1996 Book of Discipline: Paragraph 310| General Conference 2000

Section III. Clergy Orders in The United Methodist Church

¶ 310. Orders in Relation to the Ministry of All Christians--Baptism is God's gift of unmerited grace through the Holy Spirit. It is an incorporation into Christ which marks the entrance of persons into the church and its ministry (Romans: 6:3, 4, 18).

The New Testament witness to Jesus Christ makes clear that the primary form of his ministry in God's name is that of service, diakonia, in the world. Very early in its history, the church came to understand that all of its members were commissioned in baptism to ministries of love, justice, and service within local congregations and the larger communities in which they lived; all who follow Jesus have a share in the ministry of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve. There is thus a general ministry of all baptized Christians (see ¶¶ 105{-107).

Within the people of God, some persons are called to the ministry of deacon. The words deacon, deaconess, and diaconate all spring from a common Greek root--diakonos, or "servant," and diakonia, or "service." Very early in its history the church, as an act of worship and praise of God, instituted an order of ordained ministers to personify or focus the servanthood to which all Christians are called. These people were named deacons. This ministry exemplifies and leads the Church in the servanthood every Christian is called to live both in the church and the world. The deacon embodies the interrelationship between worship in the gathered community and service to God in the world.

Within the people of God, other persons are called to the ministry of elder. The elders carry on the historic work of the presbyteros in the life of the Church. Beginning in some of the very early Christian communities, the presbyteros assisted the bishop in leading the gathered community in the celebration of sacraments and the guidance and care of its communal life. The ministry of elder exemplifies and leads the Church in service to God in the world, in remembering and celebrating the gifts of God and living faithfully in response to God's grace.



	1996 Discipline ¶ 310
	`Section III. Clergy Orders in The United Methodist Church` `¶ 310. Orders in Relation to the Ministry of All Christians--Baptism is God's gift of unmerited grace through the Holy Spirit. It is an incorporation into Christ which marks the entrance of persons into the church and its ministry (Romans: 6:3, 4, 18).` The New Testament witness to Jesus Christ makes clear that the primary form of his ministry in God's name is that of service, diakonia, in the world. Very early in its history, the church came to understand that all of its members were commissioned in baptism to ministries of love, justice, and service within local congregations and the larger communities in which they lived; all who follow Jesus have a share in the ministry of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve. There is thus a general ministry of all baptized Christians (see ¶¶ 105{-107). Within the people of God, some persons are called to the ministry of deacon. The words deacon, deaconess, and diaconate all spring from a common Greek root--diakonos, or "servant," and diakonia, or "service." Very early in its history the church, as an act of worship and praise of God, instituted an order of ordained ministers to personify or focus the servanthood to which all Christians are called. These people were named deacons. This ministry exemplifies and leads the Church in the servanthood every Christian is called to live both in the church and the world. The deacon embodies the interrelationship between worship in the gathered community and service to God in the world. Within the people of God, other persons are called to the ministry of elder. The elders carry on the historic work of the presbyteros in the life of the Church. Beginning in some of the very early Christian communities, the presbyteros assisted the bishop in leading the gathered community in the celebration of sacraments and the guidance and care of its communal life. The ministry of elder exemplifies and leads the Church in service to God in the world, in remembering and celebrating the gifts of God and living faithfully in response to God's grace.
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1996 Discipline ¶ 310