not to abdicate to pastors their responsibility to study and interpret the Bible and to seek Christ’s will and to follow him as Lord of life. Ordination is practiced by most Baptist churches for pastors and deacons and is considered valid for a lifetime. For Baptists, ordination is a function of an individual church, not that of the denomination. Baptists do not believe that ordination endows a person with any special powers or authority. It is a means of indicating that a person meets the biblical qualifications to serve as a pastor or deacon. In recent years, Baptists have extended ordination to include other persons in ministry, such as chaplains, missionaries, and church staff members. Church Ordinances Baptist churches celebrate two ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper, basing their beliefs about these on the teachings of Jesus. They often use the word “ordinances” in referring to them because they were ordered or commanded by Jesus himself (Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25). The Bible records that the New Testament churches practiced both baptism and the Lord’s Supper, in that order and as symbolic. Baptism took place one time for a person after she or he had believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; the Lord’s Supper, on the other hand, was taken periodically throughout the life of the believer. Baptists believe that this same pattern should be followed today. Salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone, not by works or ritual (Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, Baptists contend that baptism and the Lord’s Supper, while very significant, are not necessary for salvation. Because the Bible indicates that all believers in Christ are priests, there is no need for a priestly class to administer either baptism or the Lord’s Supper. Although normally the pastor of a church baptizes and presides at the Lord’s Supper, any member designated by the church could do so. In the Lord’s Supper, every believer priest, and not just the one presiding, partakes of the bread and the cup. Congregational governance and church autonomy under the Lordship of Christ relate to the two ordinances. Concerning baptism, each Baptist church determines such matters as when and where baptisms will be conducted. Concerning the Lord’s Supper, each congregation decides who will preside, how often the Supper will be offered, and who will be invited to participate. Some churches restrict the Supper to members of the church, many invite members of other churches of “like faith and order” to participate, some include all baptized believers, and a few open the Supper to all who profess faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. , we will in all things grow up hat is, Christ. From him the together by every supporting tself up in love, as each part hesians 4:15-16 (NIV)
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