I Wish I had known...

Some of the meanest people in the world GO to church.

 

The level of competency and the tremendous lack of commitment from the people towards the things of God can sometimes be overwhelming...YOU MUST KEEP YOU EYES ON JESUS ND EVERY DAY REAFFIRM YOUR CALL...not only as a preacher but also to your people.

 

One of the greatest fields for evangelism is the church membership. Too often folks have believed a gospel presented to assuage their felt needs, physical or psychological, rather than their real need, a Lord and Savior to justify them before a holy God. Vaccinated with a pseudo-gospel, these folks are among the hardest cases to see their real need. God, however, can change hearts. After all, it is He who grants repentance and faith, so our trust and confidence is in Him.

 

Could not agree more Broadus...it could be te reason you see what I commented on in my earlier post is what you are refering to. A great article on this very thing from a SBC perspective is found on this link

http://www.ccwonline.org/sbc.html

 

People will say and do things in church that coul dnot ever imagine. This includes leaders too.

When you read the NT, just remember those are mostly churches. Those same things happen today. So be ready for denominational pagans acting like conservatives but are only politicians.

Mt. 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'

 

I am not a pastor, but I will tell you what I wish many pastors realized better. That MANY times the people they think are not committed, lazy, etc. are struggling, really struggling with incredible burdens. It is SO possible to have many long-term acquaintances and not even have the slightest idea what is really happening in their lives.
Get to know the people in your church and don't leap to conclusions about them!
A couple of examples: an elderly man in my acquaintance wasn't making it to church so regularly. Turns out he was taking care of a 100-year-old man who could not afford a nursing home.
A person I have known for years has an inoperable brain tumor and has several young children. This is invisible to many people.
I honestly believe that we will be surprised when we get to Heaven. That many people will be commended by the Lord for walking with Him through many trials, and that we will see that we missed many opportunities to help them, just assuming that they were unconcerned about all things spiritual.

Karen

 

The people you help the most will end up hurting you the most. Learned that one the hard way.

 

I am not a pastor, but I will tell you what I wish many pastors realized better. That MANY times the people they think are not committed, lazy, etc. are struggling, really struggling with incredible burdens. It is SO possible to have many long-term acquaintances and not even have the slightest idea what is really happening in their lives.
Get to know the people in your church and don't leap to conclusions about them!
A couple of examples: an elderly man in my acquaintance wasn't making it to church so regularly. Turns out he was taking care of a 100-year-old man who could not afford a nursing home.
A person I have known for years has an inoperable brain tumor and has several young children. This is invisible to many people.
I honestly believe that we will be surprised when we get to Heaven. That many people will be commended by the Lord for walking with Him through many trials, and that we will see that we missed many opportunities to help them, just assuming that they were unconcerned about all things spiritual.

Karen </font>[/QUOTE]Karen,

That is why a church is to be a community of saints and not merely a religious institution which people join. The situations which you mentioned would not go unnoticed in a church committed to each other and whose pastor is seen as a physician of souls instead of the CEO of a religious corporation. When someone begins to be absent, the deacons and elders would investigate to see what the problem is. Then the church would come alongside to help.

Thanks for your contribution.

Bill

 

DeanPastor,

I've copied and distributed that article by Jim Elliff among our members (we're an SBC congregation, albeit reformed). Christian Communicators Worldwide provides a very helpful site, as do www.9marks.org and www.founders.org (with which I'm sure you're very familiar!).

Bill

 

Don't believe everything you hear.

Have friends not at your church.

Have someone you can confide in not at your church.

 

You can't be all things to all people. But you can become who God wants you to be.

Trust God. Cling to Him.

 

Be able to laugh.

Be able to cry.

Don't be too hard on yourself.

Don't be too lax on yourself.

Do what is right.

Pray.

Cling to God. Know His sovereignty. Know His love.

 

Know what your call is.

If it isn't pastoring, don't do it.

 

Get a good christian lawyer. (If you are going to start a church rather than being appointed to one)
Reason;
Taxes, Insurance, Liabilities, Church Discipline, Local Codes for Public Buildings, and a million other things which can threaten to take up your valuable time.
You need to do two things. Prayer and the Ministry of the Word of God. See Acts 6 for reference. This is your focus. Learn to delegate. And trust God to give you the men so equipped to enable you to do your primary calling.

In His service;
Jim

 

Syrupy spirituality doesn't have to drip off your finger tips in order for you to be considered a "spiritual man."

 

After 11 years of seminary, I could provide an exhaustive list of things I never heard or learned at seminary. But above everything else, I would say seminary fails to teach its students what it truly means to be a leader.

 

I tell my wife---just about every Sunday that rolls around--

"I need to write a book!!"
"I need to write a book!!"
"I need to write a book!!"

Goodness sake, I need to write a book!!

If I could go back to seminary and reteach what wasn't taught---here are just a few things I'd lecture on

"You need to know a little about plumbing!" 'cause some sort of water pipe is gonna bust---and there you'll be---by yourself over at Big Creek #9 and the deacon chairman is a cross country truck driver---and you're in Georgia--and he's in California---and water's on the floor!!---then get use to somebody askin' you why you fixed that leak---because "That's the committee's job!!!!!!!!!!!" Goodness sake!!! Water spewin' all over everything---and somebody tells you they're offended because you fixed it instead of them!!!

"You need to know a little about electricity!" 'cause (same as above) except a breaker is tripped and its cold outside and its cold inside!!!

"You need to stoop down and carry out the garbage every now and then!!" 'cause Sister Sarah is gonna have a birthday party for her son, Johnny, in the fellowship hall---and she ain't gonna be thinkin' 'bout the trash when her precious "darlin'" is unveilin' his brand spankin' four wheeler!!

Get used to the "Committee"(all of um) being in charge--and you ain't got a blessed "say so!" whatsoever---this is a fact---just get used to it!!!

Do you know anything about vacuumin' carpet, sweepin' with a broom and moppin'? Learn how to do it---expecially if you're at Big Creek #9--in Waxahatchie Bay, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, or Louisiana!!!

Get use to being told you're wrong---even when you know you're right!!

Get use to being accused of getting your sermon off the internet!

Get use to being told you preach too long!

Get use to being told you don't visit enough!