The grow network and ordination: A multi-leveled approach to ordaining pastors
An interview with Grow Network Ordination Officer Pastor Brett Dood on what ordination looks like in Grow Network and the Alliance of Reformed Churches as a whole.
Head, hands, and heart. Citing these areas of focus as essential to the process of ordination, Pastor Brett discussed the importance of a multi-leveled approach to ordaining Grow Network pastors.
“Ordination isn’t just saying you have the knowledge, but also the disposition and the gift to serve the local church in a particular way. It is head, hands, and heart.”
Pastor Brett made clear that ordination in the Grow Network and the Alliance is a process that takes the whole pastor into account.
“Ordination is not something that God takes lightly, that we take lightly, or something that the Grow Network will ever take lightly. We want to ensure that pastors are qualified and competent, called and confident.”
“part of the ordination process is making sure these pastors are healthy.”
How does the Grow Network do this? According to Pastor Brett, who is the Max Credit Officer for the Grow Network, when considering a pastor for ordination, there are multiple facets that are taken into consideration. Firstly, there are 12 foundations that candidates are assessed on, each of which contain 4 competency areas. Candidates need a foundational understanding of 36 competencies to be ordained.
In reflecting on these points of understanding, Pastor Brett emphasized that a large part of what he does as he examines candidate qualifications throughout the ordination process is ensuring that pastors are “healthy in mind, body, and soul.”
“We don’t just want smart pastors … Other ordination pathways might just look at what you know and what you’ve done. But really we look at who you are in Christ.” Pastor Brett discussed the need for an ordination process that looks at more than what candidates did in seminary.
Rather, the ordination process employed by Grow Network and the ARC look at congregational “assessments” of pastors, candidate experiences in ministry, and theological knowledge.
“We look diligently to understand where you acquired certain credits within the work that you did at that church.”
“We don’t just want smart pastors … we look at who you are in Christ.”
The conversation with Pastor Brett made evident the desire that the Grow Network has to ordain pastors that are truly called by the Lord to their current position, a desire that drives the ordination of healthy, well-rounded shepherds to lead congregations within both Grow Network and the ARC as a whole.
“If the pastor is healthy in mind, body and soul, the church will reflect that health.”
“For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.”
Romans 8:29 AMPC