All candidates for licensing or ordination must be of the necessary experience and qualifications, and shall have demonstrated their ability to undertake the responsibilities of the ministry.

No minister shall be ordained or licensed until he/she have been engaged in the active work of the ministry and exhibits a teachable spirit.

The LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee shall have the authority to examine all candidates and make a decision pertaining to their suitability for ordination, licensing or commissioning.

Credentials may be terminated by the removal of the minister from the authority of LOJM or by discipline as set forth concerning those in fellowship. Ordination and Licensing credentials shall be valid only when signed by Reverend Monita Dukhia, has the corporate seal affixed and has not expired. Credentials shall be renewed every 2 years based on the minister’s performance and standing in the organisation.

If a minister who is ordained or licensed by LOJM engages in behaviour that violates the LOJM Code of Ethics, or in inappropriate moral and legal behaviour or fails to adhere to biblical principles this constitutes ministerial misconduct and the offending minister will be subjected to ministerial discipline by LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee which may result in withdrawal of ordination or licensing.

The LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee shall establish various offices of ministers who shall minister in the church and congregation in the following categories:

• Ordained Minister/Pastor
• Licensed Minister
• Commissioned Lay Worker or Youth Leader

Ordained Minister/Pastor

Those who are called and anointed by God to minister to the Body of Christ as recognised and confirmed by the public laying on of hands by the LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee. This level of licensure require the highest form of accountability and a designated number of years of ministry experience. This ministerial recognition is given to those persons who have an “established” or “proven” ministry and are capable of handling the spiritual tasks of an LOJM branch. He/she should be ready, as determined by the LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee, to take charge of a LOJM congregation or is already in charge of one. Ordained ministers are authorised to perform all functions of the Christian ministry and sacerdotal services, and must be capable of doing so. The ordained minister must exhibit a teachable spirit, be humble and willing to engage in furthering his/her biblical and theological proficiency and meet all other criteria as determined by the LOJM Ordination and Licensing committee.

Licensed Minister

Those who are called and anointed by God to minister to the Body of Christ and are under training of an LOJM Ordained minister. The licensed minister status may be a given to a person who has become a part of the pastoral staff. He or she will be under training of an Ordained LOJM minister and can perform marriages, conduct funeral rites, baptisms under the supervision of the appointed ordained minister. This ministerial recognition includes those who are somewhat seasoned in the ministry, but need further experience. The licensed minister must exhibit a teachable spirit, be humble and willing to engage in furthering their biblical and theological proficiency and meet all other criteria as determined by the ministerial licensing committee.

Commissioned Lay Worker or Youth Leader

Those who have recognised the call and anointing of God on their lives but who have just entered into the ministry and if such anointing and call is confirmed, work their way to LOJM licensing and ordination. The commissioned Lay Worker or Youth Leader designation may be issued to a member of the church who has a proven record of commitment, who reflects such in his/her life and has volunteered to help with the work of the ministry. The work may be that of making hospital visits, leading youth meetings, praying for the sick and invalids, involved in door to door evangelism or working in the church. The holders of this type of Lay License do not have the privilege to perform marriages, conduct ordinances etc but assist the LOJM Ordained Pastor or Licensed Minister in the execution of their ministerial duties.

The Lay Workers of LOJM will be recommended by the Ordained Pastor or Licensed pastor of their branch and must meet all other criteria as determined by the ministerial licensing program.

Qualities of LOJM Ministers:

For Ordination and Licensing in LOJM, the LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee will utilise certain qualities to assess the suitability of the candidate that demonstrates God’s call on his/her life. There are five (5) qualities that LOJM need to see in a man or woman of God before will consider them as candidate for a minister license which are listed below:

Character

Is the candidate a person of integrity? Integrity is the ability to maintain godliness regardless of conforming pressures. It develops in proportion to our level of godly fear; it is evidenced in true humility, and uncompromising obedience to God’s authoritative Word. Integrity consists of honesty in all things including his/her preaching. Does he/she tell the truth in love, or is he/she a man pleaser? LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee will utilise the following scripture to ascertain a candidate’s integrity:

“Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:7-10

Spiritual Maturity

Is the candidate having consistent daily devotional time with the Lord? One of the things that Jesus did on a regular basis was to find a solitary place to go and spend time with God the Father to seek His will which kept Him connected to God as per the following scripture: “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” Matthew 14:23 As ministers of Christ we must take daily time for prayer and devotional time with Christ which keep the minister connected to Christ and His will and purpose for their lives.

People Skills

LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee recognises the importance of its ministers to be able to deal with people whilst exhibiting the fruits of the spirit according to the following scripture: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 For those who have a ministerial call on their lives but do not exhibit the fruits of the Holy Spirit, Reverend Dukhia or the appointed Ordained/Licensed LOJM pastors will mentor the person in Christlike love to help them improve their people skills so they can labour effectively in Christ’s vineyard.

Godly Wisdom

God’s wisdom can never be underestimated. The everyday ability of the minister to make good sound decisions will never go unnoticed but bad decisions can bring disgrace and destruction to the organisation and the Spiritual Body of Christ as a whole. LOJM places great importance on the operation of the Holy Spirit and Godly wisdom in the lives of its ministers. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and as a shepherd it is vital to look for God’s wisdom in a candidate as it surely signifies that he or she fears the Lord.
A person that lacks wisdom will never be able to successfully use acquired knowledge to build character, perseverance and other useful life disciplines that will reflect the Lord in his/her life.A minister can only demonstrate Godly wisdom in their ministry through the operation of the Holy Spirit in their lives according to the following scripture:

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 2:12-13

LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee will evaluate the operation of the Holy Spirit in the life of the minister seeking credentials.

Student of the Word

A licensed and/or ordained minister will be in a position of influence and will teach by example and by preaching. This responsibility requires the minister to be a student of God’s Word according to the following scripture:

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2Timothy 2:15

Learning from God’s Word is a lifelong, insatiable passion of the minister that LOJM ministers should actively engage in. Although the LOJM Ordination and Licensing Committee does not insist on a candidate seeking credentials to have certain theology education prior to Ordination or Licensing, the Committee does not place a premium on ignorance either and expects the candidate to continue to study the Word of God through self study and formal theology education.