Ordination is the initial rite by which the church sets apart an individual to the Christian ministry.
2.1 Ordination as Installation - symbolic installation.
2.2 Mystical View - a time of personal significance. It becomes a time for self-examination and confession of sin. It is an act of dedication to the Lord and to the place of service.
2.3 Institutional View - It elevates a man to a new status with position, authority, and power. He is expected to be more pious and less human after this ritual—a member of “the third sex.” A “super Christian” plane.
2.4 Magical View - In the wider history of the church, ordination has been viewed almost magically. Authority (the keys of the kingdom) was conveyed to the man ordained.
2.5 Toward a Biblical View - It becomes a bit disconcerting when one attempts to uncover the roots of ordination within the Bible—there is little crystal clear evidence for it. However, the early roots are to be found there. Wayne E. Ward - current practice has developed far beyond anything to be found in the Bible.
3.1 Laying on of Hands in the Old Testament
1.1 Bestowal of a Blessing - This is the most common use of the laying on of hands in the Old Testament. Once given, the blessing was irrevocable and legally binding.
1.2 Establishing a Relationship - Most frequent use of the ritual was in the Hebrew sacrificial system.
1.3 Installing in an Office of Leadership - The closest parallel to ordination found in the Old Testament was Moses’ transferral of his leadership on Joshua.
3.1 The choice of Joshua was by God.
3.2 It grew out of a practical need.
3.3 Joshua was publicly set apart for his task of leadership.
3.2 Laying on of Hands in the New Testament
2.1 Healing.
2.2 Blessing.
2.3 At Baptism.
2.4 Empowered for Christian Ministry.
4.1 We have an account of the selection of the first deacons (those who serve) in Acts 6.
4.2 Act 13 relates the ordination or commissioning of first-century missionaries.
4.1 Invoking a divine blessing and symbolically bestowing a spiritual blessing.
4.2 Confirming the choice of certain “spirit filled” persons to minister to them.
4.3 Something of themselves was actually transferred to the recipient.
4.4 The act sometimes demonstrated publicly a succession of leadership.
4.5 God’s choosing and empowering whomever he wills to be his ministers, unfettered by an ecclesiastical ritual of succession.
4.6 Spiritual enduement for a particular Christian mission or activity, within a limited span of time, and without signifying a permanent ecclesiastical office.
4.7 Based on the Ordination of Barnabas and Paul in Acts 13.
7.1 They were ordained for a particular missionary task, and not for life.
7.2 Their ordination was limited to this specific need and did not set them apart as lifetime missionaries or ministers.
4.8 The New Testament pattern of ordination appears to be more functional than professional. Within the New Testament the most highly developed view of ordination is found in the pastoral epistles (1 Tim; 2 Tim; Titus) (1 Tim. 4:14, 2 Tim. 1:6).
5.1 It conveys no special status, rights, or authority. It creates no clergy class and does not elevate the minister to a superior position.
5.2 It involves a recognition of divine call to the gospel ministry and the possession of the gifts of ministry.
5.3 It is a public commissioning to the responsibilities and functions of a specialized ministry within the church. He/she becomes a “playing coach” with an enabling ministry.
5.4 It is an act of consecration to the call and task.
6.1 Robert A. Baker wrote: “At least one statement may be made about the Baptist view of ordination without any possibility of successful contradiction: Baptists anywhere in the world have never totally agreed on the question of ordination.”
6.2 Basically, Baptists have a non-sacramental view of ordination (Spurgeon - ordination is unnecessary).
6.3 Baptists also disagree as to whether a person is ordained to a function within the church (to act as pastor) or whether ordination is a setting apart of the official ministry.
6.4 Two fundamental views of ordination are sacramental and evangelical.
4.1 Sacramental view -
Candidate is supernaturally transformed in character—into a priest of God. Receives a new authority—that of the clergy, with authority to forgive sins. Once ordained a priest he is always a priest. Ordination is absolute.
4.2 Evangelical view -
2.1 Luther and Calvin.
2.2 Baptists - have tended to emphasize the functional more than the official nature of ordination and the ministry.
2.3 Baptists do not believe that ordination to the ministry conveys an indelible character. In fact, as a matter of church discipline, ordination may be revoked by a local church. It is even possible for a person later to be reexamined and reordained (though rare).
2.4 Ordinarily person is not ordained until being called to a specific place of
service: a pastorate, church staff position, chaplaincy, etc. Baptist polity -local church has authority to ordain ministers and deacons.
2.5 Baptists also vary in who lays hands on the candidate.
5.1 Only ordained ministers.
5.2 Ordained ministers and deacons.
5.3 Entire congregation.
Theoretically, any member whom the church considers qualified for the ministry may be set apart by ordination. Baptist polity recognizes each congregation as autonomous. Therefore, there is no higher authority within this denomination which can dictate who the local church may or may not ordain.
8.1 A person who has had a genuine conversion experience.
8.2 A sense of divine call to the ministry.
8.3 Doctrinally sound -
Just because a church has called for a person’s ordination and just because a council has been convened does not mean that a candidate must be automatically ordained.
8.4 High moral character.
8.5 Confidence of his fellow church members.
8.6 Candidate should first be licensed to preach or minister. This gives the church an opportunity to observe the life and gifts of the candidate prior to his ordination.
8.7 Someone who has been called to a position of ministry.
Ordination: Key Scripture Passages
KJV: “And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” NASB: “Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
KJV: “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”
NASB: “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
KJV: “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”
NASB: “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed upon you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.”
KJV: “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” NASB: “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.”
KJV: “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”
NASB: “And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
KJV: “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them out to preach.”
NASB: “And He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach.”
KJV: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
NASB: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you.”