| By Michael Wacht
LAKELAND — Calling the ministry an “impossible
possibility,” Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker called on the 2002 class of
ordinands to remember that “ministry is an office…its purpose is
to continue the work of the apostles.”
“The apostles were unique, but their work had
to continue after they died,” Whitaker said in his sermon at the
evening Service of Licensing, Commissioning, Consecrating and
Ordaining May 30, the third day of the 2002 Florida Annual Conference
Event here. “The church created the creeds to be a summary of the
apostles’ message…the Bible to preserve the writings of the
apostles…ministry to continue the work of the apostles.”
Whitaker said ministry can be understood as an
occupation, which provides an income, or an office, “a position of
authority, duty or trust given to someone.”
“Think of yourselves this way,” he said. “You
are not sent to a congregation to lord it over the members, but to be
servants—be servants of the servants of God…a servant of Christ
himself.”
Serving and being faithful to Jesus Christ will
prevent the church from becoming shallow and ministry becoming hollow,
Whitaker said. Referring to the current sexual abuse crisis in the
Roman Catholic Church, he said only about 2 percent of priests commit
moral failures, but that minority has captured the attention of the
worldwide media.
“When we fail, we not only hurt the victims,
but we also wound the Body of Christ,” he said. “If we are
faithful to Christ himself, then all the laws of the church and all
the laws of the state will be easy to keep.”
Bishop calls for more pastors
Following the chartering of the Florida
Conference’s three newest churches, Whitaker told delegates that
three of the five new churches being started in 2002 do not have
pastors.
“We do not have qualified pastors who are
committed to starting these churches,” he said, adding country music
star Garth Brooks has expressed an interest in financially supporting
The Lighthouse in Miami. “Pray for pastors who are committed to the
very difficult work of starting these new churches.”
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Photo by the Rev. David Adams |
| "This is the moment for which you've been waiting," Bishop Timothy Whitaker told the 2002 ordination class. "You've been on a long journey to this destination. There is no other work that is such a synthesis of the spiritual, intellectual and relational aspects of life, work that has no place for malingerers or cowards." |
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