As I prepared to read my email yesterday (April 17, 2009), I was astonished to see an email from an old friend of mine who lives in Washington State. He and I met in 1989 in a Theological school. Although both of us are in the US, we have not talked for a long time now. In the email he give me his phone number for me to call him. But he had indicated that he googled my name and found me in the Internet. We discussed many issues among them Ordination. He told me that he was ordained last year (2008) something he was so much excited to share.
After the phone conversation that lasted for a good 43 minutes and 42 seconds, I was left asking myself what is ordination? It leaves the candidate feeling changed and renewed. My own ordination was May 14th, 1994. I could identify with my friend who was full of joy as he shared the experience of ordination. I had no option but to write this short article about ordination.
Considering the role played by the ministry throughout the history of the church, references to ordination are very few in the New Testament. The term itself ORDINATION or its verb ORDAIN, do not occur at all in the Bible. However we have terms like Appoint, Chose etc.
The twelve Disciples of Christ were chosen to be near him and to be send fort to minister. The New Testament uses different names, but all mean the same. Luke uses “Made” however; the most important thing is that Jesus prayed all the night before making his choice though there was no ordination ceremony as we know it.
The evangelist John too refers to an occasion when the risen Christ breathes to them (John 20:22) but this is different from ordination.
After Judas betrayed Jesus, Mathias was chosen to replace him but no ordination mentioned. The disciples cast lots and he was enrolled or numbered with others (Acts 1:26). As seen in many parts of the Old Testament prophets, Kings and others were called directly by God, though same are said to be from work of ministry (Ephesians 4:12), here the word ministry may mean service.
We can here say that the essential thing about ordination is the laying on of hands with prayer because as Paul the apostle puts it in the letter to Timothy (1 Tim 4:14), that “do not neglect the gift you have which was given to you by the prophets, utterances when the council of elders laid hands upon you.”
From this we get three most important points about Paul’s idea of ordination as explained in Timothy, for the appointed servant of God Timothy. First, he was given charisma the spiritual gift needed for the work of ministry. Secondly this came by prophecy and finally, it came with lying on of hands by the elders.
As I conclude these thoughts, it is important to note that the essential thing about ordination is the divine gift which nothing can compensate lack of it. But there is also the outward act, the laying on of hands.
Therefore, I can boldly assert that ordination is a solemn affair and it may be that words “do not" be hasty in the laying on of hands (1Tim 5:22) is a divine gift and an essential rite to set aside an individual for the service of God.
After the phone conversation that lasted for a good 43 minutes and 42 seconds, I was left asking myself what is ordination? It leaves the candidate feeling changed and renewed. My own ordination was May 14th, 1994. I could identify with my friend who was full of joy as he shared the experience of ordination. I had no option but to write this short article about ordination.
Considering the role played by the ministry throughout the history of the church, references to ordination are very few in the New Testament. The term itself ORDINATION or its verb ORDAIN, do not occur at all in the Bible. However we have terms like Appoint, Chose etc.
The twelve Disciples of Christ were chosen to be near him and to be send fort to minister. The New Testament uses different names, but all mean the same. Luke uses “Made” however; the most important thing is that Jesus prayed all the night before making his choice though there was no ordination ceremony as we know it.
The evangelist John too refers to an occasion when the risen Christ breathes to them (John 20:22) but this is different from ordination.
After Judas betrayed Jesus, Mathias was chosen to replace him but no ordination mentioned. The disciples cast lots and he was enrolled or numbered with others (Acts 1:26). As seen in many parts of the Old Testament prophets, Kings and others were called directly by God, though same are said to be from work of ministry (Ephesians 4:12), here the word ministry may mean service.
We can here say that the essential thing about ordination is the laying on of hands with prayer because as Paul the apostle puts it in the letter to Timothy (1 Tim 4:14), that “do not neglect the gift you have which was given to you by the prophets, utterances when the council of elders laid hands upon you.”
From this we get three most important points about Paul’s idea of ordination as explained in Timothy, for the appointed servant of God Timothy. First, he was given charisma the spiritual gift needed for the work of ministry. Secondly this came by prophecy and finally, it came with lying on of hands by the elders.
As I conclude these thoughts, it is important to note that the essential thing about ordination is the divine gift which nothing can compensate lack of it. But there is also the outward act, the laying on of hands.
Therefore, I can boldly assert that ordination is a solemn affair and it may be that words “do not" be hasty in the laying on of hands (1Tim 5:22) is a divine gift and an essential rite to set aside an individual for the service of God.
