Receiving the Mantle of Ministry

Three Pastors Ordained at Mt. Pisgah Church

One of the great joys of doing full-time ministry for the Lord is the friendships that are forged along the way.

Every pastor has the blessing of developing friendships that often last a lifetime and often reach beyond the time of service in a district. There is also a need for pastors to have colleagues to whom they can turn for counsel, mentorship, and support. In the Carolinas, we encourage our pastors to network with one another and to look for those special opportunities where they can work together and support each other in ministry.

On Sabbath, June 15, at the Mount Pisgah Academy Church, three of our pastors had the blessing of sharing a milestone in ministry as they were ordained to the Gospel Ministry within the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church. Pastors Josue Sanchez, Jonathan Mairena, and Josias Flores gathered with conference leaders, family, friends, and many loving church family members for their ordination service.

The Lord has graciously sent us many kind, loving, hardworking, Christ-like pastors, and those qualities shone through as each candidate was recommended for ordination, challenged by conference leaders, and stepped forward to accept the challenge to be like Jesus in all they do for Him. Pastors Josias and Jonathan both come from pastoral families and have followed in the footsteps of their dads. Pastor Julio Flores was present to recommend his son for ordination, but Pastor Mairena’s father is resting in Jesus. However, Elder Smith Castillo, Associate Director of Education for the Texas Conference, recommended Pastor Mairena and presented him with his dad’s Bible and guitar. Tears of joy streamed from Pastor Mairena’s eyes, and everyone present was touched by the amazing gesture. Another Carolina pastor, Ross Knight of the Raleigh Church, wholeheartedly recommended Pastor Sanchez as he spoke of their friendship and ongoing ministry together in the Raleigh area.

Elder Hector Gonzalez (left), guest speaker and Carolina Conference Youth Director, brought the message of the evening. As he addressed each pastor, he assured those in attendance that the future of the Carolina Conference is in good hands because of the faithfulness of each of the three pastors being ordained.

Elder Leslie and Mrs. Carole Louis welcomed the pastors and their wives to the worldwide body of ordained ministers and encouraged them to stay faithful to the Master, to know the message He has given them, to know the moment of God’s perfect timing in ministry, and to know the unique mission of the Adventist Church.

Ordination does not confer special holiness or elevate our pastors above any other member of the church. It is simply the church saying that we recognize the unique calling of God upon the lives of our pastors and authorizing them to perform ministry anywhere within the world field. They must do so in harmony with scriptural teaching and the established protocols of the Adventist Church. Alongside these newly ordained pastors, may each of us take up the mantle of discipleship and work together to take this “gospel of the kingdom” to “all the world as a witness to all nations” (Matthew 24:14).

—Darryl Bentley, Assoc. Ministerial Director