ORDINATION (Part 3): Lifetime Ordination

This article is no longer available online, but the entire three-part series is available for purchase as a downloadable resource/pdf.

Ordination

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Ordination needn”t be a mystery, but it should not be undertaken thoughtlessly. This six-page resource, originally a three-part series in CHRISTIAN STANDARD, explores ordination with an eye toward helping individuals, churches, and God”s kingdom.

“¢ J. Michael Shannon makes a case for why ordination is practical and sensible for individuals desiring a lifetime of service in the Lord”˜s church.

“¢ Paige Mathews considers a process for assessing the person who wants to be ordained.

“¢ And Tom Lawson challenges ordaining congregations to consider their responsibility for the lifetimes of those they ordain.

This download is ideal for churches that are considering ordaining a ministry candidate. All downloads include permission to reproduce material up to 10 times for ministry and educational purposes.

To order this resource, CLICK HERE; To sample the first few paragraphs of article one, continue reading below . . .

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By Tom Lawson

Churches and church leaders need to think of ordination as one of the key events in the life of a church””one that should be bathed in prayer and fasting.

I propose that we examine the concept of lifetime ordination. This means both the “Timothy” and the congregation accept a lifetime relationship of mutual obligations. These obligations are primarily in accountability, oversight, and crisis intervention. This continues as long as the person represents himself as a minister set apart by this congregation.

On a wall in my office are various diplomas and awards one might expect to find in a professor”s office. The centerpiece, however, is my ordination certificate from Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, dated July 21, 1974. No one seeing that certification would comment, “Oh, I see you were once an ordained minister.” That certificate suggests a present and ongoing relationship between me and that congregation of my youth. It shows that I am, to this day, an ordained minister sent out by Southland Christian Church. . . .