Coming Under Care

by Pastor Mark Horn

How does one enter into full-time ministry within the Presbyterian Church in America? This question hits on yet another area that is greatly different and distinct from what other denominations and traditions follow:

When an individual in the PCA feels that God may calling him into the ministry as his job, the first step is for him to meet with his local session and to come “under care.” This means that the session makes a commitment to guide and help the individual as they pray together and search over whether the Lord is indeed placing both the gifts and the call to ministry within him. If the session and the individual (the “candidate”) feel that such prayers are being affirmed, the next step is for the candidate to come under care of the presbytery, where the combined assembly of elders covenant to assist the candidate in further exploration and preparation for a call. Along with coming under care, the man also seeks seminary training where he learns the original biblical languages and other tools for biblical interpretation that will aid him in correctly preaching and teaching the Word of God. Then, after he has been trained, the candidate serves an internship, which provides an “on-site” apprenticeship in the day-to-day and real-life duties that come with actual ministry – including hospital visits, counseling, preaching, and teaching. Once his internship is completed, a candidate then must pass a series of oral and written examinations from the presbytery in order to first be licensed to preach and then finally to be ordained for ministry. Altogether, this is a long, comprehensive process that lasts for several years. It is much more detailed and much more intensive than most other denominations – but it is all done in the hope of confirming and ultimately encouraging a man on whether or not he is indeed called to vocational ministry.

I write all of this because of its application and relevance for an individual in our church. Jeff Prager, who has been a member of MEC since he was a child, has for some time felt the Lord’s call and leading toward ministry. To pursue that, he came under care of the session several years ago and then attended Covenant Seminary. Having graduated from Covenant, Jeff recently came under the care of the Tennessee Valley Presbytery after sharing with them both his testimony and sense of call to ministry. He is now in the process, along with our session and the guidance of the presbytery, of formulating an internship which he will serve at and through our church. We will all have the privilege of seeing Jeff’s growth in ministry and encouraging him along the way. As a church, we can all look forward to seeing God equipping Jeff for the call He has given to him. Then, we can pray with excitement as Jeff seeks out what that specific call will be and how God plans to use him to further the gospel and the good news of God’s Kingdom.

March, 2007


3715 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, Tennessee 37804

		*Coming Under Care in the PCA*

		by Pastor Mark Horn How does one enter into full-time ministry within the Presbyterian Church in America? This question hits on yet another area that is greatly different and distinct from what other denominations and traditions follow: When an individual in the PCA feels that God may calling him into the ministry as his job, the first step is for him to meet with his local session and to come “under care.” This means that the session makes a commitment to guide and help the individual as they pray together and search over whether the Lord is indeed placing both the gifts and the call to ministry within him. If the session and the individual (the “candidate”) feel that such prayers are being affirmed, the next step is for the candidate to come under care of the presbytery, where the combined assembly of elders covenant to assist the candidate in further exploration and preparation for a call. Along with coming under care, the man also seeks seminary training where he learns the original biblical languages and other tools for biblical interpretation that will aid him in correctly preaching and teaching the Word of God. Then, after he has been trained, the candidate serves an internship, which provides an “on-site” apprenticeship in the day-to-day and real-life duties that come with actual ministry – including hospital visits, counseling, preaching, and teaching. Once his internship is completed, a candidate then must pass a series of oral and written examinations from the presbytery in order to first be licensed to preach and then finally to be ordained for ministry. Altogether, this is a long, comprehensive process that lasts for several years. It is much more detailed and much more intensive than most other denominations – but it is all done in the hope of confirming and ultimately encouraging a man on whether or not he is indeed called to vocational ministry. I write all of this because of its application and relevance for an individual in our church. Jeff Prager, who has been a member of MEC since he was a child, has for some time felt the Lord’s call and leading toward ministry. To pursue that, he came under care of the session several years ago and then attended Covenant Seminary. Having graduated from Covenant, Jeff recently came under the care of the Tennessee Valley Presbytery after sharing with them both his testimony and sense of call to ministry. He is now in the process, along with our session and the guidance of the presbytery, of formulating an internship which he will serve at and through our church. We will all have the privilege of seeing Jeff’s growth in ministry and encouraging him along the way. As a church, we can all look forward to seeing God equipping Jeff for the call He has given to him. Then, we can pray with excitement as Jeff seeks out what that specific call will be and how God plans to use him to further the gospel and the good news of God’s Kingdom. March, 2007