05 Apr Charleston Church Plant | Ordination

Will Plonk, the campus pastor at our Downtown campus, has been on staff at Grace Church for five years. During that time, God has grown a desire in him to plant a church in the city of Charleston that is focused on community, biblical teaching, and equipping people for life change and service.

With such an ambitious calling, the leadership at Grace Church asked Will to undergo a process of ordination. Because these leaders have been able to observe and serve alongside Will during his college years, an internship, a full time staff position, and campus leadership, ordination was simply the next step to reflect publicly what Will was already proving privately.

Based on the Latin root word of ordinare which is to “put in order”, ordination is the ceremony of bestowing a person with a position of religious authority. Will showed humility and perseverance in submitting to the opportunity to be examined, evaluated, and ultimately stand under intense scrutiny.

As part of his ordination process, Will was asked to contemplate, study, and preach a series of messages to the pastors and non-staff elders of Grace Church. In three sessions over a period of several months, he shared from God’s Word about the life, character, and work of a pastor. Will was also asked to include his thoughts on specific deficiencies of our church, as well as be prepared to answer intense and pointed questions from this group of leaders.

The ordination process has demonstrated that Will is a qualified leader in the Church. His gifts are apparent; his talents are proven; and his character has been tested. On Sunday night, March 12, elders and pastors gathered at our Downtown Campus for a special ordination ceremony which served to memorialize the weight that Will now carries, as well as publicly acknowledge the work of God in his life.

As we move through 2017 and into 2018, we are excited for the next steps God has in store for Will, his wife Mallie, and their two daughters.

We Choose Charleston for our first church plant in order to see a vibrant, biblically-oriented, discipleship-focused church established in this historic city. We believe God has called us to influence other churches to help them incorporate the lessons He has taught us, and one of the most effective ways to do this is to plant churches. For more information about Grace City Church visit thegracecity.com.