What does it mean to be ordained? This is a question that has been asked for centuries, and the answer is still not completely clear. There are thousands of churches and various parachurch organizations that offer ordination, and the process can vary greatly from one group to the next. In this article, we will explore two very different answers to this question.
On one hand, you have legitimate churches and organizations that take ordination seriously and require candidates to meet specific qualifications. On the other hand, you have companies that offer cheap ordinations online with virtually zero requirements whatsoever.
To be ordained means that a person that there is an agreement between an individual and a church body that this person has a call of God on their lives for ministry. The church then confers “ordination” status on them by indicating to the world that this person is called out as a minister of the Gospel. State laws allow an ordained person to perform marriages which has brought about the rise of online sites that grant “instant ordination” status that is, unfortunately, quite legal. However, though legal, it’s not the way the Bible intended for the ordination process of a minister to be.
What Does It Mean To Be Ordained?
So, what does it mean to be ordained? Although there are differences in the requirements and methods of ordination, it’s our viewpoint that it should be done in a manner that is respectful of some biblical interpretation at least. Let’s have a look at two very opposite schools of thought concerning the issue.
1st, some ground rules. Although I am going to probably be a bit critical about how modern-day society gives out, and I DO MEAN gives out legal ordination certificates, my intentions are not to be cruel or callous. After 35+ years in ministry, I just have some disagreements with some of these practices.
2nd, there are debates all around in terms of women’s roles in the church, can they be pastors, can they be ordained? I have personally seen and worked with women on a church staff that gave their lives to the kingdom of Christ in service and Christian denominations have quite different views on that.
I don’t shirk ways from the responsibility of giving my thoughts on that topic. However, the role of women vs the role of men in the church is not the topic of this article. We are strictly talking about ordination in general.
1- What Does It Mean To Be Ordained Biblically?
For our purposes in this article, I want to distinguish the differences in being ordained Biblically against the practice of simply being ordained legally. The former is because of a spiritual and biblical calling and being drawn into the ministry by the Holy Spirit of God.
The latter may simply mean that someone wants a legal piece of paper that allows them to perform a wedding ceremony for an old college buddy. These two types of ordination could not be more disassociated from one another.
Biblical Ordination in Various Contexts
In most instances, it is used to describe the setting apart of someone for a particular role or function within the church. In Acts chapter 6 we see the apostles setting aside or “ordaining” a group of men into a ministry of food distribution in the church.
In another example, we see that in Titus Chapter One, verses five through nine, we see that Paul ordains elders in every city.
What Does it Mean to Be Ordained? A Basic Definition
I think this might be the more Biblical answer for “what does it mean to be ordained.”Ordination is defined as the process of authorizing, conferring, or setting apart someone to perform a particular role or function in the Christian church. This can include preaching, teaching, and leading worship.
The word “ordained” is used in a few different ways in the Bible. In most instances, the word “ordained” is used to describe the act of appointing someone to a specific spiritual role or office of pastor, teacher, evangelist, etc
The act of ordination is actually putting someone into the position to which they have been called by God. It’s more of a public “ratification” of what a person along with a church believes to be the call and will of God.
In order to be ordained, a person should meet specific qualifications that are outlined by the church or organization. There are many different churches and organizations that offer ordination, and the process can vary greatly from one group to the next. Some believe that ordination should only be offered by the local church, whereas some believe that certain parachurch Christian ministries may confer ordination upon someone.
Although there are differences in the requirements and methods of ordination, it’s our viewpoint that it should be done in a manner that is respectful of some biblical interpretation at least. Ordination is the process of consecrating someone into a particular ministry. It can be done by a church, a pastor, or another authority figure within the faith.
What Does It Mean To Be Ordained? A Personal Perspective
Here is a personal experience of mine as we talk about the meaning of ordination. I actually started serving part-time in church ministry in my early 20s. I was a volunteer guitar player and lead various small group environments in worship and lead a local Christian Band while doing that was asked to take a part-time role leading students in our youth ministry choir.
A couple of years later, as a result of traveling around with my Christian band, I was offered a position at a full-time position at a local church where our group had played. I became the Minister of Music and Youth and served for about 6 years.
Then I served in a similar position at a smaller church for a couple of years. It was only about 8 years into my “ministry” that I was officially “ordained” by the third church in which I served.
At that point, I had expressed more of a calling to preach, teach, or speak in the “pulpit” of the local church and the church leadership decided that I should officially be ordained. That didn’t mean at all that the previous 8 years had been done without God’s blessing or anything like that. It simply meant that, at that point in time, the church was conferring the position or act of ordination on me.
The Actual Ordination Service
The traditional ordination service (as it was done in the Baptist church I was in) consisted of the laying on of hands by the church elders and a prayer for God’s blessing, wisdom, and guidance.
In my situation, there were two of us to be ordained in one evening service. In the Baptist tradition, a “charge” (or somewhat short sermon would be specific to each candidate to be ordained. Many times the person being ordained gets to choose a friend in the ministry to deliver that message or “charge.”
On another personal note, about 20 years later, my son chose me to deliver the “charge” or the spiritual encouragement sermon to him during his ordination, which was an incredible privilege and honor for a dad.
So, after each candidate for ordination received their “charge,” then another minister, usually a more senior minister- or the Senior Pastor of the church would give a challenging sermon (or charge) to the church. The charge to the church challenged members and any other visitors to be in prayer for and supportive of the ministry to the ones who were being ordained.
It may vary from church to church or denomination to denomination, but for us, there is what happened next in the ordination service.
The Senior Pastor of the church would invite the candidates for ordination to the front of the church congregation. Sometimes they are asked to kneel and I’ve also seen them asked to sit in chairs.
At that point, the Senior Pastor asks every ordained person, whether it was a deacon, elder, pastor, or anyone ordained to come forward. They formed a line and passed by us, touching us on the head or shoulders, Many would say a brief prayer or a word of spiritual encouragement and some may just pass by saying very little or perhaps giving us a small hug.
This Biblical tradition as a part of the ordination is commonly referred to as the “laying on of hands.” Reference to that is once again found in the book of Acts:
“Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.” Act 6:3-6 (emphasis mine)
I remember feeling very humbled as I stood before the church congregation with my wife by my side. It was a moment in which I realized that everything I had done up to that point had been training for what God was calling me to do next. I was a very humbling and spiritually motivating experience. I shed tears of joy and humility and I received that gracious conferring on my ordination.
My ordination certificate that is signed by approximately ten ordained members of that church, including my dad, hangs in my office until this day.
2- What Does It Mean To Be Ordained? For Legal Purposes Only…
This is the section of this topic in which I want to be careful. I want to express what I believe to be written and Biblical, however, I don’t want to be mean-spirited and come across as a jerk.
On the other hand, as opposed to what we have talking about, a legal ordination certificate can be obtained online to virtually anyone either for free or at an extremely low cost. There are no requirements to get this type of ordination and with it comes the legal right and privilege to perform marriage ceremonies which is one of the biggest reasons many will get one of those.
A minister of the Gospel should be equipped to do so many things. He doesn’t have to be perfect. However, he does need some basic core spiritual development and training. He should be able to share the scriptures, understand how to explain God’s plan of Salvation and be able to minister to those who are going through hardships among so many other things.
Some people refer to them as “ordination mills.” I got online and tested one of those recently. I have my name, state, and email address. Within 2 minutes (No exaggeration) it showed my ordination certificate and said I was officially ordained.
In my opinion, this is a tremendously unbiblical application of what being ordained is all about. One of the greatest offenders to true Christian ordination is a “church” called The Universal Life Church (ULC). It’s a church that practices Universalism.
Everybody’s religion will work out in the long run. Just treat people nice. the Bible doesn’t teach that. I’m not even going to link to them because of my opposition to what they practice and believe. The inherited sinful nature of man does not naturally want to be contained or corrected by a set of standards or core doctrinal beliefs. The “everything goes as long as you don’t hurt someone else” philosophy doesn’t reflect the true and liberating word of God.
This Universal Life Church has two primary core tenets as its theological basis.
Do only that which is right.
Every individual is free to practice their religion however they like as long as their actions do not impinge upon the rights or freedoms of others and are in accordance with the law.
You see nothing about the Christian God, Christian faith, and no theological basis for most anything. It’s called a church, however, it is universal in nature with no real doctrine to learn. Everybody is okay. Just live and let live and we will all be fine in the afterlife by simply believing whatever is true for each individual.
Although I believe that Christianity is the most liberating and life-changing set of beliefs (and more so the Person of Jesus Christ), the ordination mill, Universal Life Church basic premises stand against the most basic of Biblical doctrines and basically will provide you with nothing. Celebrities and other high-profile people have used ULC and other online ordination platforms just so they could perform the ceremony of their friends.
Take this example for instance. I love comedy. I think that Conan O’Brien has a brilliant sense of humor, and some of his interviews and sketches on his show were classics. Personally, although I disagree with him, I would love to meet the guy…like that’s going to happen…
So, a few years back he gets online and got his ordination from ULC. He then performs a same-sex marriage on his television show. It was all for the spectacle, his notoriety, and to make a statement about same-sex marriage. And just as this is not. an article about the role of women, my intention is not to talk about same-sex marriage, although I have strong convictions about that.
My point is that online ordination mills have diluted what it means to be ordained. To be ordained by an online “instant ordination platform” is so contrary to the precepts and principles of scripture that it’s not funny at all.
Including Conan O’Brien, we have seen Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson do the same thing. Yes, they went through a legal channel or loophole that allowed them to become “ordained” in order to be able to perform official ceremonies, especially marriages.
However, does God see them as ordained ministers of the gospel? I don’t think so. He will straighten all of that out in due time, but I personally don’t think that these guys are any more ordained than the mailbox at the end of my driveway.
“Okay, Brian. You said you didn’t want to be mean-spirited, and that’s not my intention.” If I ever met either one of those celebrity “ministers’ who got ordination papers online I would be kind and gracious. I would treat them with decency and respect and compliment them for their work and life achievements.
But, would I think they are ordained ministers in the sight of God. Absolutely not…if the online pathway is the only way they received the ordination.
What Does It Mean To Be Ordained? Wrapping It Up.
For someone to be truly ordained they need to display faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, expressing faith in Him and surrendering their lives into the ministry. The church with whom they have a relationship should confer on them a true ordination, setting them apart for the ministry of the Gospel in one area or another.
To know that practically anyone in our country can get a legal certificate of ordination in a matter of 2 minutes without displaying even the most basic fundamental understanding of the Bible or the Gospel of Jesus Christ is disturbing. No, I’m not foaming at the mouth angry about it, but it is unsettling.
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