and honest while being humble
The Reason the Church is Floundering....
- Thread starter gideon
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and what is it when not humble?
why ask why it was a complimentand what is it when not humble?
Nevermind, I didn’t ask ‘why’, and it was meant to be humorous.
I think that when on ehas been called by the Lord into formal ministry, have to find out if they have the heart of a Shepherd, as I felt lead into ministry, but was to minister as a teacher, not as a Pastor!
I got it when you said it! But.......I know you and I am just about as goofy as you are.
Bingo.........we have a winner!
The parallels to your journey and mine are so similar that it is scary.
I was also serving as a deacon. Then an Adult Bible school teacher. My pastor who also lead my own Father to the Lord encouraged me to further my education.
My father was a 100% disable war veteran so I was able to use his exemption to attend a Baptist seminary. Later I was able to use my own VA benefit to extend that education so not only did I get a discount, I did not have to pay anything and in fact the VA paid me $250.00 a month to not work and attend school. That was a lot of money for a young married couple in 1960!!!!
Now rest of the story. many years later, in that same pastors church, I was once again teaching an Adult Bible study class and he had a stroke and died. The church then asked me to take his place so I found myself in the same pulpit of the man who lead my dad to Christ and encouraged me to seek a higher learning of God. Only God could have opened those doors and I have been there now for 25 years.
Unfortunately, there are two areas that no seminary does a good job of teaching their men.
1. Finances and how to budget and take care of the money given to the church.
2. How to deal with the personalities and problems of people.
#2 IMHO is the reason why so many men leave the ministry. They just do not know how to deal with people.
I'm not much of a Bingo player, but don't both a pastor and a teacher feed the sheep?
pastor (n.)
late 14c. (mid-13c. as a surname), "shepherd, one who has care of a flock or herd" (a sense now obsolete), also figurative, "spiritual guide, shepherd of souls, a Christian minister or clergyman," from Old French pastor, pastur "herdsman, shepherd" (12c.) and directly from Latin pastor "shepherd," from pastus, past participle of pascere "to lead to pasture, set to grazing, cause to eat," from PIE root *pa- "to feed; tend, guard, protect." Compare pasture. (Online Etymological Dictionary)
Hello Yeshua;
I remember you mentioned you teach and in these times we need Bible teachers, badly!
When I was in my early 30's my former pastor taught Bible study but one of our members was an anointed teacher. He enjoyed studying the Bible like it was a story, not a textbook. It was very clear our pastor knew this and stepped aside and made room for our brother who ended up teaching for many years.
Prior or during a called ministry it is good to have a job as the job teaches us to be responsible, accountable, ministering to our peers and managers, stewards of God's provisions and hard work is good.
I was bi-vocational (worked and pastored) in my early years until I retired from my job and became full time in the church. My salary dropped quite a bit but many of you will agree how amazing God is. He provided and still does.
I feel a Shepherd's heart is an important part of one's calling because people are like sheep - we're vulnerable, stink, wander about...But at the end of the day, when we can truly say we love what we do, serving people, then that is a good sign of our calling, be it a pastor, teacher, youth group, ushering, outreach.
Hello Major;
What I blue-lighted is sad to say but so true. Perhaps this is why, though seminary was good, it does not to take the place of what God will do.
You were a married couple in 1960?
Teachers, in the local church, not in say Seminary, instruct others in truths of the scriptures, and should be modeling it, but Pastors are more responsible for having other matured and growing in their faith....
amen so agree its hard to deal with so many personality's including our own . to be honest some you can not deal with unless you let them rule the roost see around here not all but lots of the old deacons think they rule every thing including the pastor . a Good God called deacon yes i think the office of Deacon should be a calling.. so often if you contribute major $$$$$ they make you a deacon. Deacon is a very important position very honorable so obvious you and cross roads and others been in the ministry back when the Church was the church
Unfortunately that is true. The only way to fix that is to have one to one training classes with the deacons so that they understand what it is that they are to do.
I would respond that we grow and mature through proper teaching.
Mind you, I'm not arguing that we should have professors behind the Pulpit, but neither would I like to see a psychological babysitter filling the Pulpit as well.
Nothing replaces how God works!
Oh good grief, I suppose the pastor's son would also qualify in that sort of Church.
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