Article 20

Of the ordinances of the church of God, and the sending and electing of ministers. Of this we confessed: that, as a house, city, or country cannot stand unless it has laws and ordinances by which to be governed and upheld, and as no human body can stand without the members performing the service appointed by God for the needs of the body; so also God the Lord has appointed in His church various ordinances, laws and commandments, by which it is to be built up, edified, and improved.

And, as the necessities of the body require, as its chief and most indispensable members, eyes, mouth, hands, and feet, to see, speak, and labor for the body, that it may by this be fed and sustained; so Christ the Lord ordained as necessary in His church, first, by His own present, commanding voice, His apostles, whom He sent out to preach the Gospel among all nations, and to teach them to keep His commandments, which He caused to be confirmed by signs and miracles.

This the apostles, through the Holy Spirit, again laid upon their followers; namely, that they should elect, in the church, pastors, teachers, helpers and rulers, who as fitting shining stars, by their good walk and sound doctrine, should shine to edification in the spiritual firmament, and, as messengers of peace, proclaim the good news everywhere, that by this people may be turned from their evil ways, added to the church, and so the body of Christ be perfected and edified.

And since it is a known fact that a lack of faithful ministers, and the erring of the sheep because of the lack of good doctrine, arise chiefly from the unworthiness of the people; therefore the people of God, needing this, should not turn to those who have been educated in universities, according to the wisdom of man, so that they may talk and dispute, and seek to sell their purchased gift for temporal gain; and who, according to the custom of the world, do not truly follow Christ in the humility of regeneration. But the true members of Christ must, according to the counsel of God, with humble fasting and praying, turn to the Father of the harvest, who is the true Sender, that by His divine wisdom He will raise up men whom He may set as faithful and wise stewards over His household, that they may give them proper food in due season, and may kindle them in their hearts with His Spirit, and urge them into His harvest, that they may feed the flock of Christ, not for the milk and the wool, but of a ready mind, with knowledge and understanding, and lead them in the right way to the kingdom of God; and so carry out the ministry laid upon them by God, with the strength which God gives.

So believers who are in need in this respect shall, after having sought the face of God with earnest prayer, turn their eyes to a pious brother, who keeps his own body under and brings it into subjection, and in whom the fruits of the Holy Spirit are perceived and seen. Having been chosen to this by the voice of the church, he shall be examined in the faith by the elder and pastors of the church, whether he, according to the Word of God, agrees with the church in every article, that he may teach others the way of truth which he himself knows. And having been found to be sound, he may stand forth in the name of the Lord, to proclaim the will of God to the people. And when it has thus been found that God has committed the preaching of the Gospel to him, so that he rightly divides the Word of God, and brings forth fruits with it, the church, if she requires it, and he, after examination, has been found, according to the Word of God, to be of the same faith with the church, may, by the voice of the church, choose him as an elder and teacher in the full ministry, and cause him to be confirmed by the laying on of the hands of the elders, and ordain him to labor and work in the vineyard of the Lord, and to administer and carry out Christian baptism, and the Lord's Supper, with all that belongs to it.

In the same way, the church shall, by the voice of the church, elect deacons over the poor, and, after they have been examined in the faith, and found to be sound, cause them to be confirmed by the laying on of the hands of the elders, as helpers and governors, that willing givers may give their contributions to them, that they may by this supply the needs of the poor members of Christ who according to their ability diligently labor and work with their hands, and still are not able to support themselves; that there may be found no poor among the people of God, nor any lack in temporal things, and that the good gifts of the giver may be hidden from men, but be made manifest before God, according to the doctrine of Christ.

And if any of these ministers departs in faith or in conduct from the accepted way of truth, the church which elected him when he was pious and sound shall punish or remove him, according as his deeds deserve. Matthew 18, verse 8; First Timothy 1, verse 20.

Of the ordinances of the church of Christ, read: "Rejoicing and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ." Colossians 2, verse 5; First Corinthians 11, verse 33; First Corinthians 14, verse 40; Second Corinthians 8, verse 19.

How men are to pray to God, who is the true Sender, for faithful laborers, read: "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he will send out laborers into his harvest." Matthew 9, verses 37 and 38; Luke 10, verse 2; Matthew 23, verse 34; Luke 11, verse 49; John 13, verse 20; Matthew 10, verse 40; Luke 10, verse 16; Matthew 25, verse 14; Luke 19, verse 12; John 20, verse 21.

How necessary these ministers are, and how they shall teach the Word of God, and be qualified, read

"Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them, and who may go in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd." Numbers 27, verses 16 and 17.

"I will give you pastors according to my heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3, verse 15.

"For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God," and so on. John 3, verse 34; John 7, verse 18.

"If any man speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man ministers, let him do it as of the ability which God gives, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ," and so on. First Peter 4, verse 11.

"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Second Peter 1, verse 21.

"For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you: if anyone is blameless," and so on. Titus 1, verses 5 and 6.

Of their qualifications, and how they are to minister after their examination, read: First Timothy 3 throughout; First Corinthians 12, verse 28; Romans 12, verse 7; Ephesians 4, verse 11.

Concerning the way in which they are to be chosen, read: "We have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the churches; and not that only, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us, with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind." Second Corinthians 8, verses 18 and 19; Acts 1, verse 23.

"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." Acts 13, verses 2 and 3; Acts 20, verse 28.

"The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." Second Timothy 2, verse 2.

"Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight of it, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock." First Peter 5, verses 2 and 3.

Of the election and confirmation of deacons, read: "It is not right that we should leave the Word of God, and serve tables. Therefore, brothers, look out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." "Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them." Acts 6, verses 2, 3 and 6; First Timothy 3, verses 8 to 10.