The Summit Church congregation in Boise, ID gathered on Sunday evening, March 27 to ordain Pastor Brian Merz to the Gospel Ministry. Rev. Duane Vaughn chaired the local Ordination Council which met previously on Saturday, January 27. The Council composed of delegates from sister Mission Northwest churches examined Brian and recommended that Summit Church proceed to ordain Brian. Brian’s ordination meets the standard ABC-USA requirements to have his local church ordination recognized by the Region and ABC-USA. Brian has served in various roles in his 26.5 years of ministry at Summit and is deeply appreciated by the congregation. Presently he is the Discipleship Pastor. Pastor Jim Steiner is the lead pastor at Summit Church and preached the ordination message.

As the service concluded Brian led in a closing prayer, thus putting a fitting end to a wonderful service. His words strike the right tone of awe, gratitude and humility, each befitting the minister newly ordained. Here is Brian’s prayer:

Father in Heaven,

I come before you now, in prayer, and express my gratitude for all that you have provided leading up to tonight. As I reflect on the things that have been said and done here, it is clear that I have much to be thankful for. And I come before you, the giver of all good things, to express my gratitude.

I am most thankful for the salvation and new life you have given me through Jesus. You came into my life when I was still pretty young and didn't understand all that I was committing to. I am thankful for your ongoing presence and faithfulness to me over the years.

I am also thankful for the great privilege of serving you. You are a great King, High and Lifted up. And I am a sinful man. The fact that you would call me into your service says much more about you and your character than about me and mine. Thank you, Lord, for your call upon my life. I gladly embrace all that you have called me to do as a pastor of your people.

I am thankful for your church, expressed here at The Summit. In Psalm 122, David wrote, "I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’" Those words express my feelings toward this church. I am so glad when it's time for us to gather to worship. I am glad that I get to serve here among this group of people. I have seen firsthand your great love and compassion in this group of people toward me and my family. I say Thank You, God, for The Summit.

I am thankful for other pastors and the work they have done in my life. Some are gathered here tonight, others are scattered throughout our community and the world, some are in heaven with you now. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I have been sharpened and honed as a pastor by the your work through these pastors. I am thankful for the relationships we share and the joy of working along side them in your field.

I thank you in particular for Jim Steiner. He has been not only my pastor but also a mentor and friend. It has been a great privilege to serve with him for 26 years at The Summit Church.

I am thankful for my family, for the upbringing and support of my parents. But I am especially thankful for my wife. She has been a partner and friend in ministry. I don't know where I'd be without her. Thank you, Lord, for giving her to me and using her to teach me about yourself.

So in reflecting on tonight, I come and say Thank You Lord.

But I also look forward to your continued work in and through me. The apostle Paul writes that he was "confident of this, that he who began a good work in [him] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. " I have that same confidence – that you have not only begun a good thing in me, but you will continue to bring it to completion. I believe that for our church as well – that the work you began here at 2nd Baptist in 1954, and continues today at The Summit, will be brought to completion as well.

So I am thankful, Lord, for all that you have done. And I look forward to all that you will do. For you are faithful.

I pray these things in the name of Jesus, Amen.