House Church Ministry
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Spiritual support for those who are ministering from their homes and in other homes instead of a church buiding.
Website: http://Internationaloutreachministries.ning.com
Location: Roanoke Va.
Members: 76
Latest Activity: Mar 16, 2023
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The Theology of Ordination
"What is the theology of ordination?"
That's a question that got me in trouble at my own ordination. Essentially, I asked the committee, "What theology of ordination?"
Well, I managed to smooth things over with the committee by pointing out the practical value of ordination as practiced in some of the modern denominations--it is a process in which the background of the candidate is carefully checked in order to ensure that, essentially, the requirements of 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1 are met. It keeps--or, at least should keep--predators out of the Lord's flock.
The idea of ordination would appear to have its roots in Acts 13, where the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to the work which I have called them." So we have those who are "set apart." Some are set apart for music ministry, some for the pastorate, and so forth. Those who are ordained for music have musical ability, those who are ordained for missions have gifts for missions. Do we ordain in response to the Holy Spirit, or as a result of a very worldly assessment of natural abilities? Hopefully, we weigh the former more than the latter.
The Laying On of Hands
Sadly, many have added the laying on of hands to their arsenal of pleagian magic--actions in which they would try to force God to recognize a change to a human that results from certain actions and procedures performed by other humans (but see Rom. 11:34, "Who has ever put God in their debt?"). The laying on of hands that climaxes many modern Christian ordination services has its roots in such passages as 1 Tim. 4:14, which recalls a time when elders laid hands on Timothy. But the text describes this action as the giving of a "prophetic message," and Paul refers to it again in 2 Tim. 1:6--this time as a "gift of God." To interpret these passages properly, it is probably best to examine the Acts. In Acts 19:6, the "hands" are associated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, not an office. Also, Acts 20:28 is very clear that it is the Holy Spirit that selects "overseers." There is absolutely nothing in the 1 Tim. or the 2 Tim. passages that suggest that the overseers are making of Timothy another overseer by the laying on of hands. We are on much better biblical ground if we interpret the "hands" passages as the imparting of some sort of charismatic gift or, in Acts 19:6, a facilitating of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit himself.
A Blessing or Prayer
So the biblical laying on of hands is more a blessing than it is a rite that transfers authority or office (Ferguson, 5:39). Its usage in Christianity is based on Gen. 48:14 (Jacob blessing his grandchildren), and Mk. 10:13-16 (Jesus blessing the little children). After Pentecost it is associated, quite naturally, with the work of the Holy Spirit.
Banks offers another approach to the New Testament laying on of hands--that of enacted prayer. He suggests that the layong on of hands was a physical action that "did not just accompany the prayer; it was part of the prayer itself."(Banks, 80).
The reader will have to decide for himself what the "setting apart" passage in Acts actually means--but please bear its context in mind.
Is this not really a setting apart for missions?
Is it not a response of obedience to God's Spirit?
Is it not a commissioning into a place of service?
Finally, where in this passage is any kind of authority bestowed on Barnabas and Saul?
Where we understand ordination as prayer or blessing, and where it can be used to police the entry into the pastorate or to recognize and affirm the work that God has done to prepare an individual for a work of service, let's by all means keep ordination. My own testimony is that I was blessed--greatly blessed--by the laying on of hands (God somehow arranged it so that pastors of more than one denomination participated in my case). But let us be very careful that we don't attach too much consequence to whether one is ordained or not ordained. Nowhere in the discussions of gifting and duties of the church does Paul make any such requirement. Why should we?
Conclusion
Here is the bottom line: It would be a shame if a house church wished to bless, commission, or otherwise respond to the Holy Spirit to "set apart" one of its number for a particular work of service, but demurred because they did not have any "ordained" members. When the modern house church movement was born in a house church meeting in Zurich, many who had previously been "ordained" by the Catholic Church were present. Yet when George Cajacob arose and begged to be given "the true Christian baptism"--the act that caused them to break with the state church and would be a death sentence for nearly all of them--it was to the unordained Conrad Grabel that he turned (see "Counter Clutural Discipleship").
House Church Central Home Page
Bibliography
Robert Banks, Paul's Idea of Community, Revised ed. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson: 1994). [This book is listed on the Resources page].
Everett Ferguson, s.v., "Ordination," The Anchor Bible Dictionary, 5:37-39.
"What is the theology of ordination?"
That's a question that got me in trouble at my own ordination. Essentially, I asked the committee, "What theology of ordination?"
Well, I managed to smooth things over with the committee by pointing out the practical value of ordination as practiced in some of the modern denominations--it is a process in which the background of the candidate is carefully checked in order to ensure that, essentially, the requirements of 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1 are met. It keeps--or, at least should keep--predators out of the Lord's flock.
The idea of ordination would appear to have its roots in Acts 13, where the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to the work which I have called them." So we have those who are "set apart." Some are set apart for music ministry, some for the pastorate, and so forth. Those who are ordained for music have musical ability, those who are ordained for missions have gifts for missions. Do we ordain in response to the Holy Spirit, or as a result of a very worldly assessment of natural abilities? Hopefully, we weigh the former more than the latter.
The Laying On of Hands
Sadly, many have added the laying on of hands to their arsenal of pleagian magic--actions in which they would try to force God to recognize a change to a human that results from certain actions and procedures performed by other humans (but see Rom. 11:34, "Who has ever put God in their debt?"). The laying on of hands that climaxes many modern Christian ordination services has its roots in such passages as 1 Tim. 4:14, which recalls a time when elders laid hands on Timothy. But the text describes this action as the giving of a "prophetic message," and Paul refers to it again in 2 Tim. 1:6--this time as a "gift of God." To interpret these passages properly, it is probably best to examine the Acts. In Acts 19:6, the "hands" are associated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, not an office. Also, Acts 20:28 is very clear that it is the Holy Spirit that selects "overseers." There is absolutely nothing in the 1 Tim. or the 2 Tim. passages that suggest that the overseers are making of Timothy another overseer by the laying on of hands. We are on much better biblical ground if we interpret the "hands" passages as the imparting of some sort of charismatic gift or, in Acts 19:6, a facilitating of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit himself.
A Blessing or Prayer
So the biblical laying on of hands is more a blessing than it is a rite that transfers authority or office (Ferguson, 5:39). Its usage in Christianity is based on Gen. 48:14 (Jacob blessing his grandchildren), and Mk. 10:13-16 (Jesus blessing the little children). After Pentecost it is associated, quite naturally, with the work of the Holy Spirit.
Banks offers another approach to the New Testament laying on of hands--that of enacted prayer. He suggests that the layong on of hands was a physical action that "did not just accompany the prayer; it was part of the prayer itself."(Banks, 80).
The reader will have to decide for himself what the "setting apart" passage in Acts actually means--but please bear its context in mind.
Is this not really a setting apart for missions?
Is it not a response of obedience to God's Spirit?
Is it not a commissioning into a place of service?
Finally, where in this passage is any kind of authority bestowed on Barnabas and Saul?
Where we understand ordination as prayer or blessing, and where it can be used to police the entry into the pastorate or to recognize and affirm the work that God has done to prepare an individual for a work of service, let's by all means keep ordination. My own testimony is that I was blessed--greatly blessed--by the laying on of hands (God somehow arranged it so that pastors of more than one denomination participated in my case). But let us be very careful that we don't attach too much consequence to whether one is ordained or not ordained. Nowhere in the discussions of gifting and duties of the church does Paul make any such requirement. Why should we?
Conclusion
Here is the bottom line: It would be a shame if a house church wished to bless, commission, or otherwise respond to the Holy Spirit to "set apart" one of its number for a particular work of service, but demurred because they did not have any "ordained" members. When the modern house church movement was born in a house church meeting in Zurich, many who had previously been "ordained" by the Catholic Church were present. Yet when George Cajacob arose and begged to be given "the true Christian baptism"--the act that caused them to break with the state church and would be a death sentence for nearly all of them--it was to the unordained Conrad Grabel that he turned (see "Counter Clutural Discipleship").
House Church Central Home Page
Bibliography
Robert Banks, Paul's Idea of Community, Revised ed. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson: 1994). [This book is listed on the Resources page].
Everett Ferguson, s.v., "Ordination," The Anchor Bible Dictionary, 5:37-39.
Discussion Forum
International Day of Remembrance Sept. 19, 2010
Started by Rabbis Aviyah Byers Mar 3, 2010. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Comment Wall
Comment
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Comment by A.W. Bowman on September 7, 2009 at 8:18pm
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To do the question on ordination justice, one should go through the 10-20 different Hebrew and Greek words that are translated into English as "ordained". However, if one must pick out a single Greek word, most likely the best one would be, G2525 kaqisthmi from 2596 and 2476; to place down (permanently), i.e. (figuratively) to designate, constitute, convoy:--appoint, be, conduct, make, ordain, set. As useed in Hebrews 8:3. Or perhaps G5500 ceirotonew from a comparative of 5495 and teino (to stretch); to be a hand-reacher or voter (by raising the hand), i.e. (generally) to select or appoint:--choose, ordain. As used in 2 Timothy 4:22. Or, as a third example, G5087 tiqhmi a prolonged form of a primary theo theh'-o (which is used only as alternate in certain tenses) to place (in the widest application, literally and figuratively; properly, in a passive or horizontal posture, and thus different from 2476, which properly denotes an upright and active position, while 2749 is properly reflexive and utterly prostrate):--+ advise, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, X kneel down, lay (aside, down, up), make, ordain, purpose, put, set (forth), settle, sink down. As used in 1 Timothy 2:7. There are a good many more examples in both Greek and Hebrew.
But, generally any ordination is the setting aside a person for a ministry function as in Acts 6:3, where the word G2525 kaqisthmi (see above) is translated as "appoint" in the KJV.
Both men and God appoint individuals for ministry. Hopefully, when men set aside one for ministry they are confirming among the brethren, and by the Holy Spirit, a person who was "set aside" for ministry by the hand of God. Whatever the ministry is - it should be a God ordained ministry. That is, "ordained" is a good word for set aside for a ministry that a person is to walk in – as selected by God from before the foundation of the world.
It has been men who gave the term "ordained" its special religious meaning, in an attempt to raise up some saints over others. Many see ordination to represent a special elevated spiritual position of lordship, not at all like the ordained (set apart) servants selected to wait on tables (Acts 6:3) but more like a Bishop that is noted in 1 Timothy 3.
The body of Christ is crying out for truly ordained men and women to serve their fellow saints and the body of Jesus Christ as a whole. No one wants to be a servant any more. We want to stand on a stage and be honored.
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Comment by Lillian Lancaster on August 22, 2009 at 3:04pm
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To Min, Tracy, that is so true! God bless you!
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Comment by Minister Elizabeth Jones on August 22, 2009 at 11:50am
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I praywe all areon one accord having the Father's heart and knowing His will by recognizing His voice.
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I love all the worship songs. Whenwe spend more time in worship we hear Him more clearly.
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Comment by Charlotte G Perry on August 22, 2009 at 3:26am
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My husband and I have started ministry in our home. I don't despise small beginnings because when God has called you to greatness you start somewhere to be a doer of the assignment. We are experiencing not enough room, but working with what we have in Jesus name. We have not been led to ask of any finances at this time. All we have been doing has been out of pocket. I see God moving in the lives of His people. I would rather be in this position (in His will) then trying to run a church per say. I know it is His will that every need will be supplied! Keep us in your prayers and God Bless!!
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Comment by HOPE - Psalm 43:5 on August 21, 2009 at 2:07pm
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thank you for starting this group. House churches are on the rise (nothing against church "buidlings" or mega churches.. but House churches seem to reach a forgotten market.
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Comment by Minister Judith Belton on August 17, 2009 at 9:00pm
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I thank you all for being here and most of all thank God for making it all possible. There are times in my life when I can look back and remember not feeling good enough for church. I know it wasn't my imagination. The church had members made up of a certain socio-economic group, were employed by specific employers and lived in specific areas. And then here comes litttle old me that just wanted to praise God. I can understand those that want to praise Him and glorify His name as that's what church is supposed to be about. When we seek the Wisdom of His Word, we must do it with the diligence that many have sought precious metals and possessions. It is only is this manner that we will be living righteously and according to the will of God. We don't necessarily have to be in a 90,000 square foot building to do it. I love the intimate (not sexual) relationships that can be developed with members.
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I enjoy this grooup. It gives one something to ponder and causes reflection aboutu our own personal traditions. I pray more people will be open to the ideaofministry ooutside the church building. People could meet in parks or cafe's, Eve if you believe you belongina traditionalchurch ,you could do outreach ministry from your home during the week.The possibilities are endlesss.
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do you have service in a house church like a regular church ordopyou justhave bible study
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Comment by Minister Ruth Bessong on August 7, 2009 at 3:00am
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AM GLAD AM PART OF THIS GREAT WOMENS FORUM,.
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