What constitutes a valid ordination? What offices of the church require ordination? Considering that Baptists, Presbyterians and Lutherans are members of the PB, are the offices of all these churches worthy of ordination? If not, which office and denominations would not be considered to have valid ordinations? For the sake of discussion I am referring to denominations that hold to doctrines of grace.

This is an interesting question.

In the first book of discipline adopted by the Church of Scotland by John Knox, there is no imposition to lay hands for ordination prescribed. It wasn't until the second book of discipline that it was added.

Then i got to thinking, many of the early Reformers were ordained Catholic. I don't think they were required to be re-ordained

interesting....

The motivation for this thread was from the relationship evangelism thread where more than one person (myself included) stated that the gospel is to be preached by an ordained minister. If we accept that requirement I want to know what is considered a lawful ordination? Additionally, would a Presbyterian recognize and Baptist ordination and vice versa?

Originally Posted by BaptistInCrisis

The motivation for this thread was from the relationship evangelism thread where more than one person (myself included) stated that the gospel is to be preached by an ordained minister. If we accept that requirement I want to know what is considered a lawful ordination? Additionally, would a Presbyterian recognize and Baptist ordination and vice versa?

Evangelizing to the lost is quite different from preaching to the flock. I would not think that one must be ordained to tell folks about the good news of Jesus.

As to who is recognized within particular denominations, i think you would have to clarify what you mean by recognized. My church would recognize a Baptist minister as being a valid minister, but he would not be permitted to regularly preach at our church.

See previous threads.
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Getting Ministerial Succession & Lawful Ordination Right
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Lawful ordination

Hmm, I know that I was ordained to be a deacon, but that's about it.

In the churches to which I have belonged, in order to minister in that church as an elder or pastor, the individual had to receive ordination from that church. My poor brother in law was ordained in a Baptist church, in an evangelical free church and in a PCA church. All had their own ordination requirements. In the case of the evangelical free church, they did not recognize his former ordination at all. In the PCA church, though they recognized his ordination, he was not free to teach until he had received his licensure, and he was not allowed to baptise without ordination.

Originally Posted by NaphtaliPress

See previous threads.
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Getting Ministerial Succession & Lawful Ordination Right
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Lawful ordination

Chris, thank you. Matt's article is very informative.

Sometimes it is important to back up and look at the big picture...

Any view of this subject without first asking 'What is ordination?' is bound to lead to the wrong conclusions.

I believe ordination is simply the church acknowledging Christ's prior calling and appointing a man into either the office of deacon or elder. This is acknowledged in different ways by different churches. One church may do this at the denominational level for some offices (presbytery) while others may do it at the local level.

If a church is a true church, and they have, after their own fashion, acknowledged and set a man apart for office, I view the man duly appointed. That's not to say that the process may not be 'more or less pure', but in the end, I acknowledge the appointment.

Originally Posted by prespastor

Sometimes it is important to back up and look at the big picture...

Any view of this subject without first asking 'What is ordination?' is bound to lead to the wrong conclusions.

I believe ordination is simply the church acknowledging Christ's prior calling and appointing a man into either the office of deacon or elder. This is acknowledged in different ways by different churches. One church may do this at the denominational level for some offices (presbytery) while others may do it at the local level.

If a church is a true church, and they have, after their own fashion, acknowledged and set a man apart for office, I view the man duly appointed. That's not to say that the process may not be 'more or less pure', but in the end, I acknowledge the appointment.

Originally Posted by DMcFadden

Originally Posted by prespastor

Sometimes it is important to back up and look at the big picture...

Any view of this subject without first asking 'What is ordination?' is bound to lead to the wrong conclusions.

I believe ordination is simply the church acknowledging Christ's prior calling and appointing a man into either the office of deacon or elder. This is acknowledged in different ways by different churches. One church may do this at the denominational level for some offices (presbytery) while others may do it at the local level.

If a church is a true church, and they have, after their own fashion, acknowledged and set a man apart for office, I view the man duly appointed. That's not to say that the process may not be 'more or less pure', but in the end, I acknowledge the appointment.