What do you think about being ordained?

Fri, Apr 7, 2017

Leadership, Ministers, Q&A, Supplemental Teaching, TEACHING

Q & A

Q. What do you think about being ordained?

A. Ordination to the Gospel Ministry – Things to consider:

What doe it mean to be ordained? The word ordain in the New Testament means to make, appoint, set forth or set apart. “And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach.” (Mark 3:14) God made these 12 men to be ministers and Jesus Christ ordained them for that purpose. “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it to you.” (John 15:16)

Keep in mind that the Lord God Almighty chooses whom He wants for His kingdom purposes. Then He directs His people to appoint those whom He has chosen. The Divine order is that God ordains individual believers for the gospel ministry, and then His Spirit leads His people to acknowledge and accept His choice by ordaining them for that purpose. “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.” (Hebrews 13:17)

Check your motive. Why do you want to be ordained? Has the Lord shown you that He has made you to be a minister? I have counseled many ministers whom the Lord had not called, because He had not made them to be ministers. He was calling them to Himself, or some other task . . . but not the gospel ministry.

God calls us to do that which He has made us to be! Otherwise, the grace of God to enable you will not be there for you as you attempt to pastor. This is why some leave the ministry; they were never called to be ministers.

“Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.” (Ephesians 3:7) “Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God.” (Colossians 1:25)

Keep in mind that ordination is first of all a work of the Spirit of God. He decides who should be ordained, when, where, and how. Even Jesus consulted with His Father before selecting those whom He ordained. “Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and He prayed to God all night. At daybreak He called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles.” Luke 6:12-13

Paul and Barnabas were set aside for the work of missionaries. “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts13:2-3)

“Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.” (1 Timothy 5:22) This goes both ways. Before you allow anyone to ordain you, be sure you get to know their life and walk. They should be likeminded, grace oriented, Spirit filled ministers. Don’t let your good be evil spoken of by being associated with those of questionable character.

One who is to be ordained to the gospel ministry must be a man of proven character, who is already engaged in the work of the ministry. In Indonesia, for example, they wait until a man has at least 30 people whom he has led to the Lord who are meeting together under his discipleship ministry before they ordain him. Most godly ministers I know wait until they see evidence that the person is doing the work of the ministry before they ordain him.

Others in the ministry will recognize God’s calling on your life, and in the Lord’s perfect time and way your ordination will happen. But the ordination by other ministers will simply be a confirmation of your calling from the LORD.

One thing for sure, a man’s gift makes a way for him. (Proverbs 18:16) And when God opens a door no man can shut it. “Faithful is He that calls you, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24) So rest assured that when the Lord calls you to the gospel ministry, His grace will also enable you. He will do it!