Reformed Church in America ministry candidates enrolled in a certification agency in 2011 were at their lowest level in more than a decade, with various trends explaining the statistics including, trends involving a seminary distance program, student time and finance constraints and students' views on debates in the denomination over ordination of women and LGBT matters.

The denomination's Ministerial Formation Certification Agency, which oversees the education and certification of candidates for ministry, on Tuesday reported 71 candidates enrolled at the end of September. Just over 100 were enrolled as recently as 2009. The MFCA has been certifying about 20 ministers per year over that period according to a graph released with the report.

Seventy-six percent of candidates were male and 24 percent were female. "Ethnic/Racial" candidates comprised nearly 20 percent of the total.

The MFCA noted trends that explain some of the statistics.

- The Western Theological Seminary (WTS) distance program, especially the Newbigin Cohort, has attracted a large number of students who would normally attend a non-RCA seminary in their region.

- Commissioned Pastor programs continue to attract individuals who do not have the time or finances to pursue an M.Div. degree or complete the Approved Alternate Route (AAR).

- A number of candidates have withdrawn from the MFCA because they have decided the RCA is not a good fit for them. Most of these individuals tend to be more conservative, label themselves as complementarian, and, are dismayed by the debates they have observed at General Synod and the recommendation to eliminate the conscience clause from the BCO. A lesser number of individuals have withdrawn because the RCA has not favored open and affirming positions on LGBT matters.