Ordinations

Once you are called, you are always called. There have been men that have stepped down from the ministry both Catholic and Baptist alike. But the calling never goes away. Once a preacher, always a preacher. You know what I mean?
GEL

clskinner said:

That was very informative, thank you. The section on the revocation of ordination answered the bulk of my questions. If I may try to rephrase to make sure I understand:

Ordination isn't a "divine" sort of thing for Baptists - it's more of a graduation/certification/official sort of thing? I guess I'm just comparing it to what I know about what Catholics do. After a deacon or priest's ordination, the effects of the ordination can never be taken from him. He may be removed from his duties, but he will always be ordained.

This seems not to be the case with Baptists, correct?

Click to expand...

I am speaking from the granddaughter of a Baptist minister and I have been to many Baptist churches.

Ordinations can be revoked if the church that gave it decides on the basis mainly for example the minister backslides/falls in to sin and refuses to make it right. This is very rare but has happened.

I have been ordained in two churches. Once as a deacon, then as an elder. I was recently ordained to the gospel ministry. My process followed the above posted procedure closely. The council has the responsibility of making sure that before a man is presented to a congregation for ordination that He's first "called" and is qualified. The qualifications are located in the pastoral epistles.

To be ordained is the process of choosing and making accountable those that God has called to full time ministry.

Ah...wow!

clskinner said:

Yes, I know what you mean. And you're right in saying that there are Catholic priests who have chosen to leave the priesthood (and there are some who have been removed). The difference I was trying to understand is what that means practically for a Baptist pastor ... because if I understand what it means to step down, then I can understand the opposite, what it means to be ordained.

It seems as though there is a looser use of the word "ordained" within Baptist circles than within Catholic ones. For me at least, that's an interesting observation.

Thanks all! I always appreciate when you let me ask questions and seek clarification - even if my clarification-seeking can be a little annoying sometimes.

Click to expand...

Please let me know what you mean by Looser use for the word ordained????
Some of us might be offended by this comment.
Ordained in the Baptist Circle is taken very seriously, just as seriously as a priest being ordained.
GEL

eldermike said:

I have been ordained in two churches. Once as a deacon, then as an elder. I was recently ordained to the gospel ministry. My process followed the above posted procedure closely. The council has the responsibility of making sure that before a man is presented to a congregation for ordination that He's first "called" and is qualified. The qualifications are located in the pastoral epistles.

To be ordained is the process of choosing and making accountable those that God has called to full time ministry.

Click to expand...

You will likely find that the process differs in many Baptist churches. For example I am a deacon and not ordained (we do not hold the office of elder in my particular location so there are none). We ordain people to service as they leave the church. So when a man feels the call of the Lord, has trained sufficiently (to satisfy himself and the pastoral staff), he goes before the ordination council. The council is made up of 4-5 pastors from other churches (all baptist). You present them with a systematic theology which includes a philosophy of ministry and other items of church leadership. They proceed to drill you for an hour or two on doctrine, church history, practice, things you've written about, and anything else they come up with. At the end of it the council either recommends ordination or recommends that the person wait for awhile. If the council recommends ordination the person is brought before the church, the deacons and pastor recommend the person for ordination and the membership votes. You see ordination is about showing someone approved. You must have your home church behind you, it is by this test that a church you candidate in or pastor at knows that you are "not a novice". The ordination (besides the legal aspect) happens during a service where hands are laid on a person. Like I said this entire process will be different in different places, hence "independent baptist". This is pretty standard though (the ordination council etc.)