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Commissioned Ruling Elder Program

  1. Whitworth University
  2. Church Engagement
  3. Commissioned Ruling Elder Program
  4. Program Description

Program Description

Our office offers the full 45 hours of training electronically to presbyteries at a cost of $1,000. Presbyteries will sign a Memorandum of Understanding and return that MOU to our office with a one-time payment of $1,000. Our office will then provide a password, which will give the partner presbytery access to all training material. This amount covers the cost of recording, editing, uploading the material, and pays residual presentation fees to the presenters.

Presbyteries will then administer the distribution of these materials to laypersons who seek to become certified ruling elders. This process may require the use of some or all of the recorded sessions. The presbytery will provide the liaison/mentor(s) to support and monitor the person's progress in the training program. The presbytery will determine when the candidate has successfully completed the training process and can be certified as a CRE.

We recognize the need for flexibility as each presbytery equips candidates. Acknowledging this need, participating presbyteries will pay $300 for each 15 hours of training material delivered to a candidate. On a sliding scale, the fee structure is as follows:

  • 1-15 hours: $300
  • 16-30 hours: $600
  • 31-45 hours: $900

The partner presbytery will inform our office each time a new candidate begins the process and will let us know approximately how much material will be used during that person's training. Working from a fiscal-year model (July 1-June 30), each April our office will bill the presbytery for the specific hours logged by all candidates during that fiscal year. The presbytery will then send one check to cover costs by May 15, and we will pay the presenters a residual fee for the use of their material. The presbytery and the candidate will determine how the costs of this training will be paid. Either the candidate or the presbytery may pay up to the full amount, or there may be some cost-sharing.

The approach described above recognizes that the presbytery, not our office, bears the responsibility to decide the training necessary for people who want to become CREs. While there are some general standards to be applied to all CRE training, each candidate’s training needs are specific. We offer this material to partner presbyteries as a means to support the important work of developing laypeople for leadership development.

Recognizing this need for ongoing lay leadership development, in the fall of 2015 we launched the Academy of Christian Discipleship (ACD). The ACD is the result of ongoing conversations with many ministry leaders who identified two common needs for laypeople: 1) biblical formation and 2) Christian leadership development. All of the ACD material is being recorded and made available through electronic distribution, as well. Presbyteries may decide to use some of the ACD material for CRE training. The ACD’s complete list of offerings and program costs can be reviewed on our website.

Our office exists to support the ongoing ministry needs of partner ministries through the Pacific Northwest region. Please contact us for further information about how specific partnerships can develop with your ministry.

Questions? Email oce@whitworth.edu or call 509.777.4434.