Congregation of
Jesus Christ:
For some time you have known that (name) is to
be ordained to the Ministry of the Word [or: installed in the ministry to
which he has been called] . No one has alleged anything against his person
or teaching. We shall therefore proceed, in the name of the Lord, to his ordination [installation] .
The Holy Scriptures teach
us that God, our heavenly Father, intends to gather his
church out of the corrupt human race to life eternal,
and to give to his church such teaching and care that
it may grow in faith and love and service. Thus God,
by a particular grace, appoints his people to preach
the gospel and to build up the body of Christ. The apostle
Paul solemnly charged Timothy to "preach the Word" (2
Tim. 4:2), and our Lord Jesus charged his disciples to "make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded
you" (Matt. 28:19-20). The apostle Paul declares that
the Lord Jesus Christ intended "some to be apostles,
some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some
to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for
works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built
up" (Eph. 4:11-12).
Let us now hear what the
Scriptures say concerning the office of minister of the
Word: The minister of the Word is called by the command
of God to preach the gospel of his kingdom. This preaching
has the twofold object of calling sinners to reconciliation
with God through Jesus Christ and nurturing believers
in the faith and life of the kingdom of God. Ministers
are called "Christ's ambassadors," as though God were
pleading by them, "Be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20).
This preaching must be addressed to all people. The preaching
of the gospel must also be addressed to the gathered
congregation for the nurturing of Christian faith and
life and for strengthening them against the ploys of
the devil. Paul charged Timothy, "In the presence of
God and of Christ Jesus . . . preach the Word; be prepared
in season and out of season, correct, rebuke and encourage--with
great patience and careful instruction" (2 Tim. 4:1-2),
and he charged Titus that a minister "must hold firmly
to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so
that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute
those who oppose it" (Titus 1:9). The minister of the
Word is called to administer the sacraments which the
Lord has instituted as signs and seals of his grace.
Christ gave this charge to his apostles, and through
them to all ministers of the Word, when he commanded
them, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19); and when he said
of the Lord's Supper: "Do this in remembrance of me" (1
Cor. 11:24-25).
The minister of the Word is called to the service
of prayer. In speaking of their calling, the apostles said: "We will give our
attention to prayer and the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4). So, too, it is
the calling of all God's ministers to lead the people of God in "requests, prayers,
intercession and thanksgivings . . . for everyone--for kings and all those in
authority" (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
The minister of the Word is called, together with
the elders, to shepherd the people of God in the Christian life, guiding and
counseling, exhorting them to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered
to the saints (Jude 3), and keeping the church of God in good order and discipline.
They are pastors, appointed to shepherd the church of Christ which he purchased
with his own blood, in keeping with the Lord's command: "Feed my sheep!" "Feed
my lambs!" They, together with the elders, watch over the house of God for the
right and fruitful ordering of the faith, life, and worship of the people of
God. In their exercise of the keys of the kingdom, what they bind on earth shall
be bound in heaven, and what they loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matt.
18:18).
[The officiating minister shall now read section (1),
(2), (3), or (4), depending on whether this is the
ordination, or installation, of the pastor of an
established congregation, a foreign missionary, or
a home missionary, or the ordination of a teacher
of theology.]
(1) For the Pastor in an Established Congregation
We will now ordain [install] a minister
of the Word in this congregation. We rejoice that in his faithful love the Lord
Jesus has provided a minister to serve as pastor and teacher to this people,
and also as their leader in the missionary calling of this church. We receive
this servant of our Lord from the hand and heart of the Shepherd and Bishop of
our souls. We thank our Savior for committing preaching, teaching, and pastoral
care to the office of the ministry, and we pray that he will continue to use
sinful people for such high and holy purposes until the day of his return.
We are not equal to this holy ministry in our
own strength. We put our hope in Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has said: "And surely
I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). Now, to show
that you, (name) , intend to accept this office, you are requested to stand and,
in the presence of God and his church, answer the following questions:
Do you believe that in the call of this congregation,
God himself calls you to this holy ministry?
Do you believe that the Old and New Testaments
are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and life; and do you subscribe
to the doctrinal standards of this church, rejecting all teachings which contradict
them?
Do you promise to do the work of your office faithfully,
in a way worthy of your calling and in submission to the government and discipline
of the church?
Answer: I do so believe and promise, God
helping me.
[The officiating minister shall then say (in the case
of ordination with the ceremony of the laying on
of hands, other ministers present participating)] :
God, our heavenly Father, who has called you to
this sacred office, guide you by his Word, equip you with his Spirit, and so
prosper your ministry that his church may increase and his name be praised. Amen.
[The officiating minister shall address the congregation] :
Dear people of God and members of this church:
Since this solemn act obligates you also, I ask you before
God: Do you in the name of the Lord welcome this brother
as your pastor? Do you promise to receive the Word of
God proclaimed by him and to encourage him in the discharge
of his duty? Will you pray that he may, in the power
of the Spirit, equip you to build up the church, so that
God's children may be saved and his kingdom advanced
for the honor of Christ our Lord? To these questions,
what is your answer?
Answer: We do, God helping us.
[The officiating minister (and/or others designated)
shall then exhort the ordained minister and the congregation
in the following manner] :
Beloved brother and fellow-servant
in Christ, keep watch over yourself and all the flock
of which the Holy Spirit has made you an overseer. Shepherd
the church of God which he bought with his own blood
(Acts 20:28). Love Christ and feed his sheep, serving
as an overseer not by constraint but willingly, not for
shameful gain but eagerly. Set the believers an example
in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
Attend to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching,
to teaching. Do not neglect your gifts. Be patient in
all trials. Be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, for by
so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will be given
the unfading crown of glory.
And you, brothers and sisters, joyfully receive
your minister in the Lord and honor him. Remember that through him God himself
speaks to you. Receive the Word which he, according to the Scripture, shall preach
to you, not as the word of human beings but, as it is in truth, the Word of God.
Let the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace and bring the good news
be beautiful and pleasant to you. Submit to those whom God has placed over you,
for they care for you as those who will give account. If you do these things,
the God of peace will enter your homes. You who receive this person in the name
of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward and, through faith in Jesus Christ,
the inheritance of eternal life.
We cannot do these things on our own. Let us call
upon the name of God: Merciful Father, we thank you that it pleases you by the
ministry of your people to gather your church out of the lost human race to life
eternal. We acknowledge the gift of your servant, sent to this people as a messenger
of your peace. Send now your Holy Spirit upon him. Enlighten his mind to know
the truth of your Word. Give him speech to make known with boldness the mystery
of the gospel. Endow him with wisdom to care for and guide the people over whom
he is placed. Through his ministry preserve your church in peace and grant that
it increase in number and in virtue. Give to your servant courage to fulfill
his calling against every difficulty and power through your Spirit to be steadfast
to the end.
Help these people receive him as your servant.
May they receive his teaching and exhortation reverently, and believing in Christ
through his Word, become partakers of eternal life.
Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of
your dear Son, in whose name we pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom
come, your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our
daily bread. Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead
us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is
the kingdom
and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
(2) For a Foreign Missionary
We will now ordain [install] (name) as
a foreign missionary for service in (place) . It is the task of the foreign missionary
to bring the gospel to other lands, so that all people may learn of salvation
and so that the church of Jesus Christ may be established in all the earth. Jesus
Christ has said, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world
as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:14). Through
its missionaries the church reaches into the lives of those who are yet without
God and without hope. It brings to all lands the witness that Jesus is the Son
of God, that the glory of the nations belongs to him, and that his grace, love,
and redemption are offered to them in the way of repentance and faith. In this
work of missions the church may lift up its eyes to the Lord's coming and look
with longing to the day when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
Lord. We are not equal to this holy ministry in our own strength. We set our
hope on Jesus Christ our Lord, who has said, "And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20).
Now, to show that you,
(name) , accept this office, you are requested to stand,
and in the presence of God and his church to answer the
following questions:
Do you believe that in the call of this congregation
God himself calls you to this holy ministry?
Do you believe that the Old and New Testaments
are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and life; and do you subscribe
to the doctrinal standards of this church, rejecting all teachings which contradict
them?
Do you promise to do the work of your office faithfully,
in a way worthy of your calling and in submission to the government and discipline
of the church?
Answer: I do so believe and promise, God helping
me.
[The officiating minister shall then say (in the case
of ordination with the ceremony of the laying on
of hands, other ministers present participating)] :
Go, then, brother, and
bring the gospel to those to whom you are sent. Make
disciples of them and baptize them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. God,
our heavenly Father, who has called you to this holy
ministry, enlighten you with his Spirit, strengthen you
with his hand, and so govern you in your ministry that
you may be engaged in it faithfully and fruitfully, to
the glory of his name and the coming of the kingdom of
his Son Jesus Christ.
And you, brothers and sisters, be in continuing
fellowship with this missionary whom you send forth in the name of Christ. Sustain
him with your fervent prayers. Support him with your gifts. Strengthen his hand
and heart in every need. As Christ received you, be ready to receive those who
are brought into the body of Christ through his ministry, that there may be one
flock, one Shepherd.
We cannot do these things on our own. Let us call
upon the name of God: Merciful Father, we thank you that it pleases you by the
ministry of your people to gather your church out of the lost human race to life
eternal. We acknowledge the gift of your servant, now being sent by this people
in your name, to be a messenger to others of the good news of your peace. Send
now your Holy Spirit upon him. Enlighten his mind to know the truth of your Word.
Give him speech to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. Endow
him with wisdom to care for and guide the people over whom he is placed. Through
his ministry build up your holy church, and grant that it increase in number
and in virtue. Give to your servant courage to fulfill his calling against every
difficulty, and power through your Spirit to be steadfast to the end.
Let those to whom he comes see in him the ambassador
of Christ, calling them to be reconciled to God. May they receive his teaching
and exhortation reverently, and believing in Christ through his Word, become
partakers of eternal life.
Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of
your dear Son, in whose name we pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our
daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead
us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is
the kingdom
and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
(3) For a Home Missionary
We will now ordain [install] (name) as
a home missionary for service in (place) . The home missionary is called to preach
the gospel and to care for the spiritual nurture and instruction of those in
our homeland, who, though exposed to the witness of the church and the gospel
have been alienated or are yet estranged from the Lord and his church. In the
parable of the great banquet the Lord Jesus Christ spoke about the master who
sent his servants out into the streets and lanes of the city, into the highways
and hedges, to invite all people to his feast. Even so our Lord calls us to bring
others into the house of the King through the ministry of his love in order that
his house may be filled. The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached for a testimony
to our own nation as well as to all nations of the world. In this way all people
will be called to walk in the way of God's commands and promises. And together
we look to the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the earth shall
be full of the knowledge of the Lord.
We are not equal to this holy ministry in our
own strength. We set our hope on Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has said: "And surely
I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). Now to show
that you, (name) , accept this office, you are requested to stand, and in the
presence of God and his church to answer the following questions:
Do you believe that in the call of this congregation
God himself calls you to this holy ministry?
Do you believe that the Old and New Testaments
are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and life; and do you subscribe
to the doctrinal standards of this church, rejecting all teachings which contradict
them?
Do you promise to do the work of your office faithfully,
in a way worthy of your calling and in submission to the government and discipline
of the church?
Answer: I do so believe and promise, God
helping me.
[The officiating minister shall then say (in the case
of ordination with the ceremony of the laying on
of hands, other ministers present participating)] :
Go, then, brother, and
bring the gospel to those to whom you are sent. Call
the unbelieving to faith, the faithless to obedience,
and invite people in the name of the Lord into the house
of your King. God, our heavenly Father, enlighten you
with his Spirit, strengthen you with his hand, and so
govern you in your ministry that you may fulfill it faithfully
and fruitfully, to the glory of his name and the coming
of the kingdom of his Son Jesus Christ.
And you, brothers and sisters, be in continuing
fellowship with this missionary whom you send forth in the name of Christ. Sustain
him with your fervent prayers. Support him with your gifts. Strengthen his hand
and heart in every need. As Christ received you, be ready to receive those who
are brought into the body of Christ through his ministry, that there may be one
flock, one Shepherd.
We cannot do these things on our own. Let us call
upon the name of God: Merciful Father, we thank you that it pleases you by the
ministry of your people to gather your church out of the lost human race to life
eternal. We acknowledge the gift of your servant, now being sent by this people
in your name, to be a messenger to others of the good news of your peace.
Send now your Holy Spirit upon him. Enlighten
his mind to know the truth of your Word. Give him speech to make known with boldness
the mystery of the gospel. Endow him with wisdom to care for and guide the people
over whom he is placed. Through his ministry build up your holy church and grant
that it increase in number and in virtue. Give to your servant courage to fulfill
his calling against every difficulty and power through your Spirit to be steadfast
to the end.
Let those to whom he comes see in him the ambassador
of Christ, calling them to be reconciled to God. May they receive his teaching
and exhortation reverently and, believing in Christ through his Word, become
partakers of eternal life.
Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of
your dear Son, in whose name we pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom
and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
(4) For the Teacher of Theology
(Name) has been appointed by the synod of the Christian Reformed Church and
called by this congregation for the particular task of teaching in the
theological seminary of the Christian Reformed Church.
[If the person assuming this position is to be ordained
to the office of minister of the Word, the first
sentence shall read: "We will now ordain (name) and
commission him to the particular task of teaching
in the theological seminary of the Christian Reformed
Church.]
We recognize the need for the training of those who,
as ministers of the Word, shall preach the gospel of
salvation to people both inside and outside the church
of Christ.
The first messengers of peace in the days of the
New Testament were personally taught and sent by our Lord Jesus Christ. After
Pentecost the Holy Spirit gave the church a diversity of extraordinary gifts
and knowledge of the mysteries, to continue this work of teaching for the salvation
of sinners and the edifying of the saints. But these extraordinary methods lasted
only as long as the Lord judged them to be necessary for the founding of his
church among the nations. The church soon recognized the necessity of training
pastors for the holy ministry under the ordinary dispensation of the Spirit by
the regular methods of education. Thus Paul wrote to his fellow minister, Timothy: "And
the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to
reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others" (2 Tim. 2:2).
To fulfill this task in our day, the church has
established a theological school and appoints ministers of the Word who will
serve the cause of the gospel by teaching and training those who are to become
ministers of the Word in Christ's church. Our brother, (name) , has been called
to serve in this important task.
We are not equal to this holy ministry in our
own strength. We set our hope on Jesus Christ our Lord, who has said: "And surely
I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). Now, to show
that you, (name), accept this office and fulfill this task, you are requested
to stand and in the presence of God and his church answer the following questions:
Do you believe that in the call of this congregation
God himself calls you to this holy ministry?
Do you believe that the Old and New Testaments
are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and life; and do you subscribe
to the doctrinal standards of this church, rejecting all teachings which contradict
them?
Do you promise to do the work of your office faithfully,
in a way worthy of your calling and in submission to the government and discipline
of the church?
Answer: I do so believe and promise, God
helping me.
[The officiating minister shall then say (in the case
of ordination with the ceremony of the laying on
of hands, other ministers present participating)] :
God, our heavenly Father,
enlighten you with his Spirit, strengthen you with his
hand, and so govern you in your calling that you may
discharge its duties faithfully and fruitfully, to the
glory of his name, and the coming of the kingdom of his
Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
[The service is then concluded with appropriate prayer.]
