Guarding against pride

[ddc101]

I wanted to share this in hope that some of you who are new in pulpit ministry will be edified.And for those who disagree just bite your tongue on this one huh?
The pulpit is not a place for opinions of men.
It is not the place for personal agendas.
The pulpit is not a place for jokes.
It is not a place for cutdowns or put downs.
The pulpit is a place of honor.
The pulpit is a place of spiritual surgery.
The pulpit is the place where God and mankind join together.The flesh of mankind and the voice of God.When it is used for any other reason it no longer becomes a pulpit.
Dangers:
Those who minister in public become either loved or hated by those whom they minister to.
They can get ready to be a target of love,hate,ridicule,kindness
or envy and jealousy.
That is why the bible speaks of a novice not being qualified.
As a preacher needs to have the flesh put under subjection.
Too many times people start out with good intentions and then
they begin to get better and better at oratory delivery.Then the comments come in...oh you preached so good tonight.Bro.or sis.so and so are such good preachers etc...so annointed.Then Bro.And Sister begin to think in terms of MY MINISTRY.And they set about trying to fullfill THEIR MINISTRY.And more often times than we like to think about they begin to love the MINISTRY more than Jesus.And with that a multitude of problems occur.
Then the bigger engagements come...the conferences,the campmeetings etc.Then they are on video or the net etc.
Then Bro.And Sis. are no longer assessable to the LITTLE PEOPLE.
They are publishing books and teaching seminars and living the life of a CAREER pentecostal preacher.Great signs and wonders and miricles are happening in THEIR ministry and they no longer have to worry about if its God or if its them in the pulpit.They no longer have to spend hours on their knees or days fasting.
Then weaknesses set in and sins of the flesh overcome their victories which they hide for fear of losing THEIR MINISTRIES.
Jesus help us.It can happen to any of us who let men praise them and begin to rely on the flesh.Oh help us all not to be lost
and become a castaway after preaching to many.lv sis.c
Lord help us all.lv sis.c

[nytxn1971]

If a novice is not qualified... how do 'preachers' get their start?

[ddc101]

Go back and read the whole post.
You get your start by being a flunky to a man of God.lv sis.c

[nytxn1971]

Which I have been...

I've hung around the ministerial staff of the church, as well as the lay ministry gleaning what I can.

I've been going to the prisons and SMART program, etc...

[ddc101]

I love going to the jails.We have a very small one here.In fact if I want to see anyone I have to pray with them through the bars and usually the whole cell block hears which is good.But what exactly is a smart program?
Honestly the most help my husband gets are from those who do not mind helping him with some of his pastoral duties.He will not however ask them unless they make themselves available.Just cutting the church lawn is such a help sometimes.Cleaning up in the building is also a help.Because honestly here if it doesn't get done we do it ourselves and that just adds more onto what we have to do already.lv sis.c

[nytxn1971]

The SMART program is "Supervision and Monitoring for Alcohol-Related Treatment". It's an alternative 'county jail' for some Chemical related crimes. It's like a half-way house.

I've been going there every week with Bro Ravisa (the regular lay minister that goes) for a couple months and he's asked me to speak in his place this week. That's what started this whole discussion ;).

[ddc101]

that is an awesome place to get real.lv sis.c

[Pastor D]

Clearly, when all of us begin preaching we are novices. The best road to success in ministry is the road of service. I was saved when I was nine and called to preached shortly thereafter. I remember as a young boy, telling my pastor that I was called to preached. He prayed over it for seven days and then told me that he was appointing me as a "junior deacon." My only duty was to clean and fill a pitcher of ice water each Sunday morning for his office. This discipline and accountability to those I serve has remained with me throughout my life and ministry. As a teenager, I read the book, "My Father in the Gospel" that is written by Pastor William Bonner who recounts his experiences serving under Bishop RC Lawson, a son of GT Haywood and the founder of the COOLJC. After reading this book in which Pastor Bonner talks candidly of the humbling acts of service he performed for his pastor, I went into prayer. In my prayer the Lord instructed me to serve my pastor in the same fashion if I wanted to be blessed in ministry. I trust God and for 15 years as a teenager and young man I served my pastor and church as a youth leader, secretary, ministerial staff leader, and assistant pastor. Finally, God sent me to Burlington and has blessed the church to which he has placed me as pastor. I attribute his blessing to his grace and my obedience to his written and rhema word to my spirit in my youth.

Part of the service is the ability to connect with another man of God in a mentoring relationship that allows you see and learn. I will always cherish the time invested in me by two men of God in their own right, Pastor Bonner and Pastor Hargrove. Serving with them and serving has blessed me personally and my in my ministry.

Pastor D

[nytxn1971]

Great stuff, Pastor D.
I tried searching for that book, but can't find it on PPH's site or anywhere else for that matter...

[Pastor D]

It was a local publication by our organization. I can see if I can locate another copy. Pastor Bonner's biography is available and it has some excerpts from his book about Bishop Lawson. Pastor Bonner's book is fascinating in that it describes his upbringing from a farm boy in GA to pastor of several large urban Apostolic congregations. It outlines his real-life struggles in the US, foreign field and other areas of life and ministry. That book is entitled:
And the High Places, I will Bring Down, Bishop William L. Bonner--The Man and His God.

[ddc101]

Let me correct something that I should have made more clear.
We all have to start somewhere.But much training needs to go into us.New ministers do not have the wisdom to lead in the way seasoned ministers do and can harm a congregation.That is why we need mentorship programs within the church.Everyone who feels a call should be given a chance.We have fellowship meetings for this kind of thing where we preach to other preachers.
Hey be honest.When you first start out the people are helping you more than you are helping them.I can remember in my young twenties when I went out at least three times a week and ministered in area churches.Surely at twenty two I had not much experience but I had to let the Holy Ghost speak through me or what would I have had to share? Honestly they really must have loved me to have me in the first place....lv sis.c

[Adoniyah]

Amen to all of the above. All are great words of wisdom.

There is one thing that I would like to underscore that is so much lacking in our Apostolic ranks. It is the Father/Son principle of relationship.

Every budding preacher needs a man of God that he can look up to as his Spiritual Father in ministry. I would highly, highly reccommend "Ye Have Not Many Fathers" written by Mark Hanby.

I will not take the time to quote the book here, but I do not know of anything that is more needed that this in ministry. After you read this very scriptural book, you sill see how vital is that mentoring relationship to a minister that should last until the death of the other.

Any young minister that feels he has been called to ministry, should have a mentor/father to whom he can submit and learn, finding comfort, advice, guidance, encouragement, help and yes, even anointing.

Beside the call, there is little else any more important. Get the book... and tell Mark to send me a commission. :)

[ddc101]

I went to that site and checked it out Bro.Strange he also has a study guide available plus you can look at a few of the chapters and read some of the lessons.lv sis.c

[Felicity]

Good information. Thanks. :)

[Sis Ruth]

Good post. I strongly believe upcoming preachers should have a mentor. Very much needed.

Pastor D--- You had a good Pastor. He did not belittle you cause you were so young. Instead he showed you respect and you respected him in return. Awesome.

[Pastor D]

Sister Ruth:
I was truly and uniquely blessed. After all these years, I know that I was blessed by the men of God whom he placed in my life. They supported my call and challenged me to achieve excellence in the work of God. Any measure of perceived success must go to God and people He used to develop me in my calling.

Pastor D