Well I am off on a retreat for 24 hours with the other 6 people who are
getting ordained in November and the Whitley College Princpal, who is
running the time. I'm looking forward to getting to know them and the
chance to have 24 hours of reflection and P & Q!.
It make me
think again about what ordination is for a Baptist? I mean, we do
believe in the idea of the Priesthood of All Believers. This means that
we don't need a priest to get through to God but we each have access
through the work of Christ. That's why we don't have confessionals in
our churches... you can go direct to God or by confessing to another
believer and it doesn't have to be me. So why do we have ordination?
I
guess it is a recognition that God calls some people to servant
leadership in a full-time vocational sense and that there should be some
quality controls about who and why as well as some levels of Biblical,
theological, pastoral, leadership knowledge in the candidate. Afterall,
we expect plumbers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, hairdressers,
accountants, carpenters, etc. to be trained and accredited by their
professional organisations. How much more important is it for those
given a pastoral leadership amongst people's lives? I am committed to
the notion that there should be a formal process for accreditation of
pastors by denominations and wider systems or the whole thing is just up
for abuse. I've seen too many example of these personalities who dodge
the system and are loose cannons.
My path to ordination has not
been a 'typical one' but I expect as I listen to the stories of the
others there that none of the will be 'typical' either. My path has
taken me through 2.5 theological degrees (a BMin, a MMin and now a DMin)
and I was mentored by several key people who each have made a major
effect on my life and ministry, each in quite different ways. And of
course my ministry at Crossway, Marshmead and in Adelaide (at Burleigh
and with the SABU) were major experiences. I am grateful for each of
them.
What elements do you think should be in an ordination process?
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