adam ross beach

So I just got ordained.

To a lot of people it's means a lot of things.

To some it's when you've got your masters degree in theology or divinity and done a six month internship. Then the next step is ordination.

To others it's a generic 'worship' service with a dozen or so other people after a couple interviews. (in some denominations, strictly men)

Still others view it as a sign of prestige - throwing out reverend such-and-such as soon and as often as they can. (i think if you're looking for the titles, go another couple years to school and get the rev. Doctor. such and such)

In the Free Methodist Church (in Canada) we go with 3-5 years of experience... then we couple that with a certain amount of education (theological, liberal arts... ya da ya da) a masters degree isn't a requirement - but signing onto the value of life-long learning is. Then add to the mix a series (3 different sets pour moi) of interviews that consist of behavioural profiles - career/experience profiles - and a theological profile... and if you're given the thumbs up after that point - you get ordained.

Personally, I'm working on understanding my own definition. After growing up in an 'every member is a minister' type church that opened the doors to taking the reins and getting involved - it's hard to have a hierarchechal view of ministry. Is there really any difference to the ordained minister's spiritual journey and the guy who isn't the talking head's spiritual journey? Does the ordained minister have 'what it takes' in any kind of spiritual form that somehow surpasses and leaves behind the unordained minister?

The questions abound. For me - the term Reverend is probably a designation I will never use. It doesn't work with my name or something. In fact, Pastor is still a title that sounds funny with my name in the same sentence.

Talking with a denomination exec. that will remain nameless (our denom. uses an episcopal designation that is unusual for most smaller evangelical groups)... he stated that the essence of ordination (my paraphrase) as he sees it is a public 'vow' to serve God and to serve people for the rest of one's life. He also stated that it has to do with spiritual leadership... the sense I got from him is that many people can serve in ministry, but to serve in leadership takes a public affirmation, and an empowerment that's given from the people - and seen as being a ministry gift from God.

It doesn't work to one day announce you've been gifted with spiritual leadership... it takes a discerning from leaders over time, and an affirmation from the broader community - over time.

Does ordination change anything? I don't think so - the vows that you make publicly are principles you've been already living.
Does ordination mean anything? I think so - a public affirmation of faith and commitment - both from the ordinate and the community.

Should the gift of leadership be celebrated at a special ceremony when the other gifts aren't? I don't think so - every gift is equivalent and necessary... every minister should receive the same encouragement and support as the leader... for some reason this doesn't always happen. Either the gift of leadership is too highly valued - or the other gifts aren't valued enough...

The truth of Kasan (see previous post) is that he realized that positions and titles are meaningless - they change nothing. They shouldn't change the way we think, speak, joke, or sweat...

I'm out.