Ministry
I finally recieved my evangelist's licence last night. It is such an awesome thing. It didn't really hit me until I saw that paper that said I was a licenced evangelist. I have a responsibility which makes me feel torn at times. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those days where I could care less if I was Christlike or not, where I didn't feel compelled to get to church and participate. Those days when I wasn't accountable to anyone but me. Of course I have always been accountable to God, but when you are doing your own thing you feel like you just answer to yourself.
What an honor and a priviledge it is to be one of God's chosen. To be called to do His work is awesome. I still can't figure out why He wants to use me. The world sees me as a libility. I can't drive anywhere. I don't see very well. I am not sure If I will ever work again, although if God opened the right door I would be happy to walk through it.
I was talking to Matt this evening, about one of the local churches who will be looking for a pastor soon. Not everyone can pastor. You must have the heart of a shepherd. Not easily swayed by public opinion, an ear to hear what God is telling you and the courage, backbone and the will to do what God tells you. You cannot be swayed by money. What I mean by that as a pastor you have to make some hard decisions and you can't let someone that gives a lot of money to the ministry stand in the way. If they leave because you are doing God's will and won't let them have their way, so be it . You have to trust God to replace that income to the ministry.
I remember asking my seventh grade Sunday School class what would they want in a pastor. The answers may surprise you. Not too young, so that they would be seasoned enough not to fall for some of the stuff that the young people come up with, but not too old either, so that they would remember what it was like to be young. In that denomination, they didn't have women in ministry, so they were saying a man in his mid 40's with a few kids, about age nine or ten, a wife that was fun and not jealous of the time the pastor spent at the church. He needed to care about his family as well as the church family. He wouldn't mind if he had to take time to play a game with the youth, but he needed to make time for the older members too. He must have a heart for God and seeing people saved as well. Now that class of 7th graders I had back in 1994-95 have families of their own now. They were an exceptional class. At the time the church I was involved with was looking for a pastor. The one they got, maybe those on the pastor's search committee should have listened to that group of seventh graders.
Ministry is hard work within itself, so when you are involved in it you can't come in with your own agenda. You must have God's agenda. It's not abiout you, it's about Jesus and seeing souls birthed into the kingdom. You might find yourself in front of a big church one day, but you can't get caught up in the numbers or the power. I was thinking about King Neuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 :30 Then the king spoke and said "is this not the Great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power and for the honour of my majesty?" While the words were still in the king's mouth a voice came from heaven saying, "O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken, the kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men and thy dwelling place shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whosoever He will." This happened as God said it would, because the king thought that it was his own greatness that had gotten him so far and it wasn't the case at all. Before we get all lifted up in ministry or anything else, we must realize that promotion comes from God. He can elevate those He choses or demote those He chooses as well. We must realze it is the Lord who executes judgement on us all.
I sometimes get a little restless about things, like when is it going to be my turn to do something. Or when am I going to get a break to do something and then I realize that I am not quite ready for that. I remember being afraid that somebody would actually ask me to come to their church. I was afraid to go. Now it is if someone would call me, could I get there? Since God has called me I know that these things have a way of working themselves out. I just have to be patient.
For those who are looking for a pastor for your church, spend time in prayer, fasting and checking things out. Talk to people and pray ask God to order your steps. Just because they bring in a good crowd is no reason they should pastor a church, people come to church for various reasons and you must hear God's voice in this matter, you can not lean to your own understanding or be wise in your own eyes. Pray , fast and pray some more. You cannot rekindle anything in the past either, God is always moving forward. He said "I will do a new thing." Although we have to be careful of the new things. We must test them by the word of God. When we say casual worship, we must make it clear that you don't have to wear a three piece suit to hear God's word. Make sure casual isn't compromising the Word so sinners will feel comfortable. You are missing the point. The Bible tells us that the Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. A double-edge sword cuts and hurts. You want sinners to feel uncomfortable, so they will turn from their sinful ways. In other words, be vigilent, preach the word in season andout of season; reprove, rebuke and win the lost....
What an honor and a priviledge it is to be one of God's chosen. To be called to do His work is awesome. I still can't figure out why He wants to use me. The world sees me as a libility. I can't drive anywhere. I don't see very well. I am not sure If I will ever work again, although if God opened the right door I would be happy to walk through it.
I was talking to Matt this evening, about one of the local churches who will be looking for a pastor soon. Not everyone can pastor. You must have the heart of a shepherd. Not easily swayed by public opinion, an ear to hear what God is telling you and the courage, backbone and the will to do what God tells you. You cannot be swayed by money. What I mean by that as a pastor you have to make some hard decisions and you can't let someone that gives a lot of money to the ministry stand in the way. If they leave because you are doing God's will and won't let them have their way, so be it . You have to trust God to replace that income to the ministry.
I remember asking my seventh grade Sunday School class what would they want in a pastor. The answers may surprise you. Not too young, so that they would be seasoned enough not to fall for some of the stuff that the young people come up with, but not too old either, so that they would remember what it was like to be young. In that denomination, they didn't have women in ministry, so they were saying a man in his mid 40's with a few kids, about age nine or ten, a wife that was fun and not jealous of the time the pastor spent at the church. He needed to care about his family as well as the church family. He wouldn't mind if he had to take time to play a game with the youth, but he needed to make time for the older members too. He must have a heart for God and seeing people saved as well. Now that class of 7th graders I had back in 1994-95 have families of their own now. They were an exceptional class. At the time the church I was involved with was looking for a pastor. The one they got, maybe those on the pastor's search committee should have listened to that group of seventh graders.
Ministry is hard work within itself, so when you are involved in it you can't come in with your own agenda. You must have God's agenda. It's not abiout you, it's about Jesus and seeing souls birthed into the kingdom. You might find yourself in front of a big church one day, but you can't get caught up in the numbers or the power. I was thinking about King Neuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 :30 Then the king spoke and said "is this not the Great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power and for the honour of my majesty?" While the words were still in the king's mouth a voice came from heaven saying, "O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken, the kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men and thy dwelling place shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whosoever He will." This happened as God said it would, because the king thought that it was his own greatness that had gotten him so far and it wasn't the case at all. Before we get all lifted up in ministry or anything else, we must realize that promotion comes from God. He can elevate those He choses or demote those He chooses as well. We must realze it is the Lord who executes judgement on us all.
I sometimes get a little restless about things, like when is it going to be my turn to do something. Or when am I going to get a break to do something and then I realize that I am not quite ready for that. I remember being afraid that somebody would actually ask me to come to their church. I was afraid to go. Now it is if someone would call me, could I get there? Since God has called me I know that these things have a way of working themselves out. I just have to be patient.
For those who are looking for a pastor for your church, spend time in prayer, fasting and checking things out. Talk to people and pray ask God to order your steps. Just because they bring in a good crowd is no reason they should pastor a church, people come to church for various reasons and you must hear God's voice in this matter, you can not lean to your own understanding or be wise in your own eyes. Pray , fast and pray some more. You cannot rekindle anything in the past either, God is always moving forward. He said "I will do a new thing." Although we have to be careful of the new things. We must test them by the word of God. When we say casual worship, we must make it clear that you don't have to wear a three piece suit to hear God's word. Make sure casual isn't compromising the Word so sinners will feel comfortable. You are missing the point. The Bible tells us that the Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. A double-edge sword cuts and hurts. You want sinners to feel uncomfortable, so they will turn from their sinful ways. In other words, be vigilent, preach the word in season andout of season; reprove, rebuke and win the lost....
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