The English word “ordain” is used is from another word found in Acts 14:23 and 2 Corinthians 8:19. The later use finds Luke being “chosen of the churches to travel with Paul and his companions.” His selection was no more an official position in an institution as is the shepherds or evangelists. Albert Barnes commenting on Acts 14:23 writes:
The word “ordain” we now use in an ecclesiastical sense, to denote a setting apart to an office by the imposition of hands. But the word here is not employed in that sense. That imposition of hands might have occurred in setting apart afterward to this office is certainly possible, but it is not implied in the word employed here and did not take place in the transaction to which this word refers.
The verb properly denotes to stretch out the hand. It was customarily used to give one’s approval or vote by stretching out or elevating the hand, to “recognize” one for the work. When we read the English translation “ordain,” we read our sociological organization back into the text which is another form of hierarchical leadership. The idea of “ordaining” one to the work is merely recognizing men who have already demonstrated leadership and are worthy of imitation. Of all the words that could be chosen from civil and religious authorities of that day, God chose to use the word “shepherd” to describe their work. It describes a rule of leadership that arises from a “servant’s rule” in contrast to the kind of rule that Jesus taught against (Mark 10:42-45). Humanity has always diverted to either desiring a place of preeminence or being led/controlled by others to be relieved from responsible activity/work. Examples of the later extreme can be seen when Israel wanted Saul to “fight their battles for them” (1 Sam. 8:19-20), or when the people wanted Moses to stand as a mediator between them and God (Acts 20:19). Examples of the former extreme can be witnessed by Moses’ siblings, who thought he was taking on more authority than he should, from the apostles who argued about who would be the greatest in the kingdom (Matthew 18:1), or from Diotrephes, who loved the preeminence and tried to control those with whom other Christians can fellowship (3 John 9-10).