New Age Pastors/Church Administration
 

I do think there should be more accountability for Pastors everywhere. They should be paid and a list of responsibilities should be itemized:
The new age Pastors run their churches very different from those of the past:
* a saint has to make an appt with the church admin/or sect to get an appt. and if they don't show up it is fine, if you don't show up then you are rude.
* in order to do anything/get approval one has to go through a chain of authority from the bottom to the top so that if the plans fall through then there is someone other than leadership to blame it on.
* for security and insurance purposes, or because a VIP things you should...all members should go through a new converts class/membership class and be accepted into fellowship regardless of whether they have been in the church, ministry, or paid their tithes all their life.
* Pastors do not counsel others in their congregation if their tithes are not paid up in full with doc. proof.
* The prosperity message is preached every offering time.
* The first thing to go out the door if remodeling is the kitchen and dining area because we have forgotten that our churches were built on the blood sweat and tears over hot peanut brittle, and working women who built the church

These do not describe the churches I have been associated with at all.

yikes...

I certainly hope this entire thread was written TIC....

I wish it were *sigh*. Some of you folks don't get out much do you?:sshhh It would seem that I am the only person who picks up on these things...I have just seen so many changes in my 40+ years in Apostolic churches. It troubles me...guess I should post my concerns on the Changes thread by Bro. Strange...he seems to get it.

well I dont get out much. I go to my church. when I am back home in La. I go to the church I grew up in. I dont see any of the things youve listed.

It truely is a blessing to have a good place to go to church.

Sister Sharhonda,

I think that you would make a wonderful Pastor. But, that might tie some folk underwear in a wad if you were, but those that were left would greatly benefit form you wisdom and Word. The more that I know you, the more I see your wisdom, intelligence and apparently well ordered life.

I also believe in prosperity. I believe it should be preached as a doctrine...but not in the tone that the "Prosperity" preachers preach it. I would be proud to hear you preach a prosperity message or any message for that matter. I have all reasons to believe that you would be a fine preacher.

You were absolutely beautiful Sunday, with an outfit on that would stun the eyes of any caloused critic. I loved your purse. I think that I saw a little Afro/American flair in it together with your hanky. You are a class act, girl. I really enjoyed seeing you Sunday.

Talk about rose colored glasses :roseglasses:winkgrin! LOl.

Thank-you for the compliments kind sir, but I don't believe in woman Pastors. I don't really believe in the prosperity doctrine, nor do I care about myself preaching at all...although I love to hear the word...which reminds me of a thread I need to post on.

BTW...sometimes I think I got born in the wrong body, the wrong race...I think I am more African American than anything else...I love to dress like a sister...and am shaped like one! :igotit

I love African AMerican culture, and being a woman I can also empathize with the slavery which was inflicted on them by the middle to upper class white male! That sermon is for another day....

Blessings, Rhoni

Whew!

That's me. A middle to upper class WHITE MALE. OUCH!

Maybe you are right. Being a pastor might be problamatic after all. As a white male I would catch ...you know what...especially since I am a middle to upper class white male.

Bubba, you have already caught it...right between the eyes:Nhl_check!:slaphappy

J/K.

Respect you sir, Sis. Rhoni

Well Sista Sharhonda,

You be a class act. But us white males might not stand a chance in yo church. But I would still love to hear you preach. I believe you would make a good one if I could convince you that most of us middle to upper class white males didn't have anything to do with slavery. :sshhh

Can I get an "AMEN," church? :choir

Fresh peanut brittle sounds good to me.The church here has a kitchen staff when they do fundraisers and wear cute little aprons.
I wonder if pastors were paid for counseling sessions if the saints would show up?You have to cancel with the md or dentist 24 hours before or you pay anyway.

Yes, I think they should but the point was that many times you have an appt. with the Pastor and he is the one late or doesn't show...he should pay the people;)! J/K. I charge if I don't get a 24 hour cancelation myself. It is an hour of my time waiting and my time is very valuable, as is the Pastor's time.

I went to have staples removed after a surgery on my arm [removal of hardware] and I waited two hours...I got upset and left. the Dr. called and apologized, saying they had overbooked...as they always do...I told him because I also am a professional my time is valuable and I only wait 15 minutes for a PH.D. I was the Social Service Director for the sub-acute unit that referred patients to him...he sent me a fruit basket and a personal apology.

Nobody is too important that they should make people wait like that...without an apology.:drama

How are those staples doing now?

:heeheehee

I had our nurse manager take them out...it took all of 10 minutes. The Doc could've removed them while he was talking into his dictaphone or whatever that gadget is they talk into;)!

Thanks for asking...

No, that is a privacy violation!

Maybe you tend to go to the wrong Apostolic churches. As for making an appointment, that has happened for years in larger churches where you have many members all wanting to speak to the pastor. It makes sense.

I know larger churches require appointments. That's no big deal. Shoot, I set appointments for a hair cut, some dinner reservations and other things. Why not with the pastor. If he misses, that's on him. Guess I've been blessed to have pastors who kept their appointments or contacted me in advance to reschedule or cancel it.

I've had several times where I had to work through the chain of command. As long as you have a good system of documentation in place, it's nothing to worry about. Though I did have one time that the buck didn't stop where it should have.

New Converts/New Members class does several things. It gives you the history of the church you're becoming a part of; it helps integrate you into the various ministries of the church; and it introduces you to other members of the church. It's a good thing, not a bad thing.

I know of some churches who don't consider you a member if you don't pay tithes.

A few years ago in another stated I lived in, there was a Catholic church that had annual financial overviews with their saints. Each saint met with the leadership and they'd open the saints financial records to see what income was brought in and then they would set the tithes and offering amount for the next year.

That's a little excessive, I think. But I believe other churches, possibly even the Mormon church here does the same.

As far as not counseling if tithes aren't paid up. Why would you want counseling from a pastor or ministry you're not supporting? Do people expect to receive free counseling from other places?

I've heard of some wild offering messages . . . but I've never experienced one. Usually the standard for offering is, (paraphrasing) "We're asking our Ushers to come and take the tithes and offering. If you're here as a guest or visitor, please don't feel as though you must give in the offering."

Now a campmeeting or conference is a completely different story. Those are generally long and drawn-out.

Hmmm...need to be careful here. But hot peanut brittle and working women never built a church I've been in. It's been prayer, fasting, home bible studies and visitation that's built the church. *grin*