ORDINATION OF PASTORS

The ordination process in the church is dealt with in terms of the ordination policy in place.
Ordination to the pastoral office in particular is the rite that is regarded as a milestone in ministerial success of every pastor or a leader in every church,
Faithful is the saying, "If anyone is eager to have the oversight (to be a pastor) of a Church, he desires a noble work." 1 Timothy 3: 1”
We understand that to be a pastor someone must have a desire for this position, we must help in the process by creating a platform to fulfil this scriptural based desire, the church performs ordination to;

  • recognize and confirm that an individual has been called by God to ministry,
  • acknowledges that the individual has gone through a period of discernment and training related to this call, and
  • authorizes that individual to take on the office of ministry

  • However the church of God universally procrastinate this rite in a way that we turn to loose the most zealous & young upcoming ministers in ministry because of the lack of recognition and fatherhood by the Senior Pastors.
    Do not ordain anyone hastily. Do not participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.  1 Timothy 5: 22
    The above scripture do not say we must not ordain pastors at all, but it simple means we must take precautional measures not to ordain the wrong persons.
    The church ordination of pastors is performed through laying on of hands. So that the minister can function in the office of a pastor and have the authority to:

  • Baptize the new converts and the dedication of children in the church.
  • Bless and administer the (the Lord's Supper)
  • Participate in ordinations of others into ministry.
  • Ordain evangelists in local assemblies.

  • The church ordination to the pastoral office includes the authority to perform all the duties of the ministry, as well as to anoint the sick with oil, preach and teach the congregants and Holy Spirit deliverance for those who are possessed by the powers of darkness, there are seven other offices within the church to which one could potentially be ordained:

    Church Ministry Leadership:

  • Apostles
  • Prophets  
  • Evangelists
  • Teachers
  •  

    Church Government Officials:

  • Overseers
  • Elders
  • Deacons
  •  

    PASTORS ORDINATIONS
    The church leadership ordain ministers who went through practical training and acquired ministerial experience under the leadership of the church, such ministers must prove beyond reasonable doubt that their calling into ministry is real through the work they already done in church planting, have functional elders and deacons in place and proper management of church finances.

     

    The candidate pastor can then download an Ordination Form & Questionnaire in the church website for completion and submission.  It must also be noted that theological qualifications cannot blockade any minister to be official ordained since we have our own in-house bible college (Antioch Bible Institute) where any leader can enrol and further his or her biblical studies later, Antioch Bible Institute study forms are available to be downloaded on our website.   

    GENERAL-OVEERSEER PREROGATIVE ON ORDINATION RITE
    The church ordination policy that was approved on the 13 December 2015 stipulates on the general directives that the General-Overseer shall be responsible for the ordination of all church ministry leaders and church officials and the ordination ceremony shall be conducted in the church headquarters during its annual Ebenezer Conference of the church.

     

    It has to be noted that the General-Overseer shall determine an office of a calling in ministry for every applicant through his own spiritual observation of a person who is eligible to be ordained, it is not upon the regional committee or leadership to determine an office of a calling in ministry for their applicants, meaning the General-

    Overseer shall determine if an applicant shall be ordained as a pastor or as an apostle or any office of ministry according to their individual callings.

     

    The ordination certificates signed by the presiding General-Overseer shall be issued on the same day of the ordination ceremony, theordained minister shall then be able to function as a minister of the Gospel everywhere he or she wishes without limitations within the Republic of South Africa or elsewhere. 

     

    THE ORDAINED MINISTERS FREEDOM  IN MINISTRY

    The ordained ministers shall also be liberated to serve Holy Communion in their local branches, bury the dead, dedicate little children, baptise newly converted believers and to host their Annual Passover Conferences in their local branches or assemblies of the church.