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The Road to Glory is Gorey

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by Baptist_Pastor/Theologian, Feb 15, 2005.

  1. Baptist_Pastor/Theologian

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    I am relatively new to this board but I thought I would share something that recently happened to me, in the hopes that some of you can relate to what I am going through. Please feel free to share some of your experiences or thoughts.

    As of right now I am where God wants me in ministry. That is to say, I believe that God called me to my current position. However, the church has been in decline for the last hundred years or so. Just kidding, it has only been in decline for the last 50. This church is a historical church that was once in the relative obscurity of a remote rural existence only to find itself some hundred years later in the hotbed of growth and relative wealth. 88% of the area does not attend church. The only problem is that the church does not have it within themselves to make the necessary adjustments to be effective. Having put all the band-aids on the church that we can it is still not positioned culturally to reach the surrounding area for Christ. Translation, we are not winning souls to the Kingdom, bottom line. I am called to be a soul winner among other things. I do not believe that it is my sole duty. I cannot in good conscience remain at a church that is not evangelistic any longer and I truly believe that God has released me from this position.

    I say all that to let you know the nature of my current ministry. So, I am going thought the process of seeking a new position. A church gets my resume, checks my background, credit, and is getting ready to extend an offer, when all of the sudden someone from their church claims to have known me back in the day prior to my surrender to ministry. Let me just say that I ran from my calling for 10 years. It was not a pretty sight. I am saved by grace and by grace I am in the ministry. God has blessed and I have had many great opportunities previously, I have earned a MDiv. and a ThM. Something I never thought possible for a guy who made straight Cs since the 4th grade. I graduated from both degrees with over a 3.75. God has done a work in me. Anyone who knows me knows that I have been turned around and now am fired up about Jesus. I preach the Word and try to the best of my ability to live the life. My slogan is Showing the Way... Sharing the Truth... and Living the Life. After hearing from this one individual, the church makes an about face and tells me that something came up and they are going in a different direction.

    Evidently the church member had a "run in" with me, whatever that means and told the committee that if they hired me that he would not remain a member. I was shocked and asked the chairman, had this individual thought about the fact that I might have changed? I asked him if he thought about the fact that while the Lord was leading the committee to pursue me as a candidate, that he already knew my past? I asked him if he thought the Lord had made a mistake in calling me to ministry? Ultimately I asked him if he thought the member was being biblical and if the committee was being biblical? No answer, just sorry for the inconvenience.

    Every indication was that this was a solid church until this happened. Correct me if I am wrong, was Paul not guilty of murder? And did not the church recognize the call of God on his life?

    My wife and I were already looking forward to the ministry there until this just happened, but it now looks like God has other things in store for us...

    I have to tell you this is the first time that I have been rejected by a church because of my past. Most every other group has seen the change as an awesome praise to God. Matthew 5 takes on a whole new light for me...

    God bless and that is all for now.

    Shalom,

    Pastor Bill

    [ February 15, 2005, 11:31 PM: Message edited by: Baptist_Pastor/Theologian ]
     
  2. dh1948

    dh1948 Member
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    Pick yourself up and move on. God has something better in store. Shame on the church that would allow the word of just one member to carry such influence. Maybe God rescued you from a bad church. Keep on, brother.
     
  3. just-want-peace

    just-want-peace Well-Known Member
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    As I like to say, "Thank God for small favors!"

    Can you imagine the situation had you moved to this church and then THEN this "opponent" decided to re-hash the past?

    My apoligies for buttingin as I'm not a pastor, but while your experience is ministerial, the facts are those that most everyone faces at one time or another in life!

    I agree with dh1948, "Pick yourself up and move on. " knowing that God has something as good or better in store for you!
     
  4. Bro Tony

    Bro Tony New Member

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    If this one person has that kind of power in the church you were headed for trouble. God knows where you need to be, He also is able to keep you from where you should not be. Trouble or lack of it should not be the ultimate deciding factor in going to a church, because God may want to use you in the situation. We must trust God to open and close the doors, if they were wrong in what they did He will deal with them.

    As we pastors serve we need to see the priviledge God has bestowed on us to allow us to be used of Him. It is a priviledge to be used of Him wherever He has placed us. Regardless of the level of difficulty. That He would use us at all is more than we deserve. It is a hard lesson for all of us ministers, but if we are going to approach the call of God biblically it is one we have to learn.

    Trust Him and He will take care of all other things.

    Bro Tony
     
  5. superdave

    superdave New Member

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    I have seen similar cases. Its unfortunate that many times we do not recognize the growth of an individual over time, and can't stand anyone who didn't take the same spiritual path we did. The height of phariseeism, and an indication at least partially of the true focus and priority of the church, find someplace that wants to be a part of the good that God is doing in your life, not relive the past.
     
  6. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    I Tim 3 has a couple phrases that some take to mean throughout your life.

    "A bishop then must be blameless,"

    "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."

    Not that I think that is what it means, but some church leaders feel this is the case.

    I was not a nice person in high school and when I returned to my home town about 6 years later to work in a television repair facility some of the townspeople called my boss and told him that I would not be allowed in their homes.

    Later when the Lord guided me toward Bible college those that knew me could not believe it - I'm sure I would have never been accepted in my home town or surrounding area.

    Give them the benefit of assuming they had their reasons and let God deal with them if the reasons were improper.

    If you give it too much thought you might get a headache and you don't need that :)
     
  7. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Pastor Bill---I'm sorry that BOTH churches are as you described. I'm with the rest of the posters---move on---go on to the next potential church--forget about what that man may have said---Lord Jesus may have been protecting you from a "Alexander the Coppersmith"

    Wait on the Lord Jesus and let Him bless---then you will be able to look back and say

    "BOY, OH BOY! I am some kind of glad I am here and NOT there!"

    Brother David
     
  8. Baptist_Pastor/Theologian

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    Thanks for the encouragement guys! I am going to fight the good fight and finish the race, don't you worry...
     
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