FRCA ARTICLE 2 – The offices The offices are those of the minister of the Word, of the elder, and of the deacon.	CANRC ARTICLE 2 – The Offices The offices are those of the minister of the Word, of the elder, and of the deacon.
DKO Artikel 2 De Diensten zijn vierderley: Der Dienaren des Woordts / der Doctoren / der Ouderlinghen / ende der Diaconen.	DCO

FRCA History: Decisions of FRCA synods
Articles: Topics related to this article	Other Commentaries VanOene, With Common Consent VanRongen, Decently and in Good Order

Commentary:

We believe that Christ through His apostles ordained ministers, elders and deacons to be office bearers in the church. Not apostles. The Apostolate ceased with the death of the apostles. Apostles were appointed by Jesus Christ Himself, Matthew 28:16-20 and Mark 16:14-16; by the lot in Acts 1:21-24; by calling Paul at Damascus in Acts 9:6, 15. Apostles had to be men who were with Christ Himself (see Acts 1:21-22). Paul is the exception, but he says about himself that he is a special apostle: as one born out of time (1 Cor. 15:8-9). There is no biblical ground for apostolic succession or a separate clergy.

Ministers, elders and deacons are called and ordained by Jesus Christ, through the service of the local church. See art. 31 BC: office bearers “… ought to be chosen to their offices by lawful election of the church”. Office bearers confess at their ordination, that they feel in their hearts that God Himself, through His congregation, has called them to these offices. It is not the clergy who appoints, but it is Christ Who calls. The rules in chapter 1 about calling ministers, elders, and deacons to the office, as well as their task, are the result of this doctrine.

The Church Order of Dort mentions a fourth office: that of the Doctors. These were the professors who were ordained for the special task to train brothers for the ministry of the Word. We don’t have a separate office of Doctor anymore. At the seminary (Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary) in the Canadian Reformed Churches, ministers are teaching, preferably those who have been working in a congregation before they were appointed as professor. Those ministers remain ministers and are under the supervision of a consistory. There is no need and no biblical imperative to appoint Doctors to a separate office. It is therefore a bit strange when we see certain ministers who have a PhD or a DMin, referred to in reports of ecclesiastical meetings as ‘Dr.’ and other ministers just as ‘Rev.’ There is no difference in status and this practice is an old custom that may be based on this article in the Church Order of Dort.