Pastor Ron Libey of First Baptist Gwinn hosted an ordaining council, representing the ordained pastors of the other Upper Peninsula Southern Baptist Churches to make a formal inquiry and recommendation regarding Pastor Ian’s call and suitability to ministry. The council questioned Pastor Ian on many different theological topics to gauge his knowledge and position before opening the floor to the believers present in the audience. The believers asked an assortment of questions and then the council retired to deliberate on whether or not to ordain Pastor Ian.
The ordaining council came back with a unanimous decision to ordain Pastor Ian. Following this decision Dr. Herschel Smith gave a message on 2 Cor 3: 1-4 charging Pastor Ian to stay true to the calling and called for a laying on of hands. The individual council members and people in attendance then laid their hands on Pastor Ian and Stephanie followed by a message from Darren Greer on Acts 13 where Paul and Barnabas were commissioned in Antioch.
It was a great day for Catalyst and the Minielly’s. Pastor Ian is officially licensed and ordained through First Baptist Gwinn to share the gospel. This is a major milestone in all pastoral careers and Pastor Ian expressed his thankfulness to First Baptist Gwinn, the council, his mother for watching the dogs, and Stephanie for being there. As Pastor Ian likes to say, “Lets go fishing.”
Catalyst Baptist Church 