http://www.churchsociety.org/crossway/documents/Cway_079_Allister11.pdf
[Cross†Way] Issue Winter 2000 No. 79--Who can minister? Christians have often disagreed as to what human authorisation, if any, is needed to be a preacher of God’s word. Some say an inner conviction of God’s call is the sole requirement; others insist on selection, training and ordination by the church before any public ministry. The Thirty-nine Articles come much closer to the second position, allying the Church of England on this issue more closely with Rome than with extreme Protestantism. This is for two reasons. Firstly, a strong doctrine of the church teaches that although ministers preach God’s word in God’s name, they are called by the church. Secondly, a suspicion of the excessive individualism which tends to say ‘I feel called to ...’ or ‘God has gifted me to ...’ leads to the insistence that calling must at the very least by ratified by the church.
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