Ordination is the recognition that an individual has received from God specific spiritual gifts that are related to church leadership and is authorized to use them in the appropriate ministry. We recognize that as believers, we are all called to do ministry work. Ordination is not a prerequisite for participation in meaningful ministry. Instead, it is a public recognition and affirmation of one’s demonstrated leadership gifts.
A core principle of Global Change Network, U.S.A. is that our members are called to help others in the Body of Christ acquire the skills, knowledge and tools to do “the work of ministry.” In Ephesians 4:11, God has outlined his plan for preparing the saints – “he (Jesus) gave some to be apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists, teachers…” Christ gave, and today still gives these leadership gifts to His church for a purpose – to equip believers to do the work of ministry so that all might do the work together to build up the Body of Christ.
God’s gifts to the church are in the form of leaders. These leaders are not given to the church to do everything. God is concerned about ordering the church, not about establishing orders of ministry. These people have been given the ability to fulfill these leadership roles to enable the church to be and do what God intended it to be and do. Together each one functions to guide the church in faith, knowledge, and truth, and to preserve it from being swept away by error or by division. True leadership requires godly character, dedication, sacrifice, integrity, wisdom, patience, perseverance and much more. Not everyone desires leadership. And not everyone is called to serve in this way. All who seek to lead God’s people should study 1Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
As leaders, those whom God ordains as apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers take on, as a part of the requirement, the responsibility to train, mentor, and model godly Christian character, and assist in bringing the Body to maturity.
In line with this direction, GCN, U.S.A. is made up of ministers who are called as leaders. Therefore, our membership consists only of ministers ordained to one of the five-fold offices described in Ephesians 4:11.
As ministers of the Gospel, our members are commissioned and credentialed to officiate all Christian rites and ordinances, including the marriage ceremony; to pray with the sick and afflicted; and to perform all other functions which most understand to be the duties of a Christian minister.