The Ministerial Accreditation is a partnership between the EFCC and an EFCC local church, an EFCC arm of mission, or an EFCC-approved ministry in which the God-given gifts that a believer is exercising are affirmed. These gifts may be exercised in any number of ministry roles: senior pastor, local church staff or lay worker, para-church worker, missionary, chaplain, etc. Accreditation enables the local church, the EFCC. and EFCC-approved ministries to affirm the Christian character, testimony, calling, and spiritual maturity of those who carry out ministry within or under the name of the Evangelical Free Church of Canada. Accreditation affirms the presence of spiritual qualities as found in the New Testament (Acts 6:1-6; 1 Timothy 3; Hebrews 13:17; Ephesians 4:11-13; etc). It is also a prerequisite for the EFCC supporting a minster’s legal standing with the local church, district, provincial and national jurisdictions.
EFCC Ministerial Accreditation Procedures
A pastor or ministry worker is called by the church with the involvement of a District Superintendent. That pastor or ministry worker will generally take no more than two years to complete the accreditation process.
Steps in the Accreditation Process
The following steps must be taken, with a notice of completion and documents forwarded to the Ministerial Standing Committee (MSC) by the District Superintendent (or designate), ServeCanada Director, or ServeBeyond Director (hereafter, “EFCC Leader”). Upon completion of steps II.A.1. through II.A.5. below, the applicant is considered “in process” and is a pastor, ministry personnel, or missionary “in good standing” for purposes of national and district meetings and for other legal purposes. To maintain this status the candidate must proceed through the accreditation process in a timely fashion.
Step 1
Recommendation from an EFCC Leader
The candidate will meet and be interviewed by an EFCC Leader.
The EFCC Leader will submit a short summary of this meeting to the MSC.
Recommendation from an EFCC Local Church or Ministry
The candidate’s EFCC local church will verify that the applicant is a member in good standing at the church and will request that they be accepted into the ministerial accreditation process.
Letter of Application to the MSC from the Candidate
The candidate will write a 300-word paper that includes:
a. Biography (conversion, call to ministry, commitment to the EFCC)
b. Affirmation of the EFCC Statement of Faith, Our Character and Calling, ad Covenant of Personal and Professional Ethics.
c. A statement of agreement to proceed with the accreditation process, including agreement to work with a coach and with their assigned cohort.
Agreements
The candidate will sign their agreement with the following documents:
a. EFCC Statement of Faith
b. Covenant of Personal and Professional Ethics
c. Our Character and Calling
Police Information Check
The candidate will obtain a police information (i.e., criminal record) check with vulnerable sector check.
Step 2
Seminar One | EFCC Ministry Orientation
The candidate will attend EFCC Pastor’s Orientation in-person. Following Orientation, the candidate will:
a. Connect with their coach semi-monthly;
b. Participate in discussions within their cohort;
c. Complete assigned readings;
d. Submit a 1000-word “learnings” paper.
Step 3
Additional Seminars
The candidate will attend three additional seminars. Following each seminar, the candidate will:
a. Connect with their coach semi-monthly;
b. Participate in discussions within their cohort;
c. Complete assigned readings;
d. Submit a 1000-word “learnings” paper.
Step 4
Accreditation Council
The candidate will be interviewed by an accreditation council comprising the EFCC Leader and members of their local church.
Step 5
Certificate of Accreditation is issued by MSC
Upon recommendation of the Council to the MSC, the candidate will be recognized at the next Annual General Meeting of the EFCC.
EFCC Core Beliefs
EFCC Statement of Faith
Our Character & Calling
EFCC Ethics
Covenant of Personal & Professional Ethics
