Celebrating Twenty-Five Years in Holy Orders

 At the recent District Assembly of the Southwest Indiana District, in Bedford, Indiana, Bishop David Graves ordained seven elders.  Twenty-five years ago (July 17, 1996) our District Assembly was held in Evansville, Indiana.  There were some differences between the two Assemblies, for sure:  location, the length of the Assembly, full participation of the elders in the laying on of hands (this year, we are still taking some COVID cautions), and the presiding bishop (general superintendent) for that Assembly was

The Rev'd. Dr. James Diehl

Dr. James Diehl.  Another difference was that during that assembly, I was one of the candidates who knelt at the altar rail while hands were laid on me as I was ordained an elder (presbyter/priest) in the Church of God according to the Church of the Nazarene.

I was thankful that I was able to attend this year’s Assembly.  For one thing, it was just good to get together with sisters and brothers from across the district.  The sermons from Dr. Graves and the report from my district superintendent, Dr. Timothy Crump, were fantastic!  -  But, of course, I couldn’t help but reflect upon my own ordination twenty-five years earlier.

There were some familiar things that took place during that service.  Per tradition, we sang Holiness Unto the Lord as the ordinands processed in.  (I love that hymn!)  Then there was the charge given to those who would be ordained.  It was the very same charge that Dr. Diehl gave us. Of course, back then, it was pronounced over each individual as they were being ordained.  It seems that in recent years, the general superintendents have pronounced it once over all of the candidates together, prior to the individual acts of ordination.

The charge is based upon the charge that Paul gave to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4.  It has been interesting, as I have looked up videos of ordination services from other denominations, how many give a similar charge or read this passage of Scripture.  -  The charge given to us goes like this: “I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ: preach the Word; watch, thou, in all things; endure afflictions; do the work on an evangelist; make full proof of thy ministry; take, thou, authority to administer the sacraments; and take, thou, responsibility in the Church of Jesus Christ” 

Every time that charge is repeated, it is renewed in the lives of those who have been ordained.  That has been the case at this year’s Assembly, as well.

I am thankful for the calling that God has placed upon my life and for the opportunity to serve in ordained ministry over these last twenty-five years.  Over those years I have had the privilege of serving as pastor to five churches: Greencastle Church of the Nazarene (where I was serving when I was ordained), Grace Church of the Nazarene (Evansville), Centenary United Methodist Church (New Albany), Heartland Church of the Nazarene (Floyds Knobs), and Main Street United Methodist Church (New Albany), where I currently serve.  -  I am thankful for the good people of God in all of these congregations; for their love and grace toward me and my family.

 I find myself, over the course of the last couple of years, being in a state of transition.  I serve the Main Street Church in a part-time situation.  And, I am thankful for the opportunity to teach at Wesley Seminary as an adjunct faculty member, as well.  However, I am seeking God’s direction for the future.  As my wife, Bobbie, says, we are in a place of waiting on the Lord.  -  In that regard, it was very good to listen, once again, the sermon Dr. Diehl preached during my ordination.  -  It was a powerful service.

Twenty-five years is a long time (as I watched the video, many of us had hair back then, and it was dark, too!), but, as long as it has been, God’s calling has not come to an end, yet.  It is my desire to be faithful in ministry to the end . . . to the glory of God!   -  For the last few years, I have looked at the possibility of planting a church.  Perhaps, that is what God is leading me to at this time.  -  Time will tell!  In whatever the future may hold in terms of ministry, may God receive all glory and honor and praise! 

Thank you, Lord, for your call into Christian ministry and for my ordination twenty-five years ago!  Thank you for giving me a wonderful wife who has been a faithful ministry partner!  Thank you that you have promised to be with us to the end!  In all things, may God be glorified!

(Yeah, I know, what a difference twenty-five years makes!)

Twenty-Four Years in Holy Orders

Twenty-four years ago, today, in Evansville, Indiana, I entered into holy orders as our (then) jurisdictional bishop (general superintendent), the Rev'd. Dr. Jim Diehl, in the company of all of the elders of the Southwest Indiana District, laid hands on me and ordained me an elder (presbyter/priest)* in the Church of God according to the Church of the Nazarene.

As I reflect on the years of ordained ministry, I am thankful for God's call and the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to celebrate the sacraments of the Lord.  By God's grace, I have served as pastor to five churches: Greencastle Church of the Nazarene (where I was serving when I was ordained), Grace Church of the Nazarene (Evansville), Centenary United Methodist Church (New Albany), Heartland Church of the Nazarene (Floyds Knobs) and Main Street United Methodist Church (New Albany).  -  I am thankful for the good people of God in all of these congregations; for their love and grace toward me and my family.

I like the ordinal that was used in our circles for a period of time (though it was not used during my ordination).  It included a place for elders to give the following address to those about to be ordained:

As a prophet, you are to boldly proclaim the gospel and call persons to be authentic expressions of the kingdom of God.  You are to speak truth to the people of God, calling the church to be an inclusive instrument of peace, justice, and compassion.

As a priest, you are to lead the people of God in worship, to administer the holy sacraments, and to be an instrument of God's benediction in the church.

As a shepherd, you are to love and serve the people of God, to be present with them in the experiences of life, and to live as a model of holy love.

Those are good words, and I hope that I have done that, by God's grace, over the years.

We are living in a new day, to say the least.  Further, I am currently in transition, serving the Main Street Church part-time, and looking for a "full-time" ministry (however that might be worked out).  -  It can become rather stressful, to tell the truth.

And yet, I have in recent times come to be attracted towards seeing life in terms of pilgrimage.  The thing about pilgrimage is that the journey may indeed have stretches of mundane-ness, or stress or danger and "uncertainty."  One can see this in the story of The Hobbit, which can be viewed as pilgrimage, as well.  It is during these stretches of the journey that God, indeed, desires to shape us . . . though, again, it may not seem pleasant.

A couple of verses that I hang onto that capture the concept of pilgrimage are Jeremiah 6:16 (a life verse for me) and Isaiah 30:21.  The Jeremiah verse says:  Thus says the LORD: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.

Isaiah 30:21 says: And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."  -  I recall one of my favorite professors, Dr. Paul Bassett, highlight this verse as he focused on the roots of my own denomination.  And just the other day, my district superintendent, Dr. Tim Crump, presented me (and the pastors on our district) an appreciation gift; a compass with that very verse engraved on it.  -  I have to say, I find that gift to be very meaningful!

So, as I continue on this pilgrimage of life, and as I look toward the future in ministry as an ordained elder/presbyter/priest* in Christ's Church, though the path may not seem clear and certain, nevertheless I listen to the voice behind me and look back to the ancient paths, and I trust that God will continue to faithfully lead.

Thank you, Lord, for your call into Christian ministry and for my ordination 24 years ago!  May God be glorified!

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For an interesting article about the language of presbyter/priest/elder, check out this 2015 post: "How Both New Testament 'Presbyters' and Old Testament 'Cohenim' Became 'Priests' in English"