08/29/2026
I am deeply concerned by how casually we are elevating people into ministry who are simply not ready.
Ordination is not about filling positions, increasing numbers, handing out titles, or being able to say how many elders and ministers are connected to your church.
A title does not make you ready for ministry.
We have people carrying titles who do not know the Word they have been called to teach. People who have no consistent prayer life. People whose character has not been developed, whose lives have not demonstrated the discipline required of spiritual leadership, and who have not been properly discipled, trained, tested, or proven.
Yet we are calling them Ministers. Elders. Pastors. Leaders.
Scripture places qualifications on spiritual leadership for a reason.
Paul warned, “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands.” — 1 Timothy 5:22
He also made it clear that leaders must be above reproach, spiritually mature, disciplined, able to teach, and have a good testimony. — 1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9
And James reminds us that those who teach will be judged with greater strictness. — James 3:1
Ministry is not a popularity contest, and ordination is not a participation trophy.
If God has entrusted you with the authority to affirm and elevate people into ministry, you have a responsibility to steward that authority with prayer, wisdom, discernment, and biblical integrity.
We must stop celebrating elevation without preparation.
Stop giving titles where there has been no training.
Stop confusing gifting with maturity.
Stop mistaking charisma for character.
And stop placing people in spiritual authority simply because we need bodies to fill positions.
Those of us who affirm, ordain, appoint, and elevate leaders must remember: we are accountable to God for how we steward His people and His Church.
The Church does not need more titles.
We need prepared, prayerful, biblically grounded, spiritually mature men and women who understand the weight of representing Christ.
Calling matters.
Character matters.
Doctrine matters.
Discipleship matters.
Preparation matters.
And when it comes to spiritual leadership, readiness matters.
