Ordination of Ministers

INTRODUCTION

The ordination of ministers is generally accepted among Baptists as a necessary function of the local church. Recognition of the fellowship of churches is provided through the ordination council. As the number of churches and pastors multiplies, the need also grows for some uniform principles and practices. Churches need guidance in evaluating prospective pastors that come from a variety of denominational backgrounds and schools. The following recommendations are intended to help the churches as they call and ordain pastors. While these recommendations are not binding, they will be conducive to good order and effective service.

I. ORDINATION STANDARDS

1. Spiritual. An experience of conversion, a divine call to the ministry, a consistent Christian walk, a vital concern for the conversion of men and upbuilding of the church at home and abroad - these are essential elements in the candidate’s experience.
2. Doctrinal. All prospective pastors should affirm their unequivocal adherence to an evangelical doctrinal position based on the Scriptures as the Word of God. The Affirmation of Faith adopted by the Baptist General Conference can serve as a guide in these matters.
3. Educational. In view of the growing demands placed on pastors, chaplains and missionaries, it is advisable that graduation from a four-year college course followed by a standard Master of Divinity course in seminary, or its equivalent, be recommended. The ministerial calling requires the best training, comparable in quality and intensity to that of other professions.
4. Denominational. All ministers of the Baptist General Conference should be convinced Baptists who accept historic Baptist distinctives in all matters pertaining to church order and practice. Men coming from non-Conference backgrounds, and especially non-Baptists, are advised to take some recommended courses from Bethel Theological Seminary or complete certain prescribed reading.
5. Practical experience. It is advisable that a graduate from theological school spend at least one year after graduation engaged exclusively in preaching and pastoral work before being ordained. A license to preach and serve as a pastor will permit him to fulfill his pastoral duties without restriction during the year or more before ordination. Exceptions to this rule will be made when the candidate has had adequate pastoral experience before and during his seminary course, or when he must seek early ordination to satisfy requirements for missionary service or chaplaincy. This requirement, if applied, will help churches and candidates to determine fitness for the ministry. Any uncertainty as to call or other obvious disqualifications should bar a man from ordination regardless of sincerity or educational attainments.

II. ORDINATION PROCEDURE

1. Preliminary examination. In a typical case, the man to be ordained is the pastor of the ordaining church and his qualifications are usually well-known. When a member other than the pastor seeks ordination the church should make sure that he is a worthy candidate before calling a council. In any case, assistance in determining qualifications can be had from trusted pastors in the area or the district executive minister.
2. Calling of a council. The church will vote at a duly announced meeting to call an ordination council and to ordain the candidate upon a favorable recommendation by the council. The candidate should always be a member of the ordaining church. The churches are invited to send their pastor and two other members as delegates or messengers to the council.
3. Meeting of the council. After organizing itself the council will examine the candidate with respect to his spiritual experience, call to the ministry and view of Christian doctrine. The council should take its responsibility seriously and examine the candidate carefully. The outcome of the examination will be a recommendation to the church either to ordain or not. Occasionally a conditional recommendation is made, suggesting that the candidate be ordained on the condition that he fulfill certain requirements. An example of such would be the completion of recommended readings or study courses. In some instances the council may recommend that ordination be postponed until certain remedial steps are taken. Grave departures from traditionally high standards call for forthright refusal to recommend ordination.
4. The public service of ordination. This service is usually held the same date as the meeting of the examining council, and certain advantages are claimed for the practice. On the negative side is the unfair pressure on the council which a previously announced ordination service exerts. An interval of a week or more would seem desirable. The following parts are usually included in the ordination service: Introductory details, such as reading of Scripture, prayer, special music and reading of recommendation of the examining council (no vote need be taken by the church at this time on the ground that the church has previously voted to ordain upon receiving a favorable decision by the council); Ordination sermon Charge to the church Ordination prayer Hand of fellowship Charge to the candidate Benediction by the ordained. Participants in the service are usually invited beforehand by the candidate or the church. Care should be taken to preserve the authority of the local church in the ordination service. The church will plan and direct the service with whatever help it needs from visiting ministers.

III. REVOCATION OF ORDINATION

Should a minister be found living a life unbecoming a servant of the Lord or proclaiming teachings contrary to the Word of God and Baptist beliefs in general, the church may call a council to hear the charges and the minister’s defense. Upon recommendation of the council the church will then revoke the minister’s ordination certificate and announce the revocation in the denominational press. It should be understood that such action can be taken only by the church of which the minister is a member.

IV. LICENSE

A license to preach should be issued by the local church to those who desire to prepare for the gospel ministry. This should be done only after the pastor and board of deacons have ascertained the candidate’s divine call and qualifications. Similarly a church may license its pastor as a preliminary step to ordination at a later date. A license usually recognizes a man’s call to preach and serves as a letter of recommendation. Authorization to perform marriages and other functions of a minister may be conferred upon theological students who will become student pastors.

V. RECOGNITION OF PREVIOUS ORDINATION

1. When ministers ordained in other fellowships become pastors of Baptist General Conference churches the local church can take the following steps:
a. Call a recognition council similar to an ordination council.
b. Upon recommendation of the council, proceed with a public recognition service.
2. Reordination is encouraged for one whose background is widely divergent from that of our Conference. In such case the usual ordination procedures will be followed.