Note well that this FAQ is a living document.
Clarifying edits will be made. Questions and responses will be added. More links will be inserted.
BLUE questions are questions identified and answered by the Task Force on Ministerial Credentials, in consultation with folk in the RCA on some points in order to provide as accurate information as possible.
GREEN questions are questions identified and answered by leaders in the RCA. In response to circumstances in the CRC, leaders in the RCA collated the primary questions they were receiving and responded to them in an FAQ of their own. We have received permission from them to copy and paste their Q&As interwoven with ours in order to provide you a single flow of well-organized information.
Two primary reasons for filling out this form are:
to receive information, resources, and contacts in order to be not so alone in the transition from the CRC to the RCA.
to help the RCA help you and so many others in your situation, especially given this unique season when a significant number of CRC ministers are likely to be transferring their ordination and ministerial credentials to the RCA and that the number of applications to some RCA classes is expected to be quite high.
The sooner the better. Truly. For at least these four reasons:
Helping the RCA in a season when they are likely to receive a strong wave of applications from CRC ministers is simply wise and kind. It's the least we can do in response to their hospitality and willingness to work with us.
CRC and RCA classes don’t meet very often, so while the window of opportunity might seem wide, necessary moments of CRC and RCA classis engagement are few and perhaps easily missed
Based on responses to some questions, we might facilitate connections and conversations, but only upon asking your permission first. Such conversations might be about an RCA classis of interest, or about deciding what to do as a retired minister, or about another pressing topic.
Based on responses, we and the RCA may offer online or in-person events to help you and others prepare for classis examination.
So, when? ASAP.
Who will see and work with the information I submit on the form?
Only the task force members, all of whom are identified on the home page, and are identified again here. We promise to make an earnest, good faith effort to keep your name and information confidential.
Pastor Tim Bossenbroek, Hessel Park Church (CRC), Champaign, Illinois
Pastor Heidi De Jonge; university and long term care chaplain, trainer and coach for The Colossian Forum; Kingston, Ontario
Gail Hall, retired mental health therapist; Next Steps team member, Bethany Christian Reformed Church, Muskegon, Michigan
Sue A. Rozeboom, CRC Minister, ordained to specialized ministry as Professor of Liturgical Theology at Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan; member and council chair of Boston Square Church (CRC), Grand Rapids, Michigan
Kathy Smith, associate pastor, First CRC, Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship at Calvin University; and CRC polity adjunct professor and adviser
Peter TeWinkle, Co-Pastor of Oakdale Park Church (CRC), Grand Rapids, Michigan; ordained in the RCA, member and executive team member of the North Grand Rapids Classis, RCA
Will my name and information be kept confidential?
We recognize that some ministers are in isolated and isolating circumstances, in which case confidentiality may be highly important. On the form is a question about your concern for confidentiality. We will take your response seriously.
How will the information I submit be used?
Information from this form will be used in two primary ways:
The task force intends to pass along relatively sound numerical information to RCA classes about how many CRC ministers are likely to apply for reception to particular classes, and of that number of CRC ministers applying to each classis, how many are likely active pastors in a congregation, or retired, or chaplains, or professors, missionaries, or other specialized ministers. In this way, information from this form will help the RCA and its classes help us, as the RCA classes will have a better sense of how many folk they will be examining, how they might facilitate those examinations, and when.
The task force intends to use this information to connect folk, but only according to their interests and willingness indicated on the form. For examples:
- Perhaps you would like to talk to another CRC pastor who is moving to an RCA classis of interest to you, just for 15 minutes, to hear them explain what they know and to let you process some thoughts.
- Maybe you would like to talk to an RCA pastor in a particular RCA classis for 15 minutes, to understand more about the classis, how many ministers are part of it, and how it functions.
- Perhaps you would like to connect with a few others interested in becoming a “book club” to prepare for the classis examination. This would afford some connection and solidarity in this season, not to mention accountability to prepare other than by cramming.
- If you indicate in the form that you're likely to engage e.g., webinars or a one-day retreat for getting up to speed on topics for the RCA classis examination, your responses will help us work with others, including folk in the RCA, to make these sorts of opportunities happen.
Will the Task Force be passing along my contact information to the RCA classis of interest to me?
No.
The Task Force will pass along only general information to each RCA classis that is likely to receive applications from CRC ministers. General information means: how many ministers are likely to apply, and of those, how many are likely to be active pastors in a congregation, chaplains, specialized ministers, or retired.
So ultimately you will be responsible for reaching out to the RCA classis you hope to join.
Still, given the RCA classis you identify, we will circle back to you to make sure you have, e.g., online access to resources or contact information for the clerk of that RCA classis.
I’m leaving the CRC, I’m weary of ministry, and I’m taking a break by (e.g., coaching and consulting, teaching, working for a non-profit, being a coffee bar tender . . .). Should I still transfer my ordination?
Conventional wisdom suggests Yes, for these two reasons:
If you allow your ordination and ministerial credentials to lapse, it is much more difficult to reinstate them in another denomination. As in, you would likely be expected to take up a more rigorous process for ordination, possibly being regarded as if you had never been ordained previously. So if you anticipate even the least possibility of returning to ordained ministry in the future, transfer your ordination now and spare yourself a major challenge later.
The RCA has a category for ordained ministers who are not currently serving a ministry, whether as a pastor or in a specialized role. Such a minister is categorized as a minister ‘without charge.' Ministers ‘without charge’ are still considered ‘active’ even though they are not ‘actively serving.’ They attend classis meetings but are not allowed to vote because only those ‘actively serving’ are allowed to vote. If they feel called to return to active ministry, there's a process for that simpler than starting from 'lapsed ordination.'
So, should you transfer your credentials even if you do not intend to take up ministry immediately upon leaving the CRC? We suggest you strongly consider it.
How do I know which RCA classis to turn to?
Preferably, the first consideration is geographical. As in the CRC, classes exist for mutual accountability and support. Arguably, that transpires best when members of the classis are proximal to one another and able to connect in person for classis meetings. (Incidentally, active ministers are expected to participate in classis meetings since, in RCA polity, ministers are members of a classis, not a congregation. So ministers are part of the classis quorum.)
To consider an RCA classis geographically fitting for you, this page of RCA Regional Synods and their classes is a place to begin. Each Regional Synod's webpage is linked within. The regional synod webpages house links to the sites of the classes in that regional synod (these pages and the classis pages are uneven in their content).
It should also be noted that the RCA has a unique, denomination-wide affinity classis for ministers and congregations in urban missional settings, the City Classis of the Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics.
What if the RCA classis geographically proximal to me doesn't seem to me to be a good theological and pastoral fit for me?
The RCA recognizes that geographical proximity is optimal, but not always possible.
Let’s be candid: the reason you may not wish to belong to the RCA classis nearest you may be because you wish to belong to a classis that allows for a more open or affirming biblical-theological view of human sexuality and faithful discipleship. In that case you may wish to consider applying to one of these classes:
Schenectady Classis -- Regional Synod of Albany
Classis of Mid-Hudson -- Regional Synod of New York
Classis of Orange -- Regional Synod of New York
Holland Classis -- Regional Synod of the Great Lakes
North Grand Rapids Classis -- Regional Synod of the Great Lakes
Rocky Mountain Classis -- Regional Synod of the Far West
City Classis -- Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics
New Brunswick Classis -- Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics
Passaic Valley Classis -- Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics
See the page of RCA Regional Synods and their classes for links to the Regional Synods, and at those sites for links to their classes. The RCA also has a 'hotline' for fielding your questions: join@rca.org.
My CRC church in Canada would like to disaffiliate from the CRC, but there may not be an RCA classis that would welcome me in Canada. Can ministers serving in Canada join a classis in the United States?
Christina Tazelaar supplied this answer, in consultation with Rev. Lindsey De Kruif, Rev. John Kapteyn, and Rev. Al Plat.
This is a possibility, with layers of complexity depending on the situation.
The most straightforward situation is with specialized ministers, who receive benefits through their organization rather than through the RCA. Schenectady Classis in the state of New York is in process of receiving a specialized minister from the CRC who serves in Canada, so this is already happening.
It’s more complicated when benefits and retirement contributions are involved, or when a church in Canada is paying assessments to a U.S.-based assembly like classis, or the General Synod, which is incorporated in the state of New York.
The Regional Synod of Canada is going through its own restructuring, but has indicated a willingness to include in its benefits plan ministers who are based in Canada and part of a classis in the U.S. The regional synod could conceivably also handle cross-border financial transactions for assessments. Details would need to be worked out between the classis and the Regional Synod of Canada (or a subsequent middle assembly), but could be similar to the agency agreement that the General Synod Council of the RCA has with the Regional Synod of Canada.
I'm an ordained minister or commissioned pastor in Canada. Is there an update about restructuring and flux in the RCA in Canada that might impact my intentions with respect to transferring my ordination to the RCA?
Yes.
In conversation with key RCA leaders, we have learned the following:
As part of the RCA's current restructuring proposal (which is being voted on by classes now and, if well-enough supported, will be up for ratification at General Synod in June 2025), plans for Middle Assemblies are being formed, some as continuations of existing classes and some new.
Footnote: Replacing the two layers of regional synods and classes with one, Middle Assemblies would be most similar to CRC classes and organize themselves around mission. They can also be based on geography and take into consideration a church's ability to be in relationship with one another regarding certain topics of concern, including those related to the full participation of LGBTQ+ members.
The current proposal for restructuring calls for the formation of a single Middle Assembly in Canada. This Middle Assembly that would be formed from the current RCA classes and churches in Canada and would not suit churches and pastors practicing full inclusion of LGBTQ+ members. So, CRC ministers and churches disaffiliating for reasons other than the desire to be full participation ministers or churches may join either of the current Canadian classes now, or the future Middle Assembly that these classes are expected to form if the restructuring proposal is approved by classes and ratified by the general synod.
However, given the ongoing restructuring and its flexibility, there is the future possibility of forming an additional Middle Assembly in Canada, alongside the one already being proposed. This additional Middle Assembly could be formed in such a way as to allow for the full participation of LGBTQ+ members in the life and ministry of the church.
In order to pursue the possibility of eventually joining this as-yet only prospective additional Middle Assembly in Canada that could affirm full participation, disaffiliating CRC ministers (and eventually churches) in Canada should apply to transfer to the Schenectady Classis of the Regional Synod of Albany.
Footnote: The formation of this additional Middle Assembly in Canada is a multi-year project. First the proposed restructuring plan must attain enough support from classes (classes are currently voting on this; the measure of their support will be known in March) for it to be taken up by General Synod 2025 for ratification. Then at least ten churches or ministries that wish to constitute a full participation Middle Assembly in Canada would need to petition a future General Synod to form such a Middle Assembly. It seems such a petition would be more convincing and easier if those ten churches were already in affiliation with one another in a single classis. Thus, Canadian ministers (and eventually churches) looking toward the future possibility of submitting a petition to the RCA General Synod to form a full-participation Middle Assembly in Canada should transfer to the Schenectady Classis – so that those ministers (and eventually churches) could create this affiliation with one another and petition General Synod from the same classis. Ministers in Canada who affirm full participation but are ‘without charge’ or ordained to specialized ministries (such as chaplaincy or teaching) could also be able to be part of this Middle Assembly. For now, they, too, should apply to the Schenectady Classis.
What if I'm really struggling with which RCA classis to apply to?
If this is the case, don’t hesitate to indicate this in the form and indicate what you think would be helpful to you for discerning your way forward. We’ll try to refer you to some resources, and we'll try to offer you an opportunity to connect with someone in the RCA to hear your story and be a sounding board. The RCA also has a 'hotline' for fielding your questions: join@rca.org.
What if I apply to and am received into one RCA classis, and a year later realize it isn't the pastoral and theological fit I had hoped it would be? Am I 'stuck'?
No.
The RCA understands and appreciates that there is likely to be a few years’ period of transition, assimilation, and settling in. You may be received into one classis at the outset and then discover in a year or two that another classis would be a better fit for a variety of reasons. Further transition to another classis in the RCA may be mutually considered.
It's also valuable to know that the RCA itself is in a season of restructuring and transition, which may actually be rather opportune for them and for us as we navigate this season of mutual flux together. The RCA's explanation of their restructuring is three questions down.
If I join the RCA, can I be disciplined for what I believe about sexuality?
Christina Tazelaar, RCA chief operating officer, provided this response:
When the RCA’s General Synod 2021 made decisions in response to the report of the Vision 2020 Team, the vote was not about the RCA’s position on sexuality, but about how (and if) we would live together in the midst of disagreement. General Synod voted to continue to live in the tension, and adopted terms for generous departure for people or churches who no longer wanted to live in the tension.
The tension could come from disagreement on any number of things that are not confessional. If we're looking specifically at LGBTQ marriage and ordination, the tension comes in that General Synod statements have repeatedly affirmed marriage between a man and a woman, yet the authority for ordination and supervision of ministers lies with the classis and not the General Synod. Consistories have authority over ordination of elders and deacons. On paper, at the General Synod level, the RCA is only supportive of traditional marriage, but in practice that is not always the case at every level of governance.
Whether ministers of Word and sacrament may remain in good standing and solemnize a same-sex marriage or be in a same-sex relationship themselves depends entirely on the classis they belong to. Some classes have a traditional view of marriage. Other classes have created space for a variety of theological convictions about marriage and sexuality. The RCA structure, affirmed by the 2021 General Synod, has room for difference. If you’re not sure what classis might be a good fit for you, please reach out to join@rca.org.
What does the RCA believe about women in ministry?
Rev. Eddy Alemán, RCA general secretary, provided this response:
The RCA will always, unapologetically, bless and embrace all of our women leaders and pastors. We have been and continue to be blessed by women God has called into ministry!
Over the last year we have been celebrating five decades of women’s ordination as elders, deacons, and ministers, and a long legacy of women’s leadership before that.
Is it true that restructuring efforts are underway in parts of the RCA? What does that mean for receiving CRC ministers and churches?
This answer was provided by Rev. Dr. Daniel Griswold, classis coordinator for Holland Classis, and Christina Tazelaar, RCA chief operating officer.
This is a very big topic! The RCA’s General Synod just approved major changes to our church order that would replace the classes and the regional synods with something else between the consistory and the General Synod, what they’re calling a “middle assembly.” It’s the classis, just more significant. This change will need to be approved by 2/3 of our classes for it to be ratified, but I (Dan) expect that to happen. Then, the how of middle assemblies will look different depending on which region you’re in.
It might mean the classis that you join merges with another classis or a few other classes. It might mean a few churches transfer out of your classis to another middle assembly. It might mean something else; this is very much still being figured out. There’s a lot we don’t know, which makes this an interesting time to consider a transfer.
As middle assemblies are being formed, each classis is consulted to find a good fit.
For now, classes have the authority to receive ministers and churches from other denominations. If middle assemblies are approved, they will have the authority as of June 2025.
Learn more about restructuring decisions in news coverage from General Synod 2024: part 1 and part 2.
Back to the details of moving into the RCA as a minister: From the RCA's perspective, what is the process for a CRC minister to transfer to the RCA?
This response came from Christina Tazelaar, RCA chief operating officer:
The Book of Church Order (BCO) outlines the RCA requirements for receiving a minister from another denomination. That process is described on this webpage: How to join the RCA as a minister of Word and sacrament.
RCA polity gives the classis some discretion in deciding whether to receive a minister from another denomination, and in some aspects of the transfer process. Because that varies from classis to classis, ask what the process is like in the classis you are interested in joining.
Is a classis examination required?
Yes.
This is mandated in the Book of Church Order (BCO), though each RCA classis will determine for itself how to fulfill the expectations of the BCO. Some classes may require an oral examination in a regular classis meeting. Some classes may have a combination of written and oral examinations. Some classes may facilitate examinations with classis committees or classis representatives.
The sheer number of ministerial applicants to some RCA classes is likely to inform how those classes will facilitate your classis examination. This is a primary reason for gathering information about CRC ministers looking to transfer their credentials to the RCA: to help RCA classes get some sense of how many applicants are likely coming to them, as well as some general information about their ministerial vocations.
What might I read to help prepare myself for being received as a minister into the RCA through a classis?
Rev. Dr. Daniel Griswold, classis coordinator of Holland Classis, supplied this answer:
Each classis will have its ways of examining pastors for transfer. RCA Polity would be one course that may need to be taken, but it all depends on what the CRC minister has already taken or studied. Consult with the classis you are interested in joining for specifics.
For books that may help you get up to speed on RCA history and polity (perhaps no matter which RCA classis you are considering), these are helpful:
-Book of Church Order
- By Grace Alone: Stories of the Reformed Church in America, Donald Bruggink and Kim Baker
- Foundations of Reformed Church Polity: The Rhyme and Reason of the Order, Matthew Van Maastricht
Other recommended reading includes:
- Loyalty and Loss: The Reformed Church in America, 1945-1994, Lynn Japinga
- Meeting Each Other in Doctrine, Liturgy, and Government, Daniel J. Meeter, especially chapters I-III and VII-VIII
What resources are recommended and/or available for preparing for a classis examination/interview?
For books, see Dan Griswold's response to the question just above.
In addition:
We received these self-study tutorials offered by Rev. Dr. James Hart Brumm and Rev. Professor Matthew van Maastricht:
RCA Church Polity Self-Led Study Module
RCA Doctrinal Standards Self-Led Study Module
RCA History Self-Led Study Module
RCA Worship Self-Led Study Module
Recordings of two Zoominars hosted in January 2025 are available by way of these links:
The January 15, 2025, crc2rca Zoominar
Four RCA experts on RCA history and polity conversationally engage topics and questions presented by CRC ministers. (90 minutes)
The January 31, 2025, crc2rca Zoominar
Four RCA experts on RCA history and polity conversationally engage topics and questions presented by CRC ministers. (90 minutes)
CRC and RCA folk alike -- broadly and in particular RCA classes -- are continuing to think imaginatively and hospitably about how to help CRC ministers prepare for their classis examination and reception into the RCA. The more interest expressed, the more likely such opportunities will be made. So indicate your interest in the form and stay tuned.
The broad level opportunities will be made available through the crc2rca connection; the classis level opportunities will be made available through your contact with any particular RCA classis.
If I, as a minister, am received into the RCA, can I still serve as pastor to my CRC congregation? And what if they move to the Presbyterians or another denomination? You have something called “Formula of Agreement” with some denominations. Does that apply?
Rev. Dr. Daniel Griswold, classis coordinator of Holland Classis, supplied this answer with input from Philip DeKoster, a member of the Commission on Church Order:
The Formula of Agreement (FOA) connects the RCA, the PCUSA, the ELCA, and the UCC. It provides for the “orderly exchange of ministers.” So, the agreements stated therein are similar to those reached by the CRC and the RCA as laid out in “Orderly Exchange of Ordained Ministers between the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Reformed Church in America” (with which you might be familiar). Indeed, that latter document was based on the FOA. If that agreement were to no longer exist, there is nothing in the RCA order that would prevent such an arrangement, but you would need to consult CRC polity.
Practically, an RCA classis will recognize your ministry at a CRC, ELCA, PCUSA, or UCC congregation as a valid form of ministry. In Holland Classis, for instance, right now four ministers are serving PCUSA congregations, two are serving UCC congregations, and one is serving an ELCA congregation. There’s a PCUSA minister pastoring one of our churches. Under the CRC-RCA agreement, we have six ministers serving CRC congregations and three ministers pastoring at our churches. In short, we know how to do this!
I’m a chaplain. What do I need to know about transferring my ordination to the RCA?
This response came from Christina Tazelaar, RCA chief operating officer:
Like pastors who are ordained ministers, chaplains need to go through the process to transfer your ordination. (See How to join the RCA as a minister of Word and sacrament.) Shortly after initiating the conversation with a classis leader in an RCA classis, please reach out to Rev. Dr. Alan “Blues” Baker, who is the RCA’s endorsing agent for chaplains, at abaker@rca.org.
I am a Commissioned Pastor in the CRC. What is the process for transferring my 'credentials' and pastoral vocation to the RCA?
The RCA does not have an office of Commissioned Pastor, as the CRC does. Still, they do have commissioned pastors, but they are ordained as elders and then commissioned through the classis for a particular pastoral ministry in a local church for a particular time.
So the RCA does not have a process for the transfer of the ordination of commissioned pastors as it does for ordained ministers. Instead, a commissioned pastor in the CRC would have to join an RCA church or move with their CRC church to the RCA, and then be ordained in a congregation as an elder, applying to be commissioned by the classis for a particular pastoral ministry in the RCA.
I am a commissioned pastor in the CRC; can I transfer?
This response came from Rev. Dr. Daniel Griswold, classis coordinator of Holland Classis:
Commissioned pastors in the RCA are commissioned to a specific role in an RCA ministry. There isn’t a transfer mechanism. If the CRC commissioned pastor wants to join the RCA, like an ordained minister, they must go to a local classis. That local classis can determine if the commissioned pastor has met all the requirements, but the pastor still needs to serve an RCA ministry to be recognized as a commissioned pastor within the RCA.
So if I am a Commissioned Pastor in the CRC, should I fill out the crc2rca Ministerial Credentials Form?
Yes.
As you can see, RCA classes are sympathetic to the differences in our polity around commissioned pastors, and will want to make sure you are well served given your unique circumstances. We as a Task Force want to make sure of this, too, for your sake and for the sake of those in your care.
So, yes, fill out the form.
I am a retired minister. What should I know about transferring 'ministerial credentials' to the RCA?
Retired ministers have much to consider, and their supervising councils with them.
In the CRC, retired ministers are allowed to retain the title of the office (Minister of the Word) and the authority to perform official acts of ministry, such as preaching, baptizing, presiding at communion, and officiating weddings (Church Order Article 18). Technically, retired ministers do not have ministerial credentials because they are not eligible for call. Still, as a Minister of the Word, they are under the supervision of the council of the church that holds their membership.
In light of the above:
- Some retired ministers in churches disaffiliating from the CRC simply may not wish to retain the title and authority of a Minister of the Word. Upon the church's disaffiliation, such retired ministers would relinquish the title of the office (Minister of the Word) and the authority to perform official acts of ministry in CRC churches. If they are receiving payments from the Ministers’ Pension Fund, those payments would continue.
- Some retired ministers, despite their congregation's disaffiliation from the CRC, may wish to stay retain their status as a retired minister in the CRC. In this case, they could/should transfer their membership to another CRC, having both the 'sending' council and the 'receiving' council approve the transfer of that retired minister's supervision. Approval of the classis is not required for this arrangement.
- Some retired ministers in the CRC may wish to gain status as a retired minister in the RCA. Unlike the CRC, the RCA does receive retired ministers from other denominations and gives them status as members of a classis. If a retired CRC minister wishes to gain status as a retired minister in an RCA classis, they would need to apply for membership in a particular RCA classis, similar to the way an active CRC minister is expected to apply for membership in a particular RCA classis. The RCA classis may modify their usual process of examining and receiving a retired minister, but such modification is up to each RCA classis.
I’m retired -- or an active professor, missionary, or other specialized minister in the CRC -- and I know my CRC congregation will disaffiliate, but I wish to keep my credentials in the CRC while staying active with my disaffiliating congregation. What can I do?
This circumstance is broached in the second 'retired ministers' scenario just above.
There are CRC councils sympathetic to your situation who may be willing to hold your CRC ministerial credentials for you ‘in good faith.’ You would be accountable to such a council for your doctrine and life while being an active associate minister in a church that has left the CRC as a minister on loan (Church Order Article 13-c). Classis approval would be needed for such a loan. If you are retired, the council to which you are accountable would supervise you as a Minister of the Word, having the status and authority to perform official acts of ministry.
Please indicate this desire in a short answer response in the Form. Indicate also if you would like help finding a sympathetic CRC council to hold your CRC credentials, and we will circle back with information as we're able. If you already know what council will receive you and you're on your way, great. Please let us know what council that is so we can discreetly and respectfully collaborate let they get overwhelmed.
What do I need to do on the CRC-side to be released from ministry?
In order to enter a ministry outside the CRC (such as the RCA), you or your council must submit a request to your CRC classis that you be released from the office of Minister of the Word by way of Church Order Article 14-b.
The classis then makes a declaration regarding the manner and spirit in which you acted during the time leading up to and including your departure from office. Typically, declarations are 'honorably released,' 'released,' 'dismissed,' or 'in the status of one deposed.' Your council can request an 'honorable release' for you.
What if my CRC classis doesn't 'honorably release,' or even just 'release' me, but implies by its declaration that I am not in good standing? Will the RCA be sympathetic? What should I do?
Yes, we have been assured that the RCA will be sympathetic to ministers in this circumstance. But the RCA – and the CRC folk collaborating with them – are no fools.
If your good standing is questioned because of your views on synodical overreach, confessional status, or human sexuality, and you are in fact in good standing as attested by credible CRC references other than your classis itself – then, yes, the RCA will be sympathetic.
However, if your good standing is rendered ‘questionable’ for reasons other than those just identified, then the RCA is right to further investigate before making a decision about receiving you, and your references and classis in the CRC are right to respond to such RCA inquiries honestly.
If you are concerned about how your classis will release you, if you wish, in the Form, explain your concerns in the text box for comments or questions. What you convey will be held confidential, but also may help us help you and others in your situation. While we would never name any minister in particular, we would apprise RCA classis executives in a general way of difficult circumstances some ministers may be enduring in securing their release from ministry in the CRC.
How could/should my release from the CRC coincide with my reception into ministry in the RCA?
Ordinarily release from office in the CRC by Article 14-b takes effect upon the decision of the CRC classis.
Reception into ministry in the RCA is, of course, a separate process. Ideally this act of reception into an RCA classis takes place not long after the time of one's release from ministry in the CRC.
Some ministers, such as chaplains, need an uninterrupted status of ordination. They may need to request their CRC classis to approve their release from ministry effective upon their reception into an RCA classis, assuming that RCA reception has not already occurred. Conversely, reception into an RCA classis may be approved with an understanding that it takes effect at the time of the minister’s subsequent release from office in the CRC by their CRC classis.
What happens to my pension and retirement benefits as a CRC pastor in the United States?
Kelly Oliveira, executive director of Benefits Services, and Rev. Billy Norden, retirement and financial education coordinator, provided this response:
Talk with the CRC benefits team for the best information about how a transfer of your ordination will impact your pension benefit.
When a minister joins the RCA, the minister and church will participate in the RCA 403(b) Retirement Program. The RCA 403(b) Retirement Program is a qualified workplace savings plan. All of the funds contributed by the employer and the employee may be invested at the discretion of the employee, based on a selection of investments curated by the board in consultation with the RCA Investment Advisory Committee and retirement consultants from Creative Planning Services, or by accessing a broader selection of investments through Fidelity's BrokerageLink. All of the funds that accumulate in this account are designated for the employee, surviving spouse, and designated beneficiaries. Pastors may retire and access the funds beginning at age 60. Prior to age 60, these funds can be accessed by loans and/or hardship withdrawals.
What benefits are available for CRC pastors in Canada?
Barb Laidlaw, administration manager for the Regional Synod of Canada, weighed in:
The Regional Synod of Canada administers benefits for RCA ministers in Canada, including life insurance, dental, extended health care, and long-term disability. Find out more in the 2025 Canadian Salary and Benefits Guide.
What benefits are required for RCA ministers?
Billy Norden provided this response, with input from Barb Laidlaw.
Retirement: For full-time ministers under call or contract serving in Canada, churches will contribute the value of 11 percent of the salary (including designated housing allowance). For ministers in the United States, churches will contribute the value of 11 percent of the salary (including designated housing allowance) or the Effective Buying Power per Household (EBPH), whichever is greater, into the minister's RCA 403(b) Retirement Program account. For 2025, the EBPH minimum is $8,599. Part-time ministers under call or contract will receive contributions equal to 11 percent of their salary (including designated housing allowance), but are not subject to the EBPH.
Group Life Insurance: Ministers are enrolled in a group life insurance plan offering a term policy. In Canada, this policy has a $100,000 benefit. In the United States, this policy has a $175,000 benefit, and ministers may also elect to purchase additional life insurance for themselves, a spouse, or dependents.
Long-term Disability (LTD) Insurance: The minister will be enrolled in LTD insurance, which will replace two-thirds of the minister's salary, up to $5,000 per month in the United States or $6,000 per month in Canada, should the minister become disabled and be unable to return to work. (In Canada, to become insured for an amount greater than the no-evidence maximum of $5,150 the employee will be required to submit evidence of insurability satisfactory to Canada Life.)
Medical Insurance: In the United States, the church must provide medical insurance for the minister, either through the Reformed Benefits Association (RBA) or a comparable plan that meets the minimum standards set by the Board of Benefits Services annually. Participating in medical insurance through a spousal employer is acceptable, but the church must reimburse the minister for any premium costs incurred, up to the amount of the RBA plan. In Canada, the church must provide medical insurance for the minister through the Regional Synod of Canada’s CanadaLife plan, unless the minister has medical insurance through a spousal plan.
This response came from Rev. Eddy Alemán, RCA general secretary:
The RCA and CRC have had a close ecumenical relationship for many years, and you are welcome here. I do want you to know a few things about the RCA to help with your discernment.
The RCA’s future is not either/or; we are finding a future that is both/and. We are finding a common ground where the focus is on the ministry of the gospel, and not about who is right or wrong, not who has a better understanding of the Bible. The future focus of the RCA is on the calling of Jesus for ministry, the calling of the gospel to make disciples who are committed to gospel ministry in North America and in the rest of the world. In the RCA, Revelation 7:9 is a foundational Scripture, where we see people from all nations, tribes, and tongues gathered around God’s throne in worship.
Instead of making a decision about sexuality or changing our historic statements on this topic, the RCA’s decision in 2021 was about finding a way to live together in the messiness of the middle. The world in which we live today is messy. You need a lot of humility. Jesus modeled humility by living faithfully in the midst of a messy world. We need to learn the humility of Jesus.
Life is easier on the extremes than in the middle, but I believe that the messy middle is where God calls us to follow him, with humility. This is part of our journey of discipleship. I am happy to be on this journey with anyone who is committed to living in the messy middle.
Blessings on your discernment.
The source of the green Q&As is this RCA FAQ for CRC Ministers & Churches.
Used with permission.
I know a pastor who probably doesn't know about this site and I think would be helped by it. May I share the link to this site?
Yes. Please do.
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Help the Task Force on Ministerial Credentials help you and others in your situation.
If you have a question that is not addressed anywhere in this FAQ, or you seek a clarification, send an email to crc2rca@gmail.com identifying your question or requesting clarification. If you think of it, begin the subject line of your email with the letters FAQ so we know we need to follow up with a clarification or addition.
Peace to you.