Candidacy
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love God, who have been called according to God’s purpose.
– Romans 8:28
Consider Rostered Leadership with the Church
What should you do with your life?
If you are considering a vocation within the church, there’s no better time to explore the possibilities than right now.
Lutherans believe that all baptized Christians are called and gifted to serve God in the church and the world. We live out our calls in a wide variety of ways, all of which have value to God’s mission in the world. Some people respond to God’s call by being set aside as rostered ministers, that is, serving as pastors or deacons.
In the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), a pastor is a Minister of Word and Sacrament, ordained to preach, teach and to administer the sacraments of baptism and communion. A deacon is a Minister of Word and Service, ordained to preach, teach, and serve Christ in a congregation or in the world.
The first step is to discern the vocation to which you are called. Whether you are preparing for college, graduating, or considering a
career change, God uses people and resources to help you identify and affirm your vocation. Pray, reflect on your gifts, and talk with your pastor, deacon, church leaders, career counselor, and other significant people in your life about how you may be called to serve God, the church and the world.
If you have considered serving as a pastor or deacon, you may be called to enter candidacy. Candidacy is the formal process of affirmation of call and approval to lead in public ministry in the church. The process is formal, yet personalized. Each candidate
goes through the candidacy process with members of their synod, a seminary, and the ELCA.
May God be with you as discern your unique call to serve God and the world!
Why not start exploring the possibilities now? For more information or to schedule a conversation, call the synod office at 773-248-0021 or email
Resources for Discernment
Tap into your Vocation (Erin Strybis Living Lutheran Sept. 2021)
Called to Lead (Baglyos, 2021)
Llamado a Ser Lider (Baglyos, tr. Kercado, 2021)
ENTRANCE – External Affirmation of a Call to Rostered Ministry
Welcome to the Candidacy process for the ELCA! Entrance is the first formal and external discernment by the church of your readiness for
candidacy. While everyone’s timeline and path through candidacy are unique, there are standard milestones along the way. The three basic stages in the ELCA’s candidacy process are entrance, endorsement, and approval. All paths start with entrance.
Prior to entrance you should have been a member of an ELCA congregation for at least a year and engaged in discernment of call with
your pastor.
Usually, you apply for entrance in your synod before beginning theological studies at an ELCA seminary or other ATS or ACTS accredited
seminary. When you apply for candidacy, you will:
1. Complete an online application, background check, and a psychological evaluation. You’ll also provide transcripts, an ELCA
congregational registration and an essay about your faith and sense of call.
2. Have an initial interview with a member of the synod’s candidacy committee.
Then, after sending in the candidacy application materials, you’ll have a formal entrance interview with representatives of the synod’s
candidacy committee. This is an opportunity to share your faith story as well as the insights you’ve gained during your discernment
journey.
The synod’s candidacy committee, representing the whole church, will evaluate your sense of call and readiness to begin the formation
process. A decision by the candidacy committee to grant entrance officially starts your candidacy.
Candidacy is an accompaniment process. When the candidacy committee grants you entrance, they also commit to accompany you all the
way to ordination or to discernment that you are called to serve God in other ways. You are not alone in this journey.
May God be with you as you begin the process of preparing for rostered ministry.
Please allow 3-6 months to complete the entrance process.
For information on candidacy and the Entrance process call 773-248-0021 or email
Candidacy Manual Chapters 3-4
ENDORSEMENT – Theological Articulation
Endorsement is the formal recognition by the candidacy committee that you are developing the gifts and skills needed of a pastor or deacon. The timing of endorsement varies depending on your candidacy path.
In general, you’re ready for endorsement after you have:
- completed one-third to one-half of your academic work including courses in Bible, Theology and
Lutheran Confessions - successfully completed Clinical Pastor Education (CPE)
- determined to which roster you feel called
- gained deeper understanding of the larger church and the competencies of rostered leadership.
Before your endorsement interview, you’ll need to submit:
- endorsement essay
- evaluations from your (CPE) program
- boundaries training certificate, FERPA form, and a current seminary transcript
After submitting the documents, you’ll have another formal interview with the
synod’s candidacy committee and a seminary faculty member. This is an
opportunity to share your evolving faith story as well as theological insights
from your Lutheran learning and formation. You’ll recap how you have
followed up on entrance recommendations. The candidacy committee will
evaluate your articulation of God’s mission in the world, spiritual maturity and
wisdom, relational skills, and your understanding of a call to service.
Endorsement by the candidacy committee is a milestone in readiness. For
most candidates, the granting of endorsement is required to move forward
with internship.
The candidacy committee remains committed to accompanying you the rest
of the way to ordination or to discernment that you are called to serve God in
other ways. You are not alone in this journey.
May God be with you as we affirm together your growth in the ministry to which
you are called. We recognize your ongoing formation for rostered leadership!
Documents Required for Endorsement Interview
Documents are due one (1) month prior to the candidacy committee meeting.
CPE Reports: Supervisor and candidate
Updated seminary transcript
Certificate of completion of boundaries training
APPROVAL – Readiness to Lead
Approval is the final step in the ELCA candidacy process. At this stage you, the synod’s candidacy committee and your seminary discern together your sense of call and readiness to serve as a rostered minister.
In general, you’re eligible for the approval step after you’ve successfully completed all academic and candidacy requirements, including internship.
Before your approval interview, you’ll submit:
- approval essay
- evaluations from your internship,
- ELCA polity workshop certificate, and
- your ELCA faculty recommendation, transcript, and FERPA.
After this, you’ll have another formal interview with your candidacy committee. This is an opportunity for you to articulate your call to ministry and demonstrates your readiness to assume a leadership role as a rostered minister in the ELCA. You’ll recap how you have followed up on entrance and endorsement recommendations. The candidacy committee, representing the whole church, evaluates your understanding of God’s mission in the world, Lutheran theology, leadership and relational skills, and your trustworthiness to live out a call to ministry.
This final step in candidacy is a threshold to further public acknowledgment of your qualifications for rostered ministry. Approval is required to enter the First Call process when you will explore opportunities to receive and accept a letter of call to rostered ministry in a particular congregation or ministry setting.
The candidacy committee remains committed to accompanying you the rest of the way to ordination or
their discernment that you are called to serve God in other ways. You are not alone in this journey.
May God be with you as we affirm together your gifts for the ministry to which you are called. We celebrate your completion of the candidacy process and the beginning of the call process!
Documents Required for Approval Interview
Documents are due one (1) month prior to the candidacy committee meeting.
Approval Information Form (EN)
Información para Aprobación (ES)
Updated seminary transcript
Internship evaluations (at least midterm and final)
Faculty Recommendation Form (Form D): Please check with your seminary to confirm their process.
Upcoming Candidacy Committee Meetings
May 1-3, 2025
All Endorsement panels will be held in April.
August 21-23, 2025
November 13-15, 2025
February 19-21, 2026
Candidates’ documents are due one (1) month prior to the candidacy committee meeting.
Documents are listed in the endorsement and approval sections above.
Please contact your synod candidacy staff member at with questions
about candidacy, your candidacy path, or any changes in the information on your application.
ELCA Resources
Leadership Resources
If you have considered a vocation within the church, there is no better time to explore the possibilities than right now.
List of objectives, responsibilities, and contact information for each conference of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod.
The Rostered Ministers Gathering planning team has worked diligently to create an engaging and relational gathering for our leaders.