Vincent Paul A. Elijay BTH 1 Ptr.

Francis Doroy

Theology And Ministry

A Theology of Ministry
Imaging christian ministry cannot simply be a flight of the imagination without relation to a
theology of ministry. Christian ministry is not just "a matter between you and m, God"but an
expression of the church as a whole. We all have been influenced formatively by the peoples
families, events, and cultures ofbour own existence. So it so imperative for exploring temporary
images of christian ministry. There's eight that follows are far from exhaustive, but they are
fundamental to christian scripture, tradition and experience.

Ministry:Gift to the whole people of God

Ministry is the function of tue church as a whole. The ministry is not functioning well if
individual only, but needed of it is the functioning of the whole. For those who ordained in the
ministry are set apart not because of they are more holy but they have a task to do and mission.
The church borrowed this custom, making routine and ordering the ministry as well as
symbolizing that those who held this office did so with authority of Christ church. The call of our
ministry either in baptism or work of the church is never once for all but a recurring cry in this
broken world.

The Ministry of the Laity

We are the people of God. God want us to do our task. We should to preach and give
ministry to other. Every one of us is part of the ministr. Like Paul says in Ephessians 4:1, he
didn't taught it in the leaders but in the member of the church. God uses us as His chanel, as a
communicator between Him and to other people. Some people was given their own talent to
specialized the task others in preaching, teaching, and counselling or in singing. This is our duty,
we are in this world to minister not to be minister. Just like the Son of God.

A Calling, not a career

We are in modern generation today, so that, we admit that the course that we chosen is
given by God as career for us. But now, I will emphasize to you, that the ministry or course that
we chosen is not a career but a calling from God. God us because He has purpose. Theres
several dimensions to concept of call. First is the
"Secret call" or inner call of God, which the church does not witness. Second is "churchly call"
by which the christian community measures the outward manifestation of secret call. Finally, is
the "Congregational call", which involves the consent and approval of the people. Those person
that calling by God is to convert person to christ and should themselves to be converted.

Ordination and Authority

Some of us were called by God, not for special status but to special service for the
community of faith. There's a process of ordination that not equivalent to professional
liscensing procedures. In other church the called the ordination as the recognition of a divine
call or as a being commissioned or set apart by God for special service. There are many
perspective about ordination. The word ordain is from the latin word ordo means implying
orderly succession. In bible history, Jesus ordained the twelve disciples and the other is seventy
to help Him to heal, to preach, and to teach and in the time of Paul, he was ordained to give
warning on Timothy not to lay hands hastily on anyone.

Ordination is one of the seven sacrament of Roman Catholic. They believed that a person
experiencing ordination received something sacred, even if administered by a "heretical"
bishop, since the gift came from God. In Protestant church ordination is the "call of Holy Spirirt
some what substituted for the dimension of sacredness or holiness.

The act of ordination does convey authority. This is the exercise the power of the church in a
responsible manner for the good of the wholenot for the selfish interest of the clergy. However, this is
not the passport for professional or personal freedom without due regard for the nature of the
community of faith. It is not the power charters or hierarchical pyramids or university organizations
tables. A pastors authority derives from both personal attributes and formal office. A person who
ordained is have an authority to ordained others.

The Servant nature of ministry

To be the servant of God is to do His ministry. We can't do it without our dedication in His work. To
be a servant is not to be a sponge, to simply absorbing the blows a church. Its only to maintaining the
personal identity related to, but not to refused with, the clerical office is imperative. This is one of our
way to find balance between self-giving servanthood and self-fulfilling ministry is a lifetime struggle that
offers no simplistic answers.

A covenant ministry of grace

The christian church is a covenantal community and our is a covenant ministry of grace. Without us,
the ministry is out of grace beacause we are the church. Everyone of us is grace in the eyaes of God,
because He want us to bring ministry. Relationship with one another are to be characterized by Christ
redemptive spirit, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven us. Because, how can we do His
work if the worker of God is have a problem to their relationshi, its difficult. And another one is, by
recognizing that all who minister Christame are equal, not in merit or talent, but in grace and
forgiveness, we affirm a unity that is deeper than any natural endowment or educational qualification.
God need each one of us to finish his work in this world.And "if the gospel will preach in the whole world
and then shall end come". (Matthew 24:14)

Beyond Professionalism

Today, if we says pastor, the things that immediately registers in our mind is about profession. But
beyond this professionalism, what is the reason why they are being professional. According to James
Gustafson the call and profession has connectio to each other. He said " a calling without
professionalization is bumbling, ineffective, and even dangerous. It is not a question of performing one's
responsibilities with less attention to excellence or to the welfare of others but that of seeking to serve in
ways that exceed the generally accepted norms. In time of Israelites, God hired a priest and prophets to
lead them to worship and deliver out of captivity. Now, God hiring us to lead other people going back to
Him. We should used our profession for His ministry.

Christian ministry as God's ministry

Christian ministry as God's ministry because it is both lay and clergy. It is both human profession
and a gift of God;it is both cultural and transcendent. Thats how christian ministry as God's ministry
because we bring the ministry of Jesus. Jesus is the root of our faith. He is the example of being a good
servant. We should follow Him how he serve us. We should serve Him too.