MFCA staff and board members to ensure a smooth and faithful transition. In addition to establishing ROLO, the PFOB is recommending the creation of a Candidate Certification Commission, which would serve as the RCA’s theological agent for students at non-RCA seminaries and those pursuing the AAR. This reorganization reflects both a commitment to sustainability and a desire to support future leaders of the RCA with excellence and integrity.

The Advisory Committee on Overtures and New Business raised questions for PFOB: 

• Where does authority lie for determining the process by which candidates receive a CRE under this system? 
• What are the baseline standards and who has the authority to determine them? 
• How will this be coordinated with classes/middle assemblies? 
• What would be the direct responsibilities of ROLO versus the Candidate Care Commission? 

After brief discussion, delegates referred the recommendation back to PFOB for further development.