Who Really Are God's Ministers?

According to the Bible, all of Jehovah's worshipers-heavenly and earthly-are  ministers.  Angels ministered to Jesus.  (Matthew 4:11; 26:53; Luke 22:43)  Angels also "minister for those  who are going to inherit salvation."  (Hebrews 1:14; Matthew 18:10)  Jesus was a minister.  He said: "The Son of man came, not to  be ministered to, but to minister."  (Matthew 20:28; Romans 15:8)  Therefore, since Jesus' followers were to "follow his steps closely," it is not surprising that they too must be ministers. -1 Peter 2:21.

Shortly before his ascension to heaven,Jesus said to his disciples: "Go . . . make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you."  (Matthew 28:19, 20) Jesus' disciples were to be disciple-makers-ministers. The new disciples they make would learn to observe all the things Jesus commanded, including the command to go forth and make disciples. Man or woman, adult or child, a true disciple of Jesus Christ would be a minister.  Joel 2:28, 29.

In harmony with this, on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E. , all of Jesus' disciples present, men and women, joined in telling forth "the magnificent things of God."  (Acts 2:1-11)  Further, the apostle Paul wrote:  "With  the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation."  (Romans  10:10)   Paul addressed those words, not to a restricted clergy class, but "to all those who [were] in Rome as God's beloved ones."  (Romans 1:1, 7)  Similarly, all 'the holy ones in Ephesus and faithful ones in union with Christ Jesus  were to have their "feet shod with the equipment or the good news of peace."  (Ephesians 1:1; 6:15)  And all those who heard the letter addressed to the Hebrews were to 'hold fast  the public declaration of their hope without wavering.' -Hebrews 10:23.

When, though, does a person become a minister?  In other words, when is he ordained?And who ordains him?

Next time: Ordination As A Minister -When?

The Watchtower, 2000