Ordination - Steps to Life

The City of Refuge

February 25 – March 2, 2024

Key Text

“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you.” Titus 1:5

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 812–815

Introduction

“The number of workers in the ministry is not to be lessened, but greatly increased. Where there is now one minister in the field, twenty are to be added; and if the Spirit of God controls them, these twenty will so present the truth that twenty more will be added.” Gospel Workers, 65, 66

Sunday

1 CHURCH RESPONSIBILITIES

1.a. When we join the church, how are we interdependent? Ephesians 4:15, 16

1.b. Who is the originator of all gifts in the church, and how will understanding this help us honor each other? 1 Corinthians 12:11; Romans 12:10

Note: “The Lord desires His church to respect every gift that He has bestowed on the different members.” Pacific Union Recorder, December 29, 1904

1.c. Although all are brethren and sisters, what are some of the more important responsibilities in the organizational structure of the church? 1 Corinthians 12:28; Revelation 1:20; 2:1

Note: “God’s ministers are symbolized by the seven stars, which He who is the first and the last has under His special care and protection. The sweet influences that are to be abundant in the church are bound up with these ministers of God, who are to represent the love of Christ.” Gospel Workers, 13, 14

Monday

2 THE WORK OF THE APOSTLES/MINISTERS

2.a. What are the main duties of an apostle? How does Paul show he took this work seriously? John 21:15–17; 2 Corinthians 11:28

2.b. How does the care of Paul for the believers show the extent of an apostle’s (minister’s) work? 1 Corinthians 4:17; Colossians 4:15, 16

Note: “Our ministers should plan wisely, as faithful stewards. They should feel that it is not their duty to hover over the churches already raised up, but that they should be doing aggressive evangelistic work, preaching the Word and doing house-to-house work in places that have not yet heard the truth. … They will find that nothing is so encouraging as doing evangelistic work in new fields.” Evangelism, 382

“Our ministers must not think that God has appointed them to hover over believers, or to tie themselves down to a business office. Let business men attend to the business, and let ministers be left free to labor in the camp meetings.” The Review and Herald, September 16, 1902

“God has no use for those who seek a safe and easy place. By an unreserved consecration we are to prepare ourselves for God’s service. Our ministers are not to hover over the churches, regarding the churches in some particular territory as their special care. Believers are to have root in themselves, striking firm root in Christ, that they may bear fruit to His glory. As one man, they are to strive to attain one object—the saving of souls.” Pacific Union Recorder, August 28, 1902

2.c. In the days of the early church, who would send forth the apostles? Acts 11:22, 23; 15:22, 25

Note: “God foresaw the difficulties that His servants would be called to meet, and, in order that their work should be above challenge, He instructed the church by revelation to set them apart publicly to the work of the ministry. Their ordination was a public recognition of their divine appointment to bear to the Gentiles the glad tidings of the gospel.” The Acts of the Apostles, 161

“Paul regarded the occasion of his formal ordination as marking the beginning of a new and important epoch in his lifework. It was from this time that he afterward dated the beginning of his apostleship in the Christian church.” Ibid., 164, 165

Tuesday

3 RESPONSIBILITIES OF LOCAL ELDERS

3.a. Aside from evangelism, nurturing churches, and other responsibilities in administration, what other work is highly important for an apostle to accomplish? Titus 1:5

Note: “Christ is about to ordain His disciples for their work. By these feeble agencies, through His Word and Spirit, He designs to place salvation within the reach of all.

“God and the holy angels beheld this scene with interest and with great gladness. The Father knew that from these men divine light would shine forth, that the words spoken by them as they witnessed for the truth would echo from generation to generation.” The Signs of the Times, July 18, 1900

3.b. What are the duties of a local elder? Acts 20:28–31; 1 Peter 5:1–6

Note: “ ‘Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.’

“But this does not authorize any one man to undertake the work of ordering his brethren arbitrarily to do as he thinks advisable, irrespective of their own personal convictions of duty. Nor are God’s chosen laborers to feel that at every step they must wait to ask some officer in authority whether they may do this or that. While cooperating heartily with their brethren in carrying out general plans that have been laid for the prosecution of the work, they are constantly to look to the God of Israel for personal guidance.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 491

3.c. How versed should an elder be in the word of God? 2 Timothy 2:15

Note: “The cause of God needs efficient men; it needs men who are trained to do service as teachers and preachers.” Gospel Workers, 9

3.d. Because the work of the elders is so important to the growth of the church, with what respect should we regard them? Hebrews 13:17, 18; 1 Peter 5:5. Why? 1 Corinthians 11:1

Wednesday

4 PROCEDURES IN ORDINATION I

4.a. How were candidates for ordination chosen in the days of the apostles? Acts 6:1–4; Titus 1:5–9

Note: “Let not our young men be deterred from entering the ministry. There is danger that through glowing representations some will be drawn away from the path where God bids them walk. … The Lord calls for more ministers to labor in His vineyard. The words were spoken, ‘Strengthen the outposts; have faithful sentinels in every part of the world.’ God calls for you, young men. He calls for whole armies of young men who are large-hearted and large-minded, and who have a deep love for Christ and the truth.” Gospel Workers, 63

“It is entirely wrong for teachers, by suggesting other occupations, to discourage young men who might be qualified to do acceptable work in the ministry. … There is among us more than an average of men of ability. If their capabilities were brought into use, we should have twenty ministers where we now have one.” Testimonies, Vol. 6, 135

“None but God can decide who shall engage in the solemn work [of laboring for souls]. There were good men in the apostles’ days, men who could pray with power and talk to the point; yet the apostles, who had power over unclean spirits and could heal the sick, dared not with merely their wisdom set one apart for the holy work of being mouthpiece for God. They waited unmistakable evidence of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. … If it should be left to a few individuals here and there to decide who was sufficient for this great work, confusion and distraction everywhere would be the fruit.” Ibid., Vol. 1, 208, 209

4.b. What preparation was required of the church, together with the apostles, before the ordination of Paul and Barnabas? Acts 13:1–3

Note: “Jesus, when preparing for some great trial or some important work, would resort to the solitude of the mountains and spend the night in prayer to His Father. A night of prayer preceded the ordination of the apostles.” The Ministry of Healing, 509

“Before being sent forth as missionaries to the heathen world, these apostles [Paul and Barnabas] were solemnly dedicated to God by fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands. Thus they were authorized by the church, not only to teach the truth, but to perform the rite of baptism and to organize churches.” The Acts of the Apostles, 161

Thursday

5 PROCEDURES IN ORDINATION II

5.a. How is an ordination performed? Acts 6:5, 6; 1 Timothy 4:14. Who does the actual ordaining? Acts 14:23

Note: “The apostles were led by the Holy Spirit to outline a plan for the better organization of all the working forces of the church. The time had come, the apostles stated, when the spiritual leaders having the oversight of the church should be relieved from the task of distributing to the poor and from similar burdens, so that they might be free to carry forward the work of preaching the gospel. ‘Wherefore, brethren,’ they said, ‘look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.’ This advice was followed, and by prayer and the laying on of hands, seven chosen men were solemnly set apart for their duties as deacons.” The Acts of the Apostles, 89

“God foresaw the difficulties that His servants would be called to meet, and, in order that their work should be above challenge, He instructed the church by revelation to set them apart publicly to the work of the ministry. Their ordination was a public recognition of their divine appointment to bear to the Gentiles the glad tidings of the gospel.

“Both Paul and Barnabas had already received their commission from God Himself, and the ceremony of the laying on of hands added no new grace or virtual qualification. It was an acknowledged form of designation to an appointed office and a recognition of one’s authority in that office. By it the seal of the church was set upon the work of God.

“To the Jew this form was a significant one. When a Jewish father blessed his children, he laid his hands reverently upon their heads. When an animal was devoted to sacrifice, the hand of the one invested with priestly authority was laid upon the head of the victim. And when the ministers of the church of believers in Antioch laid their hands upon Paul and Barnabas, they, by that action, asked God to bestow His blessing upon the chosen apostles in their devotion to the specific work to which they had been appointed.” Ibid., 161, 162

5.b. Whenever the apostles visited a place and needed to speak to a church, with whom did they consult? Acts 20:17. How did the deacons’ ordination impact the church? Acts 6:1–7

Note: “That this step [the ordination of the seven deacons] was in the order of God, is revealed in the immediate results for good that were seen.” The Acts of the Apostles, 89

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Why is the work of the apostles so important to the church?

2 Why are ministers to spend little time in established churches?

3 How does living by example inspire respect for the ministerial office?

4 What qualifications should be considered in the examination of a candidate for ordination?

5 What is the meaning of the laying on of hands?