Ordination Charge

This is taken from the tape of the ordination charge delivered by Elder Hassell Wallis on April 9, 1967 at Whitehaven Primitive Baptist Church. Brethren Bobby Poe, James Rushing, and Zack Guess were ordained to the work of the gospel ministry.

1. Deliver the whole counsel of God-not what everyone wants to hear. Remember that God said

what is in the Bible.

2. Find out what God has said and do not be afraid to pass it on.

3. The minister is the only one who has to answer to God for what he preaches; therefore, he had
better keep a clean conscience. God is going to demand an account of your stewardship. You
are not going to have to answer to the people, so you had better not let them sway you on what
to preach. You must carry the message the way God said it.

4. Search the Scriptures. Dig in there and get it for yourself, and deliver it according to the mind
God has given you. Do not be a second-hand preacher!

5. Do not be ashamed to tell it like it is in the Bible.

6. Pattern your life after the lives of the good preachers in the Bible.

Importance of the Office of the Ministry

1. Everybody says with the mouth that the gospel ministry in the highest calling in the world;
then they live in a way that denies this. Do not treat your office this way!

2. This is a life and death situation. The blood of the people is on our hands. If we do not warn

them and the enemy takes them into captivity, God is going to demand of us why we were
unfaithful.

3. Who has ever been strong without a few troubles to overcome?

4. The people may turn their faces to us like flint, but that is just what the Bible says they will
do. Do not bow to this. Do not yield to this. Do not prophesy smooth things.

5. Remember that your position is the most esteemed on earth; you are carrying God's message.

6. The churches we are serving ought to be moving and on fire for God. We should be setting the
world on fire.

7. Your prayer should be, "Saturate my body, oh God, with the Holy Ghost, and set me on fire!"

8. Use your mind to the honor and glory of God. Paul did. God also got an old fisherman and
gave him boldness and power.

9. Charge the people boldly to repent and be baptized, and do not look at the floor when you do
it.

10. When men are under your charge some of them will loaf if you let them. When the boss
comes by, he won't chastise the men who loaf; he will chastise the leader!

11. All the preachers put together are not your judge. God Almighty is your judge!

12. You had better follow the pattern of the Bible. You may seek advice, but you must get your
information out of the Bible.

13. Study to show yourself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.

14. The Devil does not want you to do one thing that I have told you thus far. Jesus answered the
Devil with the word of God.

15. If everybody in the church goes to sleep or goes home mad, you just preach and make sure
you have a clean conscience before God. They do not have to answer for you, anyway. God
is going to ask you, "Have you warned my people?"

Ezekiel 33: 1-7

1. People have come to me, belittled what I stood for, and called me names. They have told me

that I had better watch out. However, they did not bring any Scriptures with them.

2. It must be immaterial with us whether or not the people accept God's way. We must be faithful
no matter what they do.

3. When I think that God will require these sheep of me, it scares me to death.

4. They criticized Jesus when He had time for the little children. The little children cannot take
care of themselves. Their blood will be required of you.

5. When I began to get the little children up at Pine Hill, I got no encouragement. Neither did
anyone ask, "I wonder what God thinks about this?" Instead, they asked, "I wonder what Elder
so-and-so will think about it?" If you live by what Elder so-and-so says, you might as well
fold up and sit down now.

Luke 16:1,2

God has entrusted us with His gospel and kingdom. The worst thing that could happen would be for us to be cowardly. If we know in our hearts that we have sold out, we will die unhappy.

1 Corinthians 4:1-3

1. We will get low and we will become baffled. However, if we get up before our flocks and
moan and groan, how will the house of God know what to do?

2. If you are not stronger than the flock you are called to lead, you will never be able to help them
one bit in the world. We are supposed to be strong men. Pray that God will let us be strong
men. Pray that we might be able to lead those that need leadership, lest He take our
stewardship away.

3. When you get petty criticism, let it go in one ear and out the other. Get on your knees before
God and ask Him to judge you. Do the best you can, pray, and go on.

4. God can send an angel to you, deliver your soul, and say, "All is well."

5. I am not interested in these people that poke fun at me today. They may say, "Hassell Wallis is
no defender of the doctrine." I am only interested in whether God is pleased with me.

Conclusion

Don't forget--We have got to answer to God. Let the Lord Jesus Christ be our pattern. Always look to Him, and run the race with patience. Do this and you will always be victorious.