>Last Saturday, June 3, 2006, we held graduation exercises for a group of men and women who graduated from Northern Baptist Seminary.  Graduation is a special day in the life of Northern Seminary because that is the day when we celebrate the achievement of those who spent years preparing themselves for a life of ministry.

A good seminary education offers the necessary skill for those who want to be in pastoral ministry.  Although men and women may be licensed and ordained without a seminary education, many communities of faith require a seminary education before ordaining an individual for the ministry of the gospel.

In order to honor our graduating students, my colleague Charles Cosgrove, Professor of New Testament at Northern Baptist Seminary, composed a beautiful hymn which was sung by the seminary choir.  The words of the hymn reflect the call of a prophet:

Send Me

In God’s house trembling, the Lord’s glory streaming, the prophet knelt.
Touched on the lip and by a coal from the altar, he heard God’s call.

Refrain
Whom shall I send to the people who dwell in the shadow of death?
Who will bring glad tidings to Zion, who will take my word to the world?
Here I am.  I’m your servant and I will go.
Anoint me and I will go. Send me and I will go.

Out in the streets where the poor and the broken pass, stood God’s child.
Touched in the heart by the fire of God’s love, she heard God’s call.

© Charles Cosgrove 2006

I had two roles in the graduation ceremonies.  I served as the Faculty Marshall and prayed the prayer of commissioning of the 2006 graduates.  Below is the prayer I offered on behalf of the graduates.  I dedicate this prayer to all my readers who are ministers of God’s Word.     

Commissioning God’s Ministers

Lord, we have come to this day of achievement to commission these men and women to the work of the ministry.  They have labored hard to finish their training, they have prepared themselves well for the work of the Kingdom, they have equipped themselves spiritually and mentally to be shepherds of your flock.

Lord, you are the one who calls and equips people for the work of the church.  Thank you for the confidence you have shown us in calling us to do your work.  Thank you for being the God of our vocation and the Lord of our call.

These who are graduating today have reached this day of celebration because you have anointed them with your Spirit and you have commissioned them to preach the good news to the poor, to comfort those who are brokenhearted, to proclaim release to those who are spiritually captives, and to proclaim freedom to those who are in bondage.

To you who are entering the work of the ministry, I commend you to the Almighty God.  As you go to your places of ministry, go under the authority of Jesus Christ.  As you serve, revive in others the desire to serve in the name of God.  As you pray, rekindle the gift of the Holy Spirit in you.  As you preach, be faithful to the mysteries of the Gospel that has been intrusted to you.  As you teach, give people hope.

Be a good shepherd of God’s flock. In your ministry, be like the good shepherd who looks for the scattered flock. Take care of God’s flock, give them a place to lie down in peace. Feed your flock, take care of the weak, tend the sick, bind up the injured. Look for those who have wandered away and are lost. Do not rule over the people of God with harshness and cruelty.

As ministers of Jesus Christ, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.  Pray without ceasing.  Let God’s Word be a light unto your path.  Do not neglect the gift of the Holy Spirit.  

And now, I commend you to the grace of the Almighty God.

As you follow the leading of God in your life, I bless you in the name of the Triune God.

I bless you in the name of the Father:
May the LORD bless you and keep you.

I bless you in the name of the Son:
May the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

I bless you in the name of the Holy Spirit:
May the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Amen.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary