Finding places of service in the ministry

Wow.

I hear this so often.

I even tease my Pastor about it. About once a month he goes to the congregation and says, "We have a need for more workers."

But I also hear, "I tried to work in the nursery and they said they didn't need me. I tried to do youth work and they told me they didn't need me."

At the local Baptist University the head of the BSM will come into dorms and look for three or four kids he knows by name, and if they arent' there, he will cancel projects for the BSM rather than use some of the 30 or 40 students begging to do the Lord's work because those 30 or 40 don't go to HIS church.

Its a shame.

 

smith,

are you talking about churches in need of a pastor?

or some other ministry position?

I know at our church we tend to look within our membership first to fill ministry positions. Perhaps this is part of it?

Perhaps you need to think of going to your own local church first and finding out what help they might need?

 

If you are talking about churches in need of a pastor, then that is a drawback to being in an independent church.

In our denomination we pastors have a profile that either personel services or our area ministers will circulate to pastoral search committees when we instruct them too. It a much better system than word of mouth.


If you are talking about doing ministry in your church, then open your eyes, there is always something that needs done, someone needs loved, hospital calls to make, classes needing teachers, etc.

We shouldn't leave all the work to the Pastor. If you truly want something to do, ask your pastor to give you something that would help him out so he can devote more of his time to prayer and sermon prep.
But be careful because you could give him a heart attack

 

If speaking to pastors seeking a church:

Personal opinion: I think many rely on people that know someone they know and trust due to the fact that there are many unqualified people that talk a good talk but don't follow through. They are hard to pick out as good or bad.

A small church gets hundreds of resumes, how are they going to know which are trust worthy. Yes, they can candidate etc. but if you don't know their track record from some source you are shooting in the dark.

A church can find a good man without this networking, but it is a time saver to have some idea of the man's track record/character from someone that knows them.

Society of the church is part of the problem.

 

I agree, that is why in the WVBC we have area ministers that circulate the profiles of pastors in search. The area ministers know these men personally and can suggest to the churches the men that best suits what the church needs as a pastor.

Our track record is not only reflected on our profiles, but also through the testimony of trusted ministers that refer us to churches.

 

Yes, please be more specific.
If you are talking about general ministry duties, I can't imagine a church turning away help as long as the help is capable. It may be an issue that relates to the length of time you have stayed at a paticular church. Being a pastor, I have had good people come to our church that were ready to serve, but I can't just throw them into a position. I have a responsibility to God and the body to determine their character and their sincerity. Many a pastor has caused extra headaches for himself and trials for the body by not being more discerning.

Find a church...be faithful...offer your self for service...and then be patient, pray, and wait on God.

That's the best advice I can give.

God bless you as you serve Him!

Max

 

Offering your help to different ministries within the Church is a ministry, Mopping the floor, mowing the grass, cleaning toilets, setting up chairs, being an encouragement, being supportive of your Pastoral staff, making the coffee (a vital ministry), all of these are ministry works. If you feel called to witness, form a jailhouse ministry, a womens shelter, an after school program for less fortunate families, or get out on the streets and hand out tracts sometimes there is so much that needs to be done, and we become so engrossed in hunting for the right job, that we become blind to what needs to get done. Some people become so engrossed in hunting for a ministry to get involved in that they spend their entire life searching insted of getting involved. Im 50, the past 35 years have gone by so quickly, If the next 20 years goes as quickly than I have little time to waist searching, we are called to do

 

Try David Clod's Fundamental Baptist Library web site. I think he has something that can lead pastors to churches in need. David is a good brother but beware, his site is salty.

 

Oops! It shold read David Cloud. Sorry. My hunt and peck method failed me again.

 

word of mouth, while slow, may very well be the best way. That way you are going on the word of someone you yourself trust, and the people who are hearing about you are also relying on someone they are at least familiar with.

you know, Im sure, that there's been many many instances where both sides were complete strangers and it ended in disaster.

Try asking the larger churches that you know, or ones that seem to have a pastor who gets invited alot of different places. They tend to know of more needs in more places.

 

Brother Smith, here are 5 job openings for IFB churches: (One for Pastor, one for asst. pastor)

http://ifbpreaching.com/ministry_openings.htm

You can always try going to Google & type in
"independent fundamental baptist churches job search" and leads will pop up to help you. That's how I found the above link. And this one:

http://www.experiencingworship.com/jobs/listings/1765.html

And network. Brush up your resume & references. Spread the word among the IFB pastors you know, even via email, that you are looking & seeking God's plan.

Just some ideas & hope they help.

Lady Eagle

 

That is a drawback of an independent church. I know this may sound strange, but is there an association or group of independent churches in your area that come together for prayer or fellowship? If so, that would be a good place to start.

I know that defeats the purpose of being independent, but.......

 

actually most "independent baptist" churches are just as connected with a particular group of other churches as they would be if they were part of that association. We just do not make it official, so as to not create some sort of potential for a problem later.

We know other churches through friendships of our pastors, conferences we hold, school activities, etc.

I think sometimes people think that "independent" means "isolated", and it really doesn't.

 

The GARBC is one fine example. They are associated in fellowship but are independent Baptist churches.

 

LadyEagle.....theres more to GARB than that....the GARB churches aren't really considered Independent Baptists.

There is an actual Association of Independent Baptist Churches.....which I frankly don't understand.....lol

 

http://www.garbc.org/garbc.php

bapmom, I beg to differ. They are independent and fundamental. My dad was a GARB pastor for many years (serving the Lord for over 50 years before the Lord called him home). That's why I'm so familiar with the GARBC.

 

ok LadyEagle. Im very familiar with them too.

I guess I was just pointing out that there is a specific kind of church called "independent" baptist, and GARBs aren't. That association has far less ties on its members, and of that Im more than glad. They are much more independent than many others.

I was raised in GARB, so Im certainly not trying to be critical of them.