He urged ordained leaders to work with their congregations as a team, explaining that while an ordained leader has his/her special roles, everyone in the church has an important part to play. “The ordained leader is only one member in a team ministry, a fellowship of people who work together to carry out God’s plan,” he said.
He explained that ordination was a right by which a church sets apart, as ordained ministers, people who it believes to be specially gifted for a ministry of the Word and Sacraments, and for pastoral care of a congregation. He stressed that it is, however, important to be mindful that unordained leaders and lay-people also are involved in the service, which the church offers to God. “This important point is sometimes forgotten, and the ordained leader becomes the centre of all activities and takes the role of a ‘director’ who controls the church, and is regarded as the ‘boss’ because he is paid to do this work for the congregation,” the Bishop said. Touching on some of the roles of an ordained leaders Bishop Beleme, said ordained leaders have sacramental functions.
