Ordained (non-levitical) leadership: criteria, scope of duty, and general tenor of the ordinand seeking holy orders.
Every soul is ordained to something, and to discover and fulfill that purpose brings life and great blessing. Every soul is called primarily to the Word—to discern God's message and act upon it, laying aside every hindrance to run the race.
(1.) The soul's debt & sacrifice - The division between worship and work was an artifice from the tabernacle era when Levites were entrusted with keeping the fire burning and the lamps lit. In those days, worship was more than a charge—it was an occupation reserved for men, confined to the 50 x 100 cubit sanctuary, and strictly "according to the pattern shown to Moses on the mountain." This demanded unwavering observance, with no room for improvisation or spontaneity, under penalty of death. Their focus remained steadfast on the sacrificial lamb.
We are who we are because compassionate souls invested time and effort to shape our lives—their sacrifice (blood, sweat, and tears) nourished the ground that brought us to where we are today. Their pain became our gain. The blood of the martyr is the seed of His church. Life is in the blood (Lev 17:11). Thus, Jesus honored John, who ordained the Son whom the Father honored. Similarly, the church today confers degrees upon those recognized within the Body as her shepherds and overseers. (see Criteria for Admission into Candidacy)
(2.) The soul's focus & force - Every soul must discover its mission and fulfill it at all costs. Looking back on such a journey, we can say "mission accomplished." In a sense, every baptized believer is already ordained to oversee—to "bishop"—their own soul. Through this process of self-mastery, each person is ordained to something greater—a purpose known only to God. Greatness is simply discerning what is required of the soul and doing it, casting aside every encumbrance to run the race. In this light, every soul is ordained to a purpose often surpassing our imagination.
"The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine." Momentous events often hinge on seemingly minor occurrences, and nothing happens by mere chance or coincidence. "As grain for bread is crushed"—here, the Master's plan is as eternal as the soul itself. Scripture envisions humanity as fine flour prepared in God's mill and furnace. These mills grind with utmost precision, and nothing escapes the Miller's eye. Upon this rock, the church was initially forged through rejection, slaughter, and martyrdom, but later persevered "through many dangers, toils, and snares." While in human affairs we elect leaders and choose governments, in God's realm, He selects those "willing for the milling."
(3.) The soul's covering and commission - At the Cross, we witness the genesis of the apostolic church, created "ex cathedra" from Heaven's Throne: "Woman, behold thy son" and to John, "Behold thy mother" (John 19:26,27). Here, we see John's ordination to oversee Mary's household—she who carried the vital stories of Jesus' nativity, childhood, and early ministry. Tradition holds that John, the last surviving of the Twelve, shepherded Mary in Ephesus under his bishopric of the Seven Churches: Ephesus, Thyatira, Smyrna, Laodicea, Pergamos, Sardis, and Philadelphia.
This cross-centered ordination illustrates its dual nature: as a covering (like an umbrella) and a commission (as in the military). We observe ministerial maturity in John's stewardship of Mary's household, safeguarding Jesus' sacred history. We also see Peter's apostleship igniting the messianic movement among converted Jews, and Paul's apostleship as the human catalyst for God's work among the Gentiles in distant lands. The soul's focus & force ensures we "go and sin no more," while the soul's covering & commission propels us to "go into all the world."
Conclusion - What of women's ordination? Mary Magdalene provides the clearest example. Hours before the crucifixion, amidst a gathering of men, a woman delivers a profound message to the assembled Levites—the Cohens who then held complete authority over the Temple and its sacrificial system. This woman breached the security cordon, and her actions astonished all present. Far from a random display of adoration, this was a deliberate, Spirit-led act—a public demonstration of devotion that Jesus declared would be recounted until the end of time.
No one instructed Magdalene; her actions were spontaneous yet divinely inspired, inviting Jesus into the conversation. In God's economy, He selects His subjects and ordains His ministers. Jesus affirms: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and ordained you to go and bear fruit, fruit that would last."
BIO of Rev Dr Michael Wieteska
INTRODUCTION TO NON-LEVITICAL ORDINATION
I am not the man I ought to be (John Newton)