We're blessed here on CF.net to have an abundance of preachers, pastors and ministers. As such I wanted to get some very valuable information from you all about getting your feet wet initially as a preacher.
Where did you start, and how? Did you already have some sermons written up, and the opportunity to minister fell into your lap? Did you start with a study at home? Did you rent out a conference room? When you knew that God has given you the gift and called you forth, what did you do next? Did you always know?
Feel free to answer as much or as little as you like.
Lot's of pastors out there and ministers who planned and purposed to be a minister, went to school, borrowed money to start a church, or get with a head pastor and train in an established church.
Then they go on to be worthless and ineffective ministers. Full of religious junk that hurts, not helps someone's faith.
Working with younger youth ministers, they would all gather and plan a time to go out on campus and witness Jesus. I would hear stories about these gatherings and hear their frustrations and their feeling like they had to go do it again. Much like the JW's who bang on the door, they need to make God happy, right?
My question to these youths is.......... God tell you to go out to minister? Or did it just seem like a good idea? The blank stares are amazing. I thought that is what God wanted........
For many are called, but few are chosen.
(Mat 22:14)
YOU MUST BE CALLED:
There must be a call, and sadly churches are filled with Pastors who where never called. Thinking something is a good idea is not a calling. Wanting to do something is not a calling. The call often comes when that is something you don't want to do. A whole lot of folks think it's God just because the emotional desire is there to do something, and find out they waste years of their plan of God doing nothing that God had planned for them to do. Working with a Pastor that was hell bent on starting a drug Christian program, He asked me to help oversee it. I just followed his direction, spent his money, and we went to a whole lot of work visiting other successful programs to see how they were run. The Pastor was in charge, I just did what I was asked, He never asked me if it was a good idea or not. It did seem like a good work, but something that seems good is not God saying go do this.
Finally one day, he asked me. His drug program was going nowhere, no interest, no money to sustain it. I asked him, at what point were you convinced God told you to do this. One thing I know, if God told you to do something, it works and takes off.
He could not answer that question, He went on to saying how he thought it was something the Lord wanted him to do.
I asked again. What day was it, God told you to start a drug program.
He then says, God never specifically said start a Drug program, He felt it was something He should do.
Bingo.......
Once your convinced of the call
You must study to be approved:
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
(2Ti 2:15)
You divided scriptures by comparing other scripture. Comparing spiritual with spiritual. (1Cor 2:13) Faith believes what the scriptures say, despite any doctrine, and no scripture can ever contradict another. This person has put the Word first over anything and look to the Word to correct, not mans many funny doctrines. They believe the scripture, despite ever seeing the result of it.
For example only:
Many ministers say God does not heal everyone today, or it's his will to do so. How many folks is God going to send this persons way? ZERO, that is how many, because they won't get help. This person is also ignoring scriptures, which they fail at the study to show thyself approved, and fail the dividing the Word of Truth. Since they failed this area, they disqualify themselves, even if God did call them to minister.
1Sa_6:3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in
any wise return him a trespass offering:
then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face,
and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and
will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Psa_103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And
the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and
if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
(Jas 5:14-15)
If someone is preaching the Lord forgives, then they have to be preaching the Lord always heals. You can't have one without the other, and both are just as important to the Lord as it's something He said. A minister who says God forgives, but Healing you just never know, is someone who God will not put in ministry and empower them as they are missing half of what God wants to do for people.
1Co_12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
Follow after charity, and
desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
(1Co 14:1)
Best be coveting and desiring the increase of the anointing and spiritual gifts:
Tongues has passed away for example or it's not for everyone is not going to cut it. I can promise that I have never met anyone I could not help understand and receive this free gift who believed and wanted it. It's part of prayer, and for every believer. 18 years, and never met one person. Not saying there were not hard cases, but God always is able to get across to them understanding so they my receive what is theirs.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
(Luk 16:10-11)
Be faithful just be faithful.
Be faithful in every thing. Work, honour mom and dad, Love in your home, Faithful at church (IF you can't be faithful at someone else church, don't expect your own) s
Once these things are in place, and you have walked in them for a awhile, ministering to people as the Lord sends them. (LORD SENDS THEM< NOT YOU HUNTING THEM) You will noticed real people in your path that can be helped. Why? God sends them to you.
If you really have the call to be a minister, then it will just happen one day. The door will open for you as Jesus is the open door. You won't skip any of the steps I mentioned above, and if you do, then you are just setting up for a life of frustration and a life out of the plan of God.
My Story:
Long time ago, God told me in the shower I am going to anoint you to teach.
A year later after being faithful, I get my own group of men under me.
Later I get a group at the Homeless shelter and more added.
4 years later I get asked to Pastor a Sunday morning church. Not qualified to Pastor, but the Lord said to teach faith, and He reminded me I never doubted him or spoke against one time when some very bad things came up. He told me I qualify in His eyes to Pastor.
So, I did that, and amazing things happened for a lot of folks.
I don't kick down doors to minister, I am always ready to respond though to go minister.
Mike.
