The view of ordination in the General Council of Ministers, USA (GCM, USA) is predicated upon biblical principles and is consonant with the evangelical view.

Ordination can be defined as the public ceremony by which the GCM, USA acknowledges the divine call, commission, and qualification of a person to ministry in the body of Christ – The Church – in the GCM, USA; extends its blessings, fellowship, and opportunities; receives his pledge of dedication, faithfulness, and loyalty; and invokes divine enablement for success in life and ministry.

Ordination is held to be spiritual and functional rather than sacerdotal. It is important as a public acknowledgment of God’s prior call and commission, but it is not essential. All Christians are equal, but ministers are set apart for special, full-time Christian service and leadership. When necessary, the laity can perform most of the functions of ministry except those for which the State requires an ordained minister.

Ordination is performed only after a careful examination of the candidate as to Qualification on six essential points:

1. The genuineness of his Christian experience;
2. The sufficiency of his spiritual, moral, emotional, and social maturity;
3. The reality of his divine call;
4. The correctness of his doctrine;
5. The adequacy of his preparation and practical abilities; and
6. The acceptability of his allegiance to the Movement’s policies and programs.

Authority and power for ministry are conferred directly by Christ through the Holy Spirit, not through those who perform the ordination ceremony. No particular man or group is essential to the ordination process. Those who participate are dispensable instruments.

New Testament ceremonies, presbyters and other senior ministers are involved in the General Council of Ministers, USA ordination in the laying on of hands and prayer.

The General Council of Ministers, USA stresses the importance of the spiritual quality of the ordination ceremony as opposed to a formal ritual. Typical the General Council of Ministers, USA ordinations include fasting, prayer, and the laying on of hands, preaching, a charge, and other elements which were seen in the New Testament ceremonies of ordination.

Ordination is available to men who meet the biblical qualifications proposed for bishops in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, and who are fulfilling one of the types of proclamation-oriented ministry given to the Church by Christ in Ephesians 4:11. These are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor-teachers (bishops/ elders). Those fulfilling a ministry as directors of youth, music, or Christian education may qualify for a Christian Workers Certificate or specialized license but are not afforded ordination if they do not fulfill the basic preaching-pastoral ministry. Those fulfilling a ministry of temporalities (deacons) are appointed to a tenure of service but without credentials.

Benefits of Ordination

First: Benefits to the Minister

1. A first benefit is that ordination serves as a goal which represents a high level of spiritual, moral, emotional, social, intellectual, and ministerial maturity. This is not an end in itself, for the ordained minister will need to continue to grow in all of these areas personally and professionally.
2. A second benefit is that ordination provides the minister the opportunity of corporate judgment as to the genuineness of his Christian experience; the sufficiency of his spiritual, moral, emotional, and social maturity; the reality of his divine call; the correctness of his doctrine; the adequacy of his preparation and practical abilities; and the acceptability of his allegiance to the Movement’s policies and programs.
3. A third benefit is that ordination is recognized as a mature level of personal and professional accomplishment in all of the areas mentioned in benefit number above. Thus, ordination becomes the goal, test, and testimony of personal and professional maturity and effectiveness.
4. Ordination provides a fourth benefit in that it opens opportunities of ministry in the Assemblies of God movement. It is an essential key for acceptance in pastoral, evangelistic, administrative, teaching, chaplaincy, and other ministries. A corollary to this is that ministry in the Movement provides reasonable assurance that the fruit of one’s ministry will be preserved.
5. A fifth benefit of ordination is that it qualifies the minister to meet civil requirements for certain functions of ministry such as funerals, weddings, and serving on certain community, state, and federal boards or agencies, etc.
6. A sixth benefit of ordination is that is allows a minister to participate fully in the life of the Movement-supporting, contributing to the formulation of policies and programs, refining doctrine, holding office, and many other general or specific benefits.

 Benefits to the Movement

1. In the first place, ordination benefits the Movement by insuring that its ministry is comprised of individuals who are qualified by virtue of the genuineness of their Christian experience, the reality of their divine call, and the sufficiency of their spiritual, moral, emotional, and social maturity to have an effective ministry.
2. A second benefit to the Movement is that ordination provides a checkpoint to insure a ministry which has sufficient and correct understanding of Bible content and doctrine in order to edify the body of Christ and not bring disharmony. Ordination benefits the Movement by guaranteeing an effective level of practical ability for the ministerial functions of preaching/teaching: worship leading, administering the ordinances and performing the ceremonies, pastoral care and the administration (oversight and planning) for the departments, deacons, committees, staff, finances, public relations, building programs, etc.
3. And finally, ordination benefits the Movement by ascertaining that its ministers have an acceptable knowledge of and loyalty to the policies and programs of the Assemblies of God.

Qualifications for Ordination

The qualifications for bishops, as set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, are the norm for all ministers today, along with stated qualifications taken from the General Council Constitution and Bylaws. In addition, the following groups of attributes are recommended for the ordained minister.