ORDINATION PAPER

Daniel S. Orozco 5631 SW 17th Ter. Topeka, KS 66604 (785) 273-1207 – Home (785) 233-4241 – Work

seeking ordination in the ABC/USA as recommended by West Side Baptist Church

Personal Christian Experience  

Throughout my life, I have always had some sense of God. At least, I have had a sense

of something larger than myself, although that being has not always been the True and Living God, YHWH. I was born in Topeka, Kansas, though I lived the first years of my life in Chanute. I grew up in a household that, to my earliest recollection, attended Catholic Mass on a holiday basis, and I was sent to the local Catholic daycare and preschool. We moved to Topeka when I was 6 years of age due to situations within my family, and at that time my affiliation with any church mostly came to an end. For various reasons, I led a very troubled childhood. Theological concerns were not things I was very interested in pondering. I was about twelve years of age when I woke up one day and began wondering why we were even here. My existential angst led me to ask my grandmother to attend Mass with her on Sunday mornings.    

I threw myself into learning as much as possible about the Catholic faith, and eventually

began taking the adult catechism class out of curiosity. At this point I realized some of what was being taught was not in line with the Bible. Even then, I realized if we are to claim the Bible as our authoritative source of knowledge, we must stay in line with what our source of authority says. I found the explanations offered tenuous at best and left the Catholic Church about the time I entered Eighth Grade. The only clear avenue I saw presented to me had turned to a dead-end, thus I picked up the writings of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche. Even as young as I was, I found Kierkegaard’s existentialism overly optimistic and rooted in one’s imagination rather than finding any foothold in reality. It was the works of Nietzsche which caught my eye and influenced my young life tremendously.   

My experience with the Catholic Church and their inability to defend with scripture what

they held as true convinced me the entire Bible must be false. Therefore, it was with great pleasure I began to entertain myself by doing all within my power to destroy anyone’s faith in anything—especially Christianity. Still I found myself less and less fulfilled by anything I did. Just prior to my senior year of high school, the Lord brought me to a karate dojo. My step-brother, also a die-hard anti-Christian, had been studying karate at a Christian karate 2   

academy. He invited me to come and try the academy’s style of martial arts. After several weeks, the door was opened for the sensei to engage me in a conversation about Jesus which ultimately led me to commit to following the Christ. One year later, life had turned for me. The summer after my senior year of high school, the opportunity to commit to vocational ministry was afforded to me through Christ In Youth Summer Conference. I resisted, telling myself that I would not haphazardly make that commitment and make myself a target for Satan. I began praying about what I should do with my life. I was studying music at Washburn University, but felt that might not be what the Lord wanted. So I began to pray about what to do with my life. I said to God, “Lord, if you want me in the ministry or something, you had better tell me now. I will not go anywhere after my first year of college is done, because it would cost too much money to lose that many hours.” Of course, the Lord has a sense of humor. He laid on my heart the call to devote myself to the professional ministry of preaching and teaching. The next year I packed up to attend Manhattan Christian College. I graduated three years later and became pastor of a small congregation in Hartford, Kansas. I stayed in Hartford for two years, during which time I married my sweetheart of five years and was ordained in the Independent Christian Church. After leaving Hartford, I was called as Associate Pastor of Family Life and Evangelism at West Side Baptist Church. As of today, I have served for several years in professional ministry and look forward to many more. My experiences growing up, as well as seeing what lay on the other side of disbelief in the True and Living God, have influenced my view of the ministry and, in particular, the outworking of the church’s mission. I have a great passion for evangelism and outreach stemming from my knowledge of the uselessness of life without Christ. I have a passion for meeting people where they most need to experience Jesus’ love, particularly at a point of crisis. I also have a great respect for the Lord’s gift of the mind. I believe, now more than ever, the local church must do a better job of nurturing believer’s minds and not just engaging the surface emotions. The church today has become so overly concerned with the quick “how to” we have forgotten the focus Scripture places on the development of our minds. To paraphrase James Sire, a noted Christian author, there is no Christian action without Christian thought, and 3   

there is no Christian thought without a Christian mind. I desire to preach and teach that which is valuable to all Christians: becoming emotionally mature believers who are critical thinkers, and then how to pass that on to others. I desire to make a contribution to the lives of all those I come in contact with; be it an idea that she never had before, or a new insight into Scripture which challenges him to live even closer to our Savior.   

I am currently on schedule to begin studies to become a Licensed Professional Counselor

through the counseling program at MidAmerica Nazarene University. As a pastor, I am often called upon to provide guidance and counseling to a variety of individuals. As I have ministered over the last several years, I have found that I particularly enjoy the counseling aspect of ministry. I’ve also come to realize the emotional and psychological wholeness of believers is an under-addressed need within the church.  

Though I did not know much about Baptists when I was called to West Side Baptist

Church, I began to learn the principles many Baptists embrace through the congregation of West Side and through my involvement at Central Seminary. I have found my convictions to be in accordance with Baptist principles. What attracts me most to the American Baptist Churches is the strong record of mission and justice which permeates the history of the ABC. Though I believe trust in Jesus transcends all human institutions and affiliations, I wish to join with others in the American Baptist tradition in the work of God’s Kingdom. I seek ordination in the American Baptist Churches so as to be recognized to be fully competent to minister within the American Baptist family, as my previous ordination is not recognized in the ABC. Ordination is the symbol of acceptance on behalf of the American Baptist Churches of my desire to minister within the American Baptist Churches. Ordination also serves to signify the recognition of my ability to serve other congregations within the ABC family should the need arise. Statement of Belief I. Scripture I believe the Bible, consisting of both the Old Testament and the New Testament, is the inspired and authoritative Word of God (2 Tim 2:16a; 1 Thess 2:13; 2 Pet 3:15-16). The inspiration that came upon the authors of both the Old and New Testament was by the Holy Spirit and not by human intuition or plan (2 Pet 1:20-21). This inspiration was dynamically 4   

inspired, which means that the author was active in the writing process (e.g. writing style, personality imposed upon text, etc.). Scripture is useful for all teaching and training, as well as rebuking (2 Tim 2:16b). All of God’s people are to immerse themselves into Scripture, both as children and as adults (Deut. 11:18-20). Scripture is “living and active” and has power to strike a person to the depths of his or her soul (Heb. 4:12). As the Living Word of the LORD, scripture’s historical/contextual meaning does not change, but the application of that meaning is in flux. II. God I believe that God is both immanent and transcendent (Ps 139:7-10; Isa 57:15). He is one eternal Divine being expressed in three equal persons. The Old and New Testament present God as one essential being (Ex 20:2-3; Isa 45:5-6, 46:9; Eph 4:4-6; Jas 2:19), yet there motif throughout the canon of Scripture which presents the Divinity as being in three parts (Mt 3:16; Mt 28:19; Jn 14:26; 1 Pet 1:2, et. al.). These sections clarify what the Apostles thought, as well as showing what Jesus himself may have thought regarding himself. We are presented with one Divinity in three persons, and each person expressed within the Godhead is fully divine. The Divinity created the earth and, with that creation, has a plan he will fulfill (Acts 2:23). The Creator started this plan in the work of creation, and inaugurated the eschaton, or the end of things, in the incarnation of himself in Jesus of Nazareth (Gen 3:14-15; Isa 16:10; Lk 24:44-46; Acts 3:18). The ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan will be found at the second coming of Jesus (Rev 13:8). God created everything by ordering the chaos by breath and word (Gen 1). The actual timing of creation is irrelevant; the fact that all things were created and that humanity was created in the image of God is center-stage. Genesis itself represents a criticism against other creation stories that existed at the time. God’s providence, or God’s continuing relationship with his creation, has both a directive and a permissive aspect. God’s plans will be accomplished regardless of human intervention (Isa 14:24-27). Yet God also has a permissive will evidenced by the conditional nature of many of God’s directives (note the many interactions between God and Israel). This leads me to conclude God allows humanity free will in many situations, while not ultimately affecting his long range goals. 5   

III. Humanity I believe humanity was created in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27). This makes humanity unique among all other created beings. Humanity was created perfect (Gen 1:31), but, due to the introduction of sin, all humanity is flawed (Gen 3, Rom 5:12ff). Humanity is now the special object of God’s redemptive activity (Rom 8:29); though there is a sense in which scripture speaks of the redemption of all creation—the restoration of creation to God’s intended purpose. Since humanity is fallen, the image of God is still present but marred. The image of the Almighty can be seen relationally (Gen 1:26-27), functionally (Gen 1:28), dynamically (2 Cor 4:4; Col 1:15), and in our ability to reason (John1:13). One of the first things humanity is charged with is dominion over all creation (Gen 1:26). This gives humanity certain obligations to that which God created. Though creation is marred due to the Fall, humans remain obligated to take care of God’s creation. Humanity’s primary role, however, is to worship the Divinity (Rom 12:1; Ex 34:14). IV. Sin We no longer like to talk about sin in our society, instead simplifying it to mere “mistake”. Therefore it is necessary to be clear on this particular area of theology. Though unpleasant, the Word of the LORD is full of references to “sin.” Both the Old Testament term (chatha) and the New Testament term (hamartia) for sin refer to the failure to live up to God’s standard—literally to “miss the mark.” Sin is the loss of shalom, wholeness, through the disruption of what humanity was created to be. Sin is something ultimately internal (Mark 7:14-23; Jer 17:9; Rom 7:8; Eph 2:3), though often with external expressions and/or consequences, and is universal (Rom 3:10—20, 23; Ps 143:2). Rather than being no more than a “mistake,” sin has many short and long-term effects. Sin corrupts our wants and desires in such a way that we attempt to fulfill these things outside God’s plan (Jn 3:19; Titus 3:3; Jas: 13-15). Sin distorts our understanding of spiritual truth (Rom 1:21; 8:4; 1 Cor 2:14, 2 Cor 4:4), enslaves (Jn 8:58; Rom 6:16-17, 20; 2 Pet 2:19), as well as perverts the nature of humans. Humans sometimes do right by nature (Rom 2:14-15), yet the Law was a demonstration humans could not always do right. There is condemnation because of sin. All face judgment because of sin (Acts 17:30-31; Rev 20:11-15), and without Jesus all is hopeless (Eph 2:12). It is through the relationship with 6   

Jesus that salvation comes (Jn 3:18, 36). Through sin death entered the world in three ways: physically (Gen 3:19), spiritually (Gen 2:12; Rom 8:9), and eternally (spiritual death becomes permanently established at physical death). Sin makes humans slaves, not free (Jn 3:34; Rom 6:12); there is self deceit instead of self awareness. Humanity thinks they are better than they truly are (Jer 19:9), and we deny our own sinfulness while being quick to note sin in others (Mat. 7:3-5). V. Jesus of Nazareth I profess the kerygma, or the core teachings as found in the Gospels. I believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, the complete expression of God incarnated in humanity (Mark 1:1; Jn. 14:6; Rom 1:1-4). I believe Jesus was born of a virgin (Lk 1:30-35), performed many miracles to prove his divinity (Jn. 21:25), was crucified (Mt 27:26; Jn 19:16-18), died (Mk 15:37; Lk 23:46) and rose again on the third day (Lk 24:6; Mk 16:6). I believe Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father (Mk 16:19; Acts 2:23), and he will come again to judge the living and the dead (Rev 20:11-15). The atonement for humanity’s sin took place upon the cross (Eph 2:14-18), corrects the results of sin (alienation, bondage, condemnation, depravity, and eternal death), and is a demonstration of God’s holy love (Rom 3:26). The atonement is universal in that Jesus died for all and is available to all, but only those who profess and demonstrate trust in Jesus will benefit (Jn 1:29, 3:16; 1 Tim 4:10). VI. The Holy Spirit I believe the Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead, as the Holy Spirit is called part of the Divinity (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor 3:16). The Holy Spirit also possesses divine attributes such as: omniscience (1 Cor 2:10-11), omnipresence (Ps 139:7), eternality (Heb 9:14), power (Rom 15:18-19), holiness (Acts 1:8), and truth (1 Jn 5:6). The Holy Spirit is equal with God (Mt 3:1617; 28:19; Eph 4:4-6). The Holy Spirit’s work consists of creation (Gen 1:2; Job 33:4), as well as the inspiration of Scripture (2 Pet 1:21). The Holy Spirit confirms the message of Jesus (2 Cor 12:7; Heb 2:4) as well as brings glory to God (Mt 5:16; Jn 15:8; Eph 3:21). The Holy Spirit also empowers believers to do God’s work on earth through spiritual gifts (Acts 1:8; Eph 3:20).

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Spiritual gifts are given according to God’s grace (Rom 12:3, 6; 1 Cor 12:18, 24, 28), according to the Sprit’s choosing (1 Cor 12:7-11; Heb 2:4), and according to Jesus’ distribution (Eph 4:7-8, 11). The lists of spiritual gifts (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:6-8, 20-30; Eph 4:11-16; 1 Pet 4:10-11) are extensive but not exhaustive. Spiritual gifts are still active today as the church age itself is called “the ministry of the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:8); this is a time when God will pour out his spirit on all the earth (Isa 44:3; Ezek 37:14), and the church is an anointed community (2 Cor 1:21-22; 1 Jn 2:20, 27). Pentecost has not been repealed, so this still stands. Spiritual gifts are needed for the unity, health, and growth of the church (1 Cor 12-14; Rom 12:1-21; Eph 4:3, 11-16), as well as spiritual warfare (Mt 16:18; Eph 6:1-18). We are also told to beware of “religion without power” (1 Cor 2:4; Gal 3:1-4; 2 Tim 3:5). Jesus promised not to abandon the church (Mt 28:18-20; Jn 14:18; Acts 2:17). All spiritual gifts are still active today, though not necessarily in the same capacity in which they were practiced in the New Testament (particularly the sign gifts). VII. Salvation The process of salvation is represented in the Bible as having 5 aspects: repentance, faith, confession, regeneration, and baptism. It becomes quickly apparent each of the five aspects somehow plays a role in salvation. God took the initiative in salvation (Rom 5: 23-24; 5:8), and it becomes the responsibility of human beings to respond to God’s initiative (e.g. repent, believe, confess, etc.). God makes salvation available to all (1 Tim 2:3-4), though not all will accept (Matt. 25:32-33). VIII. The Church The church is that it is made up of those who trust that Jesus is the fullest revelation of God and have entered into a new relationship with God and one another (1 Cor 1:9-10). Jesus is head of the church (Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18; Col. 1:24), and the Holy Spirit empowers and guides the activity of the church (1 Cor 12-14, et.al.). This church is both visible and invisible, and includes those who now live as well as those who have gone before. The mission of the church is to proclaim the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 11:26; Mt 28:19-20). I believe that the church is commissioned by Jesus himself in order that the whole world should come to have faith in him through the teaching of the Gospel (Mt 28:18-20). In short, it is the discipleship of the nations. 8   

It is best to understand this mission in two parts—evangelism/witness (i.e. prediscipleship) (Lk 12:8) and growth towards Christ’s likeness (2 Cor. 3:18). There are two means of discipleship: teaching (Mt 28:19-20) and equipping (4:11-16). Rick Warren in his book Purpose Driven Church observes five facets of the church in which teaching and equipping take place: worship, fellowship, education (it is here which I deviate from Warren), service, and witness. These form the progression by which those in the community are made into Christ’s likeness and sent out to disciple others. Worship is both corporate and individual and includes: singing (Eph 5:19), praying (Ps 95:6), hearing of the sermon (Rom 10:17); studying the Word (Jn 17:17), and through the taking of communion (1 Cor 11:23-26). Worship is a lifestyle, and includes every moment of every day (Rom 12:1-2). Fellowship is literally “sharing participation.” Good examples of fellowship in action are the “one another” passages (Jn 15:12; Rom 12:10-21, et. al.). To fellowship with one another is to literally share the joys as well as the pain; to support one another through good and bad. Fellowship also includes church discipline (Mt 18:15-18; Gal 6:1-2) because it is the loving restoration of the believer. Education, in a formal sense, is a large part of the discipleship process (Eph 4:11-16; 1 Tim 4:7; Heb 6:1; 2 Pet 3:16). Education within the church should be seen as all encompassing (i.e., teaches doctrine, biblical interpretation, etc.). The education offered by the church should facilitate growth and maturity in Christ. Service should be based upon spiritual gifts since all believers have been given gifts and should use them accordingly (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12; Eph 4:7-13; 1 Pet 4:10-11). Evangelism, or the purposeful sharing of God’s redemptive work through the person of Jesus, is something that all are called to participate in. The manner of evangelism may take different forms depending upon one’s giftedness (Acts 1:8; Rom 10:14-15; 2 Cor 5:11-21). Church leadership can be carried out by both men and women, provided that each person selected to lead adheres to the appropriate standard of behavior and integrity (Titus 1:5-9; 1 Tim 5:17-20). However, it is clear that we do our best work when partnered together rather than one sex needing to be superior or over the other. When we work together as men and women we express most fully the image of God (Gen 1:26). 9   

IX. Ordinances There are two major ordinances inherent in church life: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism was participated in and ordained by Jesus himself (Mk 1:9-13; Matt 28:16-20). Baptism is a symbol of identification with Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection (Rom 6:3-4), as well as a public identification with other believers (1 Cor 12:13). Looked at through the prism of the above outlined framework, baptism is the beginning of one’s life within the Christian community. There is also a strong link in the Pauline writings between the Christian act of baptism and the Old Testament covenants—especially the Abrahamic covenant and the act of circumcision that characterized it (Col. 2:11-12). Peter also links baptism and the Noahic covenant (1 Pet 3:19-21). The act of baptism is expected of all believers who have been introduced to the concept through scripture. “Baptism is the seal of the salvation covenant, which itself has been accomplished beforehand by the act of [Jesus] and the faithful decision of the individual.” 1 In other words, baptism represents the first act of obedience of those who seek to follow Jesus. It would have been inconceivable to the writers of the New Testament that one professing trust in Jesus would not also undertake baptism. It should be noted baptism is at no point claimed to have the power to redeem. There is no magic in or above the water; it is the pledge of a good conscience towards God that is important (1 Pet 3:21). While there may be some legitimate situational challenges (end of life issues, etc.) it is generally unacceptable in the eyes of scripture to claim trust in Jesus and refuse baptism. Baptism is to be done by full immersion in the manner of Jesus (Mat 3:16) and in the same manner used by the early church. Only those who have passed the “age of accountability” (those who know what sin is and can acknowledge the fact that they are indeed sinners) may be baptized. Those who are baptized should be considered to have made a full and acceptable declaration of Jesus, and should be considered for membership regardless of previous denominational affiliation. The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the church started by Jesus himself to commemorate and proclaim his death until he comes again (1 Cor 11:26). The words are symbolic, and the act of communion is one of obedience (Mt 26:26-28). Communion is to                                                              1

“Baptism” Tyndale Bible Dictionary 144-146. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale, 2001.

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remind believers of the in-breaking of the kingdom and of Christ’s death, to proclaim the Gospel, and to reaffirm the commitments which were made at baptism. It expresses the fulfillment of Passover and reminds the believer of the imminent return of the Savior. Communion is open to all who confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. X. The Last Things In the discussion of last things, it is important to remember eternity is always at hand (1 Cor 1:7; Titus 2:13; Jude 21; Rev 22:10). The Bible speaks of two ages, the present age (Mk 10:30; Titus 2:12) and the age to come (Mat 12:32; Mk 10:30; Heb 6:5), which is separated and partially encompassed by the “Day” of the Lord. This “day” is a period of time, not a literal day, in which the Almighty will judge the world. The Old Testament spoke of a “Day of the Lord” (Joel 2:28-32; Mal 3:2-5; Mal 4:5) which was fulfilled in the incarnation of Jesus and the events surrounding it. Joel 2:28ff was fulfilled on Pentecost (Acts 2), Mal. 3:2-5 and Mal 4:5 was fulfilled in John the Baptist (Mt 11:915) and Jesus (Mk 1:14-15; Mt 12:22-29; Rev 20:1-3). The Old Testament was speaking of the time when the Lord infiltrates the present evil age with the age to come. We are now living in the “already” and the “not yet;” a time when the kingdom has been initiated by Jesus, but has not been fully realized (Mt 12:22-29). The Kingdom of God, the age to come, has dawned without doing away with the world (the present age). The age to come will arrive when the fullness of the Kingdom is consummated at the end of time. The understanding of death is not fully developed in the Old Testament. Some passages suggest that death is the end of existence (Job 7:9-10; Ecc 9:5-6, 10; Isa 26:14), some suggest a shadowy existence after death (Ps 88:10-12; Isa 14:9-10), yet some contain expressions of hope (Dan 12:2-3; Ps 49:13-15). It was Jesus’ death and resurrection, however, which enlarged the understanding of death and brought about a more certain hope for life after death. Death was not the Creator’s original plan (Gen 2:17). Jesus reigns victorious over sin, and he freed us from the fear of death (Heb 2:14-15). The cycle of “law-sin-death” was broken (Rom 8:1-2), and victory comes through Jesus (1 Cor 15:54-57). Death allows believers to be with the Lord (Acts 7:59; Phil 1:23; 2 Cor 5:8). Through death and entering into the presence of the Divinity, believers will rest from their labors (Rev 14:13-14). It is acceptable to grieve (Jn 11:33-35), but believers are not to grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thess 4:13-14). 11   

At the end, the dead will be resurrected and all will be judged (Rev 20:11-13). The state or place called Heaven in the New Testament is the final state of the righteous whereby the final completion of God’s plan concerning the reconciliation of his people is finished (Rev 21:3). In Heaven, believers will see and know the Divinity directly (1 Cor 13:9-12), all of the negative things which happen in the current “evil age” (war, death, tears, etc.) will be over (Rev 20:10; 21:4), and believers will in some sense share in Jesus’ glory (Rom 5:2; 8:30; Col 3:4; 1 Pet 5:4). It is at this time that believers will be given new bodies (Phil 3:20-21). Heaven is not all standing around and singing (Rev 15:2-4), but will also include service (Rev 22:3) and rest (Heb 4:9-11). The state of the unrighteous dead is exile to an eternal quarantine of evil, otherwise referred to in the New Testament as Tartarus or Hell (Mat 13:42, 49-50; Jn 5:29; Jude 7; Rev 14:10-14). This quarantine is separation from the Divine (2 Thess 1:8-10), and is described as eternal (Mt 25:46; Mk 9:48; Rev 20:10). Hell is also described as “eternal fire” (Mt 25:4), the “second death” (Rev 21:8), “torment” (Rev 14:10-11), and it is expressed that there will be great weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt 8:12). XI. Ministerial Ethics I have read The Covenant and Code of Ethics for Ministerial Leaders of American Baptist Churches (amended 10/2004) and am in full agreement with the ethical tenants expressed therein. 

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