Pastor's Corner - Officer Ordination

Dear Friends,

This Sunday during the worship service you will get a chance to be a part of a very special service as we ordain and install our newly elected church officers. I wanted to take a moment to explain to you some of things that will take place during the service that will be of interest to you.First, did you know that you will actually be taking a vow during this service? That's right. Our biblical form of church government not only necessitates that these men take vows to serve and shepherd us but also that congregation promises to honor and support them. Specifically, the question for the congregation from the Book of Church order asks, "Do you, the members of this church, acknowledge and receive these brothers as a ruling elders and deacons, and do you promise to yield to them all that honor, encouragement and obedience in the Lord to which their office, according to the Word of God and the Constitution of this Church, entitles them?" Please be in prayer about your vow.

Additionally, you will see a very ancient practice take place in the service as we will ask the newly elected officers to kneel and the Session will lay hands on them. "Why do we do this?" you may ask. Quite simply, we do this because the Bible instructs the leadership to do so.  A word search of the Scriptures on the "laying on of hands", reveals that this practice had many different uses. In several places in Scripture, you will find that the practice took place to set apart leaders in the church (Acts 6:6, 1 Tim. 4:14, 2 Tim. 1:6). What a joy it will be to lay hands on these newly ordained men to serve at Cornerstone.

Let's praise the Lord and thank Him for all that He has done this past year at Cornerstone and all He will do in 2015. See you Sunday!

Your friend,Wilson