Ordained

Dear Worshipers,

We are looking forward to hosting the Ordination service of our upcoming District and Prayer Conference for the Central District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance next Wednesday. It will the highlight of the week for our church to enjoy this special privilege. The conference will consume the week for our professional staff so I do not foresee a tunings coming your way next week. With that in mind I wanted to toss some thoughts your way about Ordination.

When I think of this word within the context of our worship ministries I think of Psalms 8:2. “From the lips of children and infants You [God] have ordained praise.” This is the foundational verse for our Children’s Music Ministry. This is the verse that I use to reinforce to the kids the musical and spiritual principles that we learn and web in a life of praise. God has established that infants and children will give him praise. He has laid a foundation for the praise of His name to be uttered from the lips of young people.

The word for ordain here is the same word that is often used in the Old Testament for foundation, and particularly is used in reference to the foundations of the earth and the foundations of the Temple. Both of these communicate strength and substance. We read this word in Isaiah 28:16, “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” [NASB] There is a permanence to them, or at least one that is relative to the age in which they serve the purposes of God.

It is this concept of a permanent designation for a set purpose that is most often conveyed in the New Testament word that is translated ordained. As we see in Hebrews 5:1, “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” [NASB] That is the concept of the word ordain that will be employed next week as our worship ministries provide support for this special service. There will be ten men who will be ordained, permanently designated for the set purpose of communicating “things pertaining to God”.

I want to encourage you to come to this service if you can. You will not soon forget this moment that God ordains this men for service in the Kingdom of Christ. It will be a reminder of God’s ordained purpose in the present order of things.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott