Bishop Is it your will that [Name] be ordained a Bishop?
People It is.
Bishop Will you uphold him in this ministry?
People We will.
Bishop In peace let us pray to the Lord.
– Common Book of Prayer
Grace and Peace to you.
Last weekend, I was ordained into gospel ministry by our church family in Louisville, KY. We are so thankful for God’s gift of the local church! I wanted to share with you all a few quick thoughts on the significance of that event by answering a few questions.
What Is an “Open” Examination?
At our church, the ordination proceedings take place over two days: the examination of the ordinand on Saturday and the actual ordination itself on Sunday. The church gathered for both. And that’s important. (More on that in a minute.) Saturday morning was a glorious day. The church gathered to hear both of us present our testimonies and callings to ministry. Then our pastors questioned me in areas doctrine and church polity. All church members who attended were given a copy of my doctrinal statement and encouraged to submit any questions they had in writing to the pastors. Not all questions were asked. But some were—and that’s important too.
Why Is it Important the Church Was There?
I will not explain here the importance of a pastor being ordained into ministry, though I do believe they should be. Why was it important that our church family attended the examination on Saturday? To hear me answer questions about our common faith and our convictions about what our church in Japan will be? Because it is the local church’s responsibility to affirm its men into ministry. Further, this begins with the local churches responsibility to identify spiritual men among its membership, see that they are trained and tested, then publicly examine them and affirm them to the ministry. Barnabas was not an elder at the church and Antioch (as far as we’re told), but he was instrumental in the discipling of the apostle Paul. It was the church at Antioch laid hands on Barnabas and Saul—affirming them for gospel ministry—and sent them on their mission. Churches ought to recognize, equip, and affirm their own leaders.
Am I a Pastor Now?
Maybe you’re one of the ones who’ve already asked me this! No, ordination does not make one a pastor. A pastor is a shepherd over a local flock of believers, for whom he bears responsibility and for whom he must give an account someday (1 Pet 5:2, Heb 13:17). That is not a responsibility God has given me at this time. What my ordination means is that I am an ordained minister of the gospel, so that if the Lord should lead me to pastor a church someday, I can say that I have already been publicly affirmed by a local body to be eligible for this task.
We are so grateful for the many of you who have decided to follow us on our journey to Japan.
May God bless and keep you.
– Joe
