Commissioning the Team
SAM WIEBER
Sam describes our project to the congregation.
This weekend our team was “commissioned” for the project – five times! This is because our church has five worship services every weekend (two on Saturday, three Sunday) and we want everyone to participate in prayer for ministry field workers that we are sending out. So, the ministry team is asked to come to each service, and we go through a little commis-sioning ceremony. The church sends out several teams each year, so it’s a familiar process.
For our commissioning, Steve Fowler (our lead pastor) introduced Steve Dangaran, the leader of our project, and then Steve D. introduced each one of us on the team. Steve D. (or, in two of the services, Sam) explained what we were going to do, and how the people in the church could pray for us.
Then all 7 of us stood close together, arms around each other to show our unity, while Steve F. prayed for us. Before he prayed, he invited the congregation to stand, and asked each one of them to extend a hand towards us, symbolically laying hands upon us as we were being prayed for. Then, as we stood together in a posture of prayer, Steve prayed for us, moving behind us down the row, laying hands on each one of us as he prayed.
“I don’t think any of those men who served as God’s mouthpiece chose “prophet” as their ideal vocation. No – God chose them.”
Steve’s prayer at each service was distinct from the others. At one service, he prayed for the people we would be ministering to, that God would work in their hearts to hear the gospel message, and that they would receive it with joy. At another, he prayed for our safety in a land where the name of Jesus is not loudly proclaimed. After five services, I think we were well covered in prayer.
The commissioning service is important, not only for the prayer, but for its effects on the members of the church, and on us who are part of the ministry team. The service gives us a strong sense of the planning and power of God behind this mission.
This aligns well with services of commissioning that we read about in the Bible, especially in the prophetic books of the Old Testament. I don’t think any of those men who served as God’s mouthpiece chose “prophet” as their ideal vocation. No – God chose them. Some of them felt unworthy (Is. 6:5), others felt unable (Jer. 1:6), but those things were not obstacles to God.
I’m pretty sure that each person whom the Lord called to speak for him was surprised by the call. God takes the initiative to accomplish His work, and He qualifies those whom He selects to speak for Him. So the commissioning service focuses on God’s selection, God’s plan for the work He’s going to do, and on His empowering of those selected folks for His service.
I did not seek this ministry, and I was surprised when I was called to do it. I don’t really know much about what I’m going to be doing while I’m on the trip. But I do know Who has called me, and that He will guide me, and empower me to do what He’s called me to do. The same goes for Karen, and for everyone else on the team.
Steve Dangaran introduces the team.
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