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Ministry: 'Set Apart to Die, Serve and Lift High the Cross'
By Don Meyer
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (June 22, 2004) - Remember what is important – that was the
oft-repeated advice given candidates for commissioning and ordination
during the closing worship service of the 119th Annual Meeting of the
Evangelical Covenant Church Tuesday evening at First Covenant Church in
downtown Minneapolis.
Those words came from the preacher of the evening – Covenant missionary
Thomas E. Kelly – who just 25 years ago celebrated his own ordination
during the Covenant Annual Meeting in Fort Collins, Colorado.
The pageantry of the evening was made even more magnificent by the
historic surroundings of the First Covenant sanctuary that seats around
1,200, including a massive wrap-around balcony that was comfortably
filled. The evening was one of contrasts, too, from the massive sounds
of the pipe organ leading old hymns of the church to the hand-clapping
choir from Community Covenant that literally had the audience rocking on
its heels.
Kelly, whose parents Ted and Carolyn Kelly served as missionaries in
Ecuador, has served 22 years in Mexico with his wife and three children
where Kelly has distinguished himself in areas of church development and
leadership training. His "depth of wisdom and insight" into missiology
was heralded by David Kersten, executive minister of the Department of
the Ordered Ministry, who introduced Kelly.
Using John 12:20-33 as his text, Kelly described the setting as Jesus
moved ever closer to the hour of his death, reminding the 56 candidates
for commissioning and ordination that "for you, tonight, the hour has
come as well." For Jesus, it was his time to die and be glorified. "For
you, it is your time to be set apart . . . to model the identity of
Christ." Kelly spoke of the tension often experienced in contrasting the
roles of lay persons and clergy, stressing that the position as clergy
is not an elevated one; rather, he noted, "we all are to reflect the
identity of Christ."
Kelly reviewed the story in the text of the Greek-speaking gentiles who
approached Philip and asked to see Jesus, suggesting that this was
really the beginning of the spread of the gospel message. "Because the
gospel did go out throughout the world, we are here tonight," he
reminded his listeners.
"What did 'his hour' mean?" Kelly asked in reference to Jesus' comment
to his disciples that his time had come. "And what does it mean for
those who would follow him?" Kelly went on to describe the process
whereby a seed is put into the soil, noting "the seed must die to bear
fruit" as was the case with Jesus. "So, too, we are set apart to die.
Only through death is fruit born – this is a mystery. The parable of the
seed is part of Jesus' reply to those who sought to see him.
"Tonight you are being set apart not to promote your own aims and
desires, but to be productive and bear fruit – in one way or another,
you are being set apart to die," he emphasized in making his first of
three points.
Kelly recalled Covenant martyred missionary Dr. Paul Carlson and his
work at the hospital in Wasolo, Congo. "He accepted his expendability –
he accepted the cross. Thus, he died in a hail of bullets. In this, Paul
Carlson took Christ as his example. Have we accepted our expendability?
The cross? Our Lord does not ask us to seek martyrdom, but to follow
him. And, remember that your biblical dying is but a prelude to a great
harvest."
Recalling that Jesus says "whoever serves must follow me," Kelly
suggested that the commission and ordination candidates are also set
apart to serve. "Tonight, you are set apart to a very specific service
to Christ and the church. We must be willing to imitate Jesus and follow
him. What good is service without following?" Kelly suggested that
service without following often leads to bitterness in ministry,
cynicism and eventually silence.
"Jesus said 'follow me and you will be where I am.' But, where is he?"
Kelly asked. "Why did Paul Carlson cross back over the river? He went
back to where Jesus was with the hungry and the sick. Then there were
the three Covenant missionaries killed in China in January 1948. Why did
they stay despite the danger? Was it not because of how they understood
what it means to follow Jesus? To be where he is?"
And, why did famed Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer leave the comfort
of New York City and return to Germany and the dangers of war? "Whoever
serves must follow – he needed to be where Jesus was."
Kelly then shared the third aspect of being set apart for ministry. Not
only are candidates set apart to die and to serve, but "you are set
apart to lift high the cross," Kelly declared, recalling Jesus' words
that if he is lifted up, he will draw all people to himself. "This is
the foundation of your commitment," Kelly admonished the group. "The
church exists for a purpose – as the agent for Christ's gathering grace.
"Don't allow your churches to refuse their higher mission to humanity,"
he continued. "In being lifted up, Jesus draws all to him. Bear witness
to the truth, make it credible, that in lifting up the cross, Jesus
draws all to him."
Observing the many changes in culture and ministry over the years, Kelly
said the defining issue for mission no longer is one of geography. "It
is people – all people. God is just as interested in the Iranians in
Tulsa, Oklahoma, as he is in the Iranians in Tehran," Kelly noted,
illustrating his point further by noting there are more Muslims living
in Dearborn, Michigan, than in Mecca.
Mission is not some detachable part of our faith, Kelly declared.
"Mission is the central part of our being. Some see multiculturalism as
a threat, not an opportunity," he continued, suggesting that the
multicultural growth in this country presents an opportunity to present
Jesus to a whole new group of people – Jesus, who can draw all people to
himself. "Rather than hysteria, we can lift high the cross. You are
being asked to help the Covenant lift high the cross of Christ's
gathering grace," Kelly said.
In his closing remarks, Kelly asked candidates to remember what is truly
important when speaking their vows. "Remember what is important – and
what is not important," he advised. "You are being set apart to die, to
serve and to lift high the cross. Remember what is important."
(Editor's note: the top photo shows the preacher for the evening,
Thomas Kelly. The lower photo shows Nathan D.A. Toots, one of 56
candidates for commissioning and ordination, receiving his Stole from
Ordered Ministry board member Doug Hample signifying his Ordination to
Word and Sacrament.)
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