Spring is ordination season in the Assemblies of God. Every year, I have the privilege of preaching at ordination services across the Fellowship. More than ceremonies, these are sacred moments.

Ordination is public recognition of a divine call to vocational ministry. John 15:16 emphasizes that Christ himself selects and appoints: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last.”

Jesus spoke these words to the apostles, so this passage is especially relevant to ministry leaders, even as it applies to all believers.

Our Statement of Fundamental Truths emphasizes the leadership role of ordained ministers:

A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for the fourfold purpose of leading the Church in: (1) evangelization of the world, (2) worship of God, (3) building a Body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son, and (4) meeting human need with ministries of love and compassion (Article 11, emphasis added, biblical citations omitted).

The divine call begins with Christ, not us. Furthermore, the call isn’t about us or our temporal success but about God’s purposes. Therefore, it has eternal significance as we bear lasting fruit.

Ordination is not about a minister’s status or position. Nor is it just a denominational obligation. It is a commission to serve as Christ’s agents, advancing God’s kingdom.

Because it is a divine mission, ordination requires divine power.

Consider 2 Peter 1:3–4, which is for all believers, including ordained ministers:

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Notice the tense of the main verb: has given. It is past tense. We already have all access to everything we need for mission: divine power, promise, and purpose.

Divine Power

Peter literally walked with Jesus, witnessing His miracle-working power. And with the other disciples, Peter received power for ministry (e.g., Luke 9:1; 10:19).

That same power is now at work in us (2 Peter 1:3). There is nothing we need that we do not already have. The only question is whether we use what God provides.

God never out-promises himself. He has the integrity and ability to fulfill what He has spoken.

God’s power can sustain you when you feel like giving up. Discouragement is a real issue in spiritual leadership. I’ve seen it kill more ministry dreams than moral failures. Part of the Holy Spirit’s work is encouragement.

Of course, it’s possible to resist the Spirit’s work (1 Thessalonians 5:19). We must not let that happen. The only limit to divine power is the space we give God’s Spirit in our lives.

When we ordain ministers, we ask the Holy Spirit to empower them for ministry, acknowledging the need for divine assistance.

Through Christ, God has given us all access to His power. Have you given God all access to your life and ministry?

Divine Promises

God doesn’t promise a life of ease. But He does promise to sustain the faith of those who trust in Him, even through difficult times (2 Peter 1:4; 2:9).

How do we know God’s promises will come true? Because the character of the promises reflects the character of the Promise Maker.

Nearly every verse in Scripture contains a promise, explicitly or implicitly. And God keeps them all. Joshua 21:45 says, “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

God never out-promises himself. He has the integrity and ability to fulfill what He has spoken.

Just as we have all access to God’s power, we have all access to His promises in Jesus Christ. The only question is whether we avail ourselves of that access.

Divine Purpose

According to 2 Peter 1:4, God has a purpose for your life: to “participate in the divine nature.”

This does not mean you’re going to become a god at the level of being. It means you’re going to become like God at the level of your character, actions, and gifts.

God wants to infuse your life with His. Since “God is love” (1 John 4:8), for example, His love should permeate your disposition and actions.

In fact, according to Galatians 5:22–23, a Christian should demonstrate “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

In our lives and ministries, are we accessing all of God’s grace in everything we think, feel, say, and do?

Consider this description from 1 Corinthians 13:4–7: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

All of these passages point to how the life of a Christ follower — and especially an ordained minister — should look.

We also reflect God in our giftedness. Here, God delights in variety, for not everyone has the same spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4–11,27–30).

When you understand that God has an individual purpose for your ministry, it frees you from comparing yourself to others and trying to become like them.

Instead, we need to remember that the particularity of our ministry is a divine gift. As Paul said, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them — yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Whatever we are comes by God’s grace.

In our lives and ministries, are we accessing all of God’s grace in everything we think, feel, say, and do?

Whatever You Ask

I began by emphasizing the first half of John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last.” Through ordination, God selects and appoints ministers to lead His people.

Let me close by emphasizing the second half of that verse, which says, “Whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

Whatever you ask is a bold promise. And we may be tempted to discount it. But if we connect John 15:16 with 2 Peter 1:3–4, we can see how God fulfills His own bold promise.

When we give God’s power, promise, and purpose all access to our lives — because He first gave our lives all access to those things — what we ask is precisely what God wants us to ask. No wonder He promises to give it to us.

As ordained ministers, may such openness to God characterize every aspect of our lives and ministries.

This article appears in the Spring 2024 issue of Influence magazine.