Why Are Some Under Tthe Impression...

I agree, however, I am not really talking about Southern Baptist to Gereral Baptist, etc.

I am talking about major shifts......but then if one was ordained baptist, they would have to be reordained catholic--even presbyterian.

The big issue I have is with alot of young baptist preachers standing in the pulpits of postmodern emergent churches spewing heresy while a Baptist Ordination Certificate hangs in thier office.

They promised one thing, and now do another.

I understand of course there is not way to enforce this, nor am I advocate that we do.

I am just speaking of integrity.

Some preachers do not have it.

k

 

With your logic we wouldn't baptize either.

 

I see ordination as a church's stamp of approval, or confirmation of one's call, and of one's gifts.

Such occasions provide the opportunity to hear the candidate's doctrinal, eccelesiogical and eschatological views. And it is quite consistent with the responsibility of the local church to pass judgment on those of its number who claim a call from God to preach or otherwise.

Speaking of John the Baptist, he received his call and commission directly from God. We know that because Jesus himself described John as one "sent from God." He also confirmed the call by submitting himself to John's baptism.

 

I don't think ordination is a "must". My husband's grandfather preached for years, and he was never ordained...which is only disappointing b/c he couldn't marry us and have it legally recognized by the state of Texas. The man has problem forgotten more about the Bible than most on this board will ever know. He is a very good, Godly man, and I would have no qualms about listening to his view on any doctrinal issue. If he was not so elderly and ill at this point, I would love to just sit down and ask him questions for about a whole day about some of the things that confuse me in Scripture. I think if my husband ever did something I felt was disobedient to God, I would probably call his grandpa and ask him to speak to him about it before going to our own pastor. Ordination is not necessary...the only thing necessary is that a person is called by God and loves Him enough to obey Him in that call.

 

1-2) I don't put much thought in it. Ordination, IMO, is more of a stamp of approval for other churches to see than it is for the local church. A church expresses its confidence in the minister by setting him aside for ministry in the first place. I think we've overblown the whole ordination process. If he's serving as your pastor, he has been endorsed by your church. Official "ordination" is functionally superfluous. I don't consider it a requirement in any way. Legally, having an official ordination is beneficial, though.

3) I hear Baptists making statements that only ordained ministers can baptize, and I wonder why. If we are not sacerdotalists, why make a fuss about ordination on this issue. As I like to say, ordination doesn't give you magical powers. I can at least understand the idea of church authority in this matter, but an ordained-only policy is too restrictive.

As has been referenced, IMO, the idea of having a singular ordination to go to multiple Baptist churches smacks of episcopal or presbyterian church policy. I don't necessarily have a problem with it because I think a call to a church is a functional ordination, but it does raise questions.

 

I agree, one of the things that happens during an ordination is a man's theology and doctorinal positions are examined. I once sat on a board where a preacher didn't believe Jesus was the son of God. I've seen others that obviously wasn't studied and were not set to defend the Gospel.

Not passing a board doesn't stop a person from preaching nor are you preaching illegally for not going before a board. I just think a man's view's ought to be examined before he is placed as the undershepherd of a flock. It's not so much for the man but for those in the flock.

 

Here's the issue in baptist churches... it seems that some churches tend not to ordain someone until they are already in their first pastorate. This, IMO, is pointless. If a church is calling someone to the pastorate, their installation service should be an ordination service. You can examine their theology, etc., in the interview process.

In my case, I was at a church for a year and a half before I was ordained. I was already licensed, but I was not yet ordained. Everyone to whom I spoke said that generally the church that called me would ordain me eventually. It didn't make sense to me, but I went with it.

My thought: why would a church be willing to call someone as their pastor but not be willing to ordain them yet? In my case, it seemed not to be much of an issue. Pretty much no one thought about it until some people like the director of missions and convention representatives brought it up after a while. My ministry at the church was no different after the ordination service.

 

What is tradition in a typical Baptistic Pastor Installation service?

I have never been to one.