Ordination Statement

On 8 August 2010 I got ordained as a Baptist Minister at Unley Park Baptist Church into my current ministry context with the Baptist Churches of South Australia. Here is my statement of ordination from that day.

Becoming a Baptist 'Rev' is not what I expected.  I was formed in faith in a pentecostal tradition, was profoundly influenced by my parents' ministry among indigenous communities and marginalised peoples, studied to be an Engineer and have spent a good portion of my life flying under the Denominational radar in the name of Mission agencies and youth ministry.  I have also spent my life avoiding my graduation ceremonies and official titles.  Call me small, but it makes me awkward and embarrassed.  Especially the 'style' Reverend.  Given this, becoming a Baptist 'Rev' is certainly not what I expected.

This is not because I haven't seen how God has shaped me for Pastoral Leadership.  While studying or working, most of my time, money and passion was elsewhere – in mission and ministry.  Eventually I was given an opportunity to make this passion my day job.  It has been an unbelievable privilege to participate over the past 16 years in what God is doing on uni campuses, in schools, camps, youth ministries, festivals, Churches.  I have been stunned at the transformative difference the Gospel makes in me, in communities and people's lives.  I am thankful for the people and communities who gave me these opportunities.  May I do the same for others.

It seems my skills and passion in life revolve around Jesus and his Church: being part of empowering God's people to be and bring His good news to His world.  While I could do other things, this is what God has wired me for.  Thank God others affirm the same, that calling is not apprehended through my intuition alone!  Our ordination process (PLT) has affirmed this sense of vocation as it invited others into the discernment process.  At a personal level the past 2 ½ years have been seriously challenging.  Life has taken me apart and in God's grace I am being reformed into a better man and minister of the Gospel.  For this I am thankful.  I am also deeply thankful to those who have been part of this process for their generosity of time, heart and most of all honest and prayerful discernment.

This is probably what my wife Ann expected.  She married a young man full of dreams, heavily involved in full time mission and ministry.  Through the joys and challenges of Pastoral leadership, Ann has been significant in sustaining and focussing these dreams.  The Baptist 'Rev' thing may have raised an eyebrow but I am certain she is not surprised!  I thank Ann for her support and affirmation.  With our already full life of 3 children and another on the way there is yet much more of the adventure to come!

Becoming a Baptist 'Rev' may not be what I expected but it is where God has lead us.  To my surprise I find I am more theologically Baptist than I realised (or maybe the Baptist's are more pentecostal than they realise!) but this is not primarily why I am being 'ordained'.  At a local Church level I believe becoming a member says that you are binding yourself to that Church's present and future.  You own being part of that Church and the Church owns you being part of her.  In a similar way, through Ordination I am binding myself to our family of Churches present and future.  Today is not just about having a Denominational process affirm training and call, it is also my affirmation that I want to follow God amongst these Churches, serving His people, for His world, to His glory.  This is a high privilege and a real joy and honestly, far more than I ever expected.