Everyone has pivotal moments in life that transform them, sometimes for good and sometimes for bad. Some of these moments are God’s means of grace, where we may either be empowered by and towards God (2 Kings 2:9-15), or taken to a new level of hardness (Exodus 8:32; 9:12). Although not all are sacraments, I recall: accepting Jesus as my savior during a Vacation Bible School, my baptism, my 3rd grade teacher moving me to the 4th grade reading group, the first time I was aware of racism toward me, when a camp counselor encouraged me because he knew I didn’t need to rededicate my life to Christ, the first time a teen introduced me as his youth pastor, the death of a friend, when I told my father about my call to ministry, when I realized I could succeed in college, my wedding, the birth of my daughter, my ordination, and graduation from seminary, (I intentionally left out of that list events that moved me in a negative direction.) as one-time events which left a lasting impact.

Ordination is not counted as a sacrament of the gospel (see part 3 for more explanation), yet many, if not most, denominations practice the laying on of hands on a person set apart for ministry. We see this with Paul and Timothy (2 Timothy 1:6) and in the anointing of Levitial priesthood (Psalm 133:2). Ordination shares similarities with baptism in that it is (usually) a one-time and public event meant to mark a person and impart the Spirit. If I were to switch denominations, I could be ordained again, but I do not think it would feel or be the same the second time. For example, I have been baptized twice, once in 1979 after I accepted Jesus as my savior, and again in 2011 in the Jordan River. I did not feel the need to publicly proclaim my faith in Jesus by baptism in the Jordan, but more like a sacred ritual, before I followed in the footsteps of John the Baptist baptizing others in that river, I wanted to be ceremonially clean. So also, if for some reason I were to be ordained again, it would not be because I was not called the first time. And although I have compared ordination to baptism, for others it is more akin to marriage.

It is good to recall ordination. John Drury has an article at the Wesley Seminary blog titled, “Ordination Season,” recalling his ordination.  My wife and I are both ordained Wesleyan, and originally we planned to be ordained together. However, I happened to finish my finish my course work before she did, and I wanted my grandfather to pray over me. As he is old and not in the best of health, we decided it would be better if I did not wait. So, I was ordained by Dr. Pence, and my wife a year later by Dr. Lyon, G.S.s who have very different styles. Dr. Pence laid hands on me with the other pastors and said the same words that were said to him at his ordination, “take authority to preach the Word of God, to administer the holy sacraments, and to perform the duties of an ordained minister in the Church.” With my grandfather representing the generations of pastors in my family, and Dr. Pence repeating words that had been used before, the laying on of hands was incredibly powerful. The next year, at my wife’s ordination, Dr. Lyon spoke unique words to each candidate for ordination, also powerful, and afterward my wife said, “She said exactly what I needed to hear,” as did Dr. Pence for me. I recall Dr. Babby encouraging me to wear my kenti cloth stole for the ceremony,  the two rows containing my family being the vocal “Amens” to Dr. Pence’s sermon, and the prayers for me by the pastors, including my grandfather and Dr. Frank Robinson. I was called by God before that ceremony, but that does not change the fact that I was set apart and transformed at the ceremony (1 Samuel 10:6).

I wonder now how God will use my installation . . . (to be continued)

Other posts in this series:

• The Sacraments as Means of Grace part 1: The Lord’s Supper
• The Sacraments as Means of Grace part 2: Baptism
• The Sacraments as Means of Grace part 3: Marriage
• The Sacraments as Means of Grace part 4: Ordination
• The Sacraments as Means of Grace part 5: Reconciliation
• The Sacraments as Means of Grace part 6: Anointing of the Sick
• The Sacraments as Means of Grace part 7: Confirmation
• The Sacraments as Means of Grace part 8: Acts of Mercy

©2012 Paul Tillman