"Reflections On The Ordination"

On August 22nd, our congregation moved towards tomorrow with the ordination of two young men I have moved in pastoral training for four years. We experienced a holy moment, a threshold of a defining moment as these two young men and their wives were consecrated for ministry.

Two years ago we licensed Dan Bittaker and Brian Mitchell on the basis of recognizing their call to pastoral ministry. on the 22nd , we honored their tested character as young men, husbands and fathers by proclaiming the testimony of both their calling and character.

The heart of my word to them was to speak prophetically to be pastors of promise. We defined the call to Kingdom shepherding as:

 1.   One of the deepest accountability to God, delegated

    with conscientiousness to be a pioneer (blaze new

    trails); a pathfinder (directs others to the pathways

    of wisdom); a proclaimer (the eternal Gospel of the

    Kingdom on his lips); a protector (guardian, defender

    of timeless truths and to govern in the Kingdom); a

    priest (one who comforts and blesses); and, a persuader

    of hope (pastors who minister with promise)

 2. Bestowed the honor of custodial charge to serve and

    bring release to the captives, pronounce good news of

    the Gospel to the poor in spirit,recovery of sight to the

    blind, liberty to those bruised and crushed and to

    proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19

    NASB, ESV, Msg.)

3.     3. Endowed with the most sacred trust – to be a keeper of

       promise to his wife and children, a bearer of promise to

       reproduce ‘sons and daughters’ in the Kingdom and

       multiplying the message of God’s Son to mankind.

In this life I have had a great many blessings and the ordination is in the top ten. To see two young men marvelously filled with promise and the consummate conviction that pursues values that earth cannot compute, is to experience a heart overflowing with gratitude and joy.

Both of them will fruitful in ministry and "father" a people to give perpetuity to AGM and extend the Kingdom of God. God will give them spiritual offspring in a special place! Thus, He will give them a people—a people through whom God will cause His blessing to flow to the world around them! This promise happens through men of "Abraham's seed" who will answer the Father's call to a pastoral role of "fathering."

God's richest blessing to Dan and Brian and their lovely wives!

Pastor Dan & Shannon (left) and Pastor Brian & Ruth on 8/22.