Allow me to clarify what I mean here –
A person feels a “calling” into the “ministry” and proceeds to look at the steps he/she must take to be a minister in the Body of Christ. Because this person has contact with the current Christian religious system, a couple of steps are assumed.
Seminary, which I’ve already addressed, comes first. There has to be some fromal training in a classroom as a first step. Second, he must find a council of man to ordain him, give him a piece of paper that therefore validates his ministry.
I can’t seem to find that in the Bible.
People were called to specific ministries and roles within the Body, were summarily sent and blessed by spiritual assemblies or even spiritual authority, but to say that you were ordained by some organization or group is just not in the Bible.
From what I can find in the NT, only God ordains someone for ministry. Paul spends a couple chapters at the beginning of Galatians to prove that no one gave him his ministry, and he answers to no man. God gave him the message and the ministry. Paul would not allow any man to glory in God’s calling and authority in his life.
And in context with the rest of the letter, he explains why this was so important. An ordained class of men was of the Old Law, which is completely at odds with the the New Covenant. Needing another’s stamp of approval only diminishes the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The testimony in Acts bears witness to this. After years of local ministry, Paul (Saul at the time) and Barnabas were separated and sent as missionaries by the Holy Spirit; the assembly at Antioch could only offer their aggreement and blessing to what God had already ordained.
This is a sweeping statement that could be a sermon all on its own, but how prideful do we have to be to assume that we can accomplish through organization, testing and program what God has ordained to accomplish through his Spirit?
Now to be fair, perhaps there is a practical application that some are trying to put into practice. Often Paul would commend and approve of certain ministers and ask for them to be recieved in love and in his stead, even his name. On a certain level, knowing someone is “ordained” by an established group can be comforting because there’s less chance the dude is a fruitcake or wacky or something.
But while I see some practical need here, the application is not fulfilling what the Bible gives us as examples. In each case, Paul commended someone based on relationship and observed fruit in their life. His counsel to Timothy is very telling in that he speaks of the necessity of a life of integrity and spiritual maturity as necessary for Christian leadership and mentions not once schooling, formal training, or the stamp of approval from an outside organization. How would you know a life of integrity and spiritual maturity? These things must be observed and clearly seen. An intimate relationship must exist to see the everyday life of a brother or sister.
Most of the time, however, modern “ministers’ are “ordained” because of a degree at a Bible school of some sort and/or an interview to determine adherence to denominational doctrine (often this is very detailed and one deviance can mark a brother a heretic and make or break the deal). While there are exceptions to this (and these exceptions encourage me — I know of at least one or two ministries that “ordains” based on relationship and character and recognition of an existing gift rather than external factors), saldly, I’ve just described the norm. And the norm is not directly mentioned in the scripture.
When you are part of a real community of believers, people can see your life and your integrity and righteousness. You are an example to others as others are an example to you. Your gifts and doctrine are well known by all because you live your life with others.
You can be “ordained” in most denominations today and be cheating on your wife, beating your kids, and embezzling money because your life is deemed “private” and most people don’t dig too deep … and without relationship, it would be rude, anyway.
I’m tired of the term “lay leader” in the Body of Christ, by the way. Its so related, it shouldn’t be its own post here, but that’s not in the Bible either. You are a pastor, evangelist, apostle, prophet or teacher whether you are paid to do it or not. I long for a time when leaders in the Church are leaders because they have a powerful gift of the Spirit and lead a life of righteousness and integrity and not because they’ve jumped through the right hoops.
Actually, it already is that way; God is just waiting on us to say our “Amen.”
Peace.
I agree–you know I do.