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The Ordination of Steve Moulyn To the Ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Charge to the Candidate |
September 24, 2006 Pastor Tom Marcum |
My assignment, tonight, is to bring what is traditionally called, “The Charge to the Candidate.” I looked up the word, “charge,” in the dictionary and after sorting through the 49 different ways in which the word can be used, I finally decided that the most appropriate, for this occasion, was usage #9: “to lay a command or injunction upon.” In other words, my role is to lay it on you. So, Steve, I take that to mean that if what I’m about to say on you doesn’t feel a bit weighty to you, then I guess I didn’t do my job.
Steve, we all know that you’ve already been a minister for many years. Tonight, we have the privilege of making it official. So, instead of trying to say anything new or clever, I’ve decided to go for tried, tested and true. Steve…
…if you want God to bless your ministry, remember…
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Steve, poor in spirit ministers are those who never lose sight of the fact that there is nothing in them, whatsoever, that qualifies them for the calling they’ve received; nothing in them, whatsoever, that can produce the spiritual results that God desires in them or in others. Poor in spirit ministers never forget that it was the calling of God that drew them into ministry; the gifting of God that equipped them for ministry and it’s the activity of God that produces every good fruit in ministry. Poor in spirit ministers work really hard at developing their skills while remaining completely dependent on God.
…if you want God to bless you ministry, remember, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Steve, this isn’t a generic call to sadness. It’s a specific call to nurture within your self a heart that breaks over the same things that break the heart of God. And God’s heart breaks every time anyone resists His will. And that means that you need to be equally heartbroken over that rebellious teenager who is running from the plans that God has for them and also that rebellious streak in you that resists some part of God’s plan for you.
…if you want God to bless your ministry, remember… “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Steve, meekness has nothing to do with weakness. In fact, it’s just the opposite. It’s power under control. A meek minister focuses all that he is—every strength, every gift, every passion—all of it, stays constantly focused on the fulfillment of God’s call. A meek minister is available to God, submissive before God and gentle in his dealings with people.
…if you want God to bless your ministry, remember… “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Steve, it’s not enough to be able talk to people about righteousness. They need to see it in your life. They need to know that it’s a passion in your life. And you need to know after 10, 20, 30 years or more—that you’re still hungry for more. You can’t lead anyone to a place that you’ve not yet been yourself.
…if you want God to bless your ministry, remember… “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Steve, a minister can’t afford to be ruled by emotion, but He also can’t afford to be free of emotion. The emotion called compassion is what moves us to the action called mercy. Mercy is compassion in action. Offering kindness to those that we see are hurting and offering forgiveness to those who have, in some way, hurt us.
…if you want God to bless your ministry, remember… “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Steve, to be pure is to be undivided. The heart reference here speaks to who we really and truly are. Together they describe a minister who has abandoned any interest in being anything other than what God has called them to be. And it shows itself in two primary ways: unwavering allegiance to God and a refreshing transparency in your relationships with people.
…if you want God to bless your ministry, remember… “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Obviously, the word “peace,” here, is very important. But so too is the word “maker.” Blessed is that minister who so values peace so much that they are quick to identify breaches of the peace and quick to look for ways to restore it. Peacemaker ministers don’t just hope things calm down; they actively work to create peace.
…finally, if you want God to bless your ministry, remember, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Steve, some things are worth suffering for. Being faithful to the calling that God his given you is one of them.
That’s my charge. And now it’s been laid on you.
© Copyright 2006 Pastor Tom Marcum