Ordination: Ministerial Confirmation or Religious Hoop-jumping?

In just under a month, I'll be sitting in a room, surrounded by a group of my elders. For several hours they'll be questioning me. Then at the end we'll all eat. No, it's not my Bar Mitzvah. July 28th is my ordination council.

For those of you unfamiliar with the process of ordination, it's simply a way in which the church recognizes and confirms that an individual's has been called by God to the ministry. Basically, the ordainee (me) spends several hours answering questions before a council of church leaders; their goal is to determine if this individual is discerning and trained enough for this call. If the council feels confident in what they've seen and heard, they then authorize that individual to take on the office of ministry.

And frankly, I'm terrified about mine.

Now, most of the men on the council I know and respect, so I'm not afraid of being sniped. I'm not really even afraid of the questions, because I've spent enough time asking them to be quite familiar with them. My terror is twofold:

First, the state of my heart. I'm sure it's no surprise to frequent readers of my blog that I have "direction" issues. I love ministering to people, but I'm getting weary trying to be a full-time designer and a full-time pastor. Take that weariness and drop a twenty page doctrinal statement and the lifetime commitment this ordination implies on it's head. That'll smart. (What's worse is that saying that feels so selfish.)

Second, and perhaps more salient, my doubt. Sure, I can throw around "verbal plenary" and "ex nihilo" with the best of them; but do I believe those bullet points with every fiber of my being? Is it a lie to profess these things even if there are deep, dark doubts lurking in the depths of my soul? Is there latitude to say, like the father in Mark 9, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Someone I love dearly told me that sometimes you have to play along with the not-so-important stuff in order to be able to make it to the important stuff. Play along until you get past it. Of course, the idealist within went berserk at the mere mention. But isn't that like college? Take the tests and pass the classes so you can get a piece of paper saying what you already know? But that still made me cringe. Do I even want to be involved in something that requires me to jump through hoops? One of the reasons I love my web design business is that people appreciate and pay me for my ability, not for some piece of paper hanging on the wall.

This same person also told me that an ordination council is probably not the place to air out my angst. Probably wise. Just hard for a brutally honest person to swallow. I've found that sharing insecurities with people often helps them them relate better. I doubt this approach would be all that endearing for an ordination council, though.

Council Member: "So, Jesse, it says here that you believe that God is one yet demonstrated in three persons. Can you elaborate?"

Me: "Well, not really. It's sort of confusing. I was hoping maybe you could flesh this out a bit for me..."

  • posted on 30 June 2007
  • by Jesse

InterAction:

1 July 20071. Jason:

I empathise with you on this one. I cannot think of anything more scary than ordination. I have prayed for you.

2 July 20072. LaRosa Johnson:

We've talked about this once before, so I know exactly what you're talking about. It's definitely an awkward position to be in, and sadly enough I don't have the answers (but then again, who does?). I'm still praying for and with you on this one though because I know that it's an important step whichever direction you decide to walk in.

lj.

2 July 20073. jonathan:

I expanded my original thoughts on my blog. It would seem that my comment from yesterday didn't make it through the spam strainer. Go figure. Anyway, go there to see my thoughts on this.

Basically, I think there has to be a better way to ordain a minister of the Gospel than a big, scarrrrry test...

25 January 20104. Robert Christopulos:

Dear Jesse,

It sounds like it's been about 2 1/2 years since you were ordained. I wonder how you're doing?

Today I had a man approach me and ask if I would ordain him.

I don't know about you, but after I asked Jesus to be my Savior, I served years as a volunteer on the Mission Field, spent more years getting my Masters in Bihlical Studies, was ordained, spent still more years as a Missionary, and finally after being apprenticed for three more years by a wonderful Pastor friend that I was really ready for the Ministry. It took me 18 years after I was born again till I was ordained, and ten years after my ordination to really become both a Man of God and a deeply compassionate Pastor who was yet a fiery defender of The Faith.

When this man asked me to ordain him I cringed. I don't know him-I only met him 2 weeks ago. I know what an awesome responsibility rests on the shoulders of the Pastor-James 3:1 I don't think this man has any idea. I don't want to discourage him, yet I really believe that he needs to be discipled for several years before going into ministry, if then. The man is not ready. From the little I've seen of him he doesn't have the education, the heart, or the stamina to enter into Ministry. It is too easy to be educated, yet be ignorant of the reality of foundational truths. It's also too easy to be educated and be totally ignorant of the need to be a man for all seasons to all the people to whom you minister. Also, it's too easy to be educated yet be unready to speak with the thundering voice of the Prophet as you are led to speak out with courage and conviction against the evils men do.

I've been full time in the Ministry now for nearly 40 years. God called. I answered, "Here am I Lord, send me!" Like I said, I wasn't ready till ten years later. The Practice of Misistry has not been easy. The terrible struggles and conflicts continue to this day. The doubts are gone, and the presence of The Lord Jesus keeps me sane. I am a soldier who is alert at his post. Someday I will receive orders to go to my new Home, that City whose builder and maker is God.. I so bless His Name for the legacy of the work that He has accomplished through this little, frail, old man. Despite all the struggles, trials and heart aches I look forward to the morning, put on my armor, go out to war against the wiles of The Devil, Man;s inhumanity to Man, to lift up the Banner of The Cross, to rescue the perishing. At the end of the day when I come home weary, battle worne, and tired, I gain sweet rest knowing that I can face the next day with Jesus by my side again. That thanks to His protection, at the end of the day He has produced something that is to the praise of His Glory.

God Bless You Jesse. I don't know if you will ever read this, but you have embarked on what can be the noblest endeavor that a man can take. If you read this, my prayer for you is that He keep you true. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

May God keep you in the center of His Will.

Rob

YourThoughts?


(Minutia)

This entry was written by Jesse on Saturday, June 30, 2007 at 11:46 PM and appears in the Savior chapter. The previous article was entitled, "A Beautiful, Solitary Heap", and the next entry is called, "My Simpsons Avatar". Bookmark the permalink, save it to del.icio.us or Digg it.

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