Four standard senior ordination exams and the Bible content exam are required for ordination. CPM determines readiness for exams and must grant clearance for those under care to register for and complete the exams. 

Bible Content Exam

This exam is ordinarily taken in the first year of seminary. The two-hour examination contains 100 questions in multiple-choice, matching, and ordering formats, about the contents of the Bible, using the New Revised Standard Version for all quotations. The exam is currently offered twice a year on the first Friday of February and the Friday before Labor Day. The questions vary in difficulty, but cover the entire Bible as required by action of the General Assembly in 1978. In order to satisfy this requirement in the preparation for ministry process, inquirers/candidates must correctly answer at least 70 of the 100 questions on the examination.  

Bible Content Exam Information and Testing Locations

Senior Ordination Exams


Last modified: Friday, February 16, 2024, 2:56 PM