The "Good Ole Boys" Club?
 

I have noticed a growing trend of men who are licensed through various ministerial fellowships and have absolutely no intention of preaching, teaching, pastoring, evangelizing, soul-winning or even witnessing.

All they do is sit on a pew.

Why do some folks just want a card in their pocket?

Are ministerial fellowships becoming modern day equivalents to the Moose Lodge - just another "Good Ole Boys" Club?:hypercoffee

It makes them feel impotant...I meant important

Uh...they want to be able to vote?

They want to be called Reeeeeeeeev?

They are a sleeper cell of pedophiles and homos waiting for word from their illustrious leader to come out and embarrass the org?

Hmmmm......cause with a license I can legally get in the AMC meeting in Nashville?

or perhaps Clergy parking at the hospital?

I know several men who have paid dues for decades and never been involved in ministry in any form.

I don't see what the great allure of licensing is.

how did they get licenses?

Well now that is a very good question.

What strikes me as funny is that we have silly questions on our license apps like "do you have a tv in your home" and "are you pre, mid, or post trib" and yet we never ask how many souls the candidate has won to the Lord.

Amazing isn't it? What a card and a pat on the back can do?

It can make a rank vagabond or hoodlum smile with glee.

It puts faux credibility into someone's resume.

The Good Ole Boy Network as someone called it is alive and thriving in "Pentecost".

If you're one of the "good ole boys", faults and even SIN may be overlooked. It's as though if you've got the card and the pat on the back, you've arrived - no matter how many souls you've won, people you've helped or sacrifices made. The "good ole boy" is just that a "good ole boy" and no one in the network should question him because if you question him you might be spurned to question yourself and that would be too scary.

Live in the land of let's pretend where all good ole boys live happily ever after for their works and their works are "to be good ole boys."

No, this is not Rhoni Resurrected...LOL

Dude, just buy a "Clergy" sticker from any Christian bookstore and park on the hospital lawn if you want.

Personally I find that by parking a ways away and walking more I am slowly becoming more fit, thus avoiding the need of having to have "clergy" come visit me in the hospital.

:pirate Dude, you would save more money by paying the parking fee instead of dues.

You make that (bolded above) sound like it's a "bad thing?" http://apostolicfriendsforum.com/ima...ons/icon12.gif

Is it a good thing for someone who is merely a "Good Ole Boy" - but not a true Christian - to smile with glee because he is part of a network of card carrying vagabonds or hoodlums? I think not. :hypercoffee

Okay...here's the deal Jane.

People in the network can question each other, especially if "the other" has a different ideological bent.:snapout

We just can't question the sytem, cause that would be rebellious.

It's that whole borg thing I get in trouble for talking about.

Be careful. This thread is not about implicating an entire network of ministers.

I think that for a lot of people the knowledge that they belong to something ... are affiliated with something that is bigger than themselves and that they themselves respect and perhaps admire offers comfort and could maybe be a morale booster. There's security sometimes in "belonging" ... in being a belonger.

Just a thot.

But can't a person be a "good ol' boy" AND a Christian? Surely it's possible?

Look, I am not condemning the need for alliances, fellowships, or organizations. I am just curious as to why someone who has no desire to minister wants a license to do so?

I am not saying it's the whole network - but it is a network within the larger paradigm.

At best, one must hope that a person who does this has good intentions of "someday" beginning to minister. What sickens me is to attend a church where there are so many men sitting around with "nothing to do"... but pay their licensure dues each year. Why pay the dues for a driver license, if you're not going to drive? Would that make sense?

I came to the realization long ago that one can really minister without a license.....or not minister holding one.......

I don't like using the terms together....Good Ole Boy has the pejorative connotation of back scratching and deception...The term Christian doesn't need Good Ole Boy along with it, in my opinion.

I know. I was just saying why for some people it's important.

Many of these people at one time may have started out in some type of ministerial position or are ministerial wannabes OR ministerial has-beens.

There are some districts now where there is little opportunity for pastoral or ministerial position as we normally think of it because the positions are all filled up and there isn't enough growth in churches or in new churches to fill the demand for placement.

Some of these guys may be sitting for a very good reason. Nobody wants them. :heeheehee

I'm not sure how individual districts do this licensing thing. I think they're (licenses) handed out way too indiscriminately actually.

And then those men whine about "not being used.":drama

Well we think of "good ol' boys" in different ways.

To me a "good ol' boy" is an easy going, back slapping kind of guy that everybody likes, although I did pick up from PP's post the connotation of a different sort of good ol' boy.

:2centsI need to go away from the computer. Don't get me started on that one.


:scripture

A card doesn't make someone a christian Minister nor does it mean that a person is effective in The Kingdom.
I thought persons desired ministerial licenses so they could participate in a org. or fellowship.
If a church has a certain affliation very often they won't use somebody who doesn't pack their card.

I have been encouraged to get my license for years. I don't want one.

People have asked when I'm going to pastor? Again I don't want to.

I am called to be a help. Anyone ever hear of helps?

Not many young men coming up that will confess, hey , when I gow up i want to be a help. No license needed.

You don't say? ;)

Very true.

The sure cure for not getting used is to become useful.

Hey if the Pastor doesn't find me useful, maybe God will if I ask Him to lead me to someone to teach a bible study or knock a door and bring someone to church. Or visit the sick or those in prison. Seems there are plenty of street corners not occupied by a preachers.

That's awesome.

I think part of the whole "wanting a license" is because for so many - especially in the UPC - ministry on the whole is so highly respected. And in the Oneness Apostolic world, UPCI is where it's at so to speak, so it's like a badge of honour or something to have one.

Yes what pay the budget fees if one has no desire to do anything in a org ?
Personally and this might get me in trouble and if it does so be it, but I think there should be more building up of The Kingdom of God than building up of orgs.

Yes I did say.......I am gifted in stating the blatantly obvious......:ursofunny

Felicity, you live in Canada. I'm not saying where I live, but where I live a "Good Ole Boy" does not always mean an easy going, back slapping kind of guy - to some maybe - to others, no. Many times it's spoken in sarcasm and other times it may mean what I spoke of above - someone who is part of a network whose intent is to look after each other - no matter if ethics have to be sacrificed.

So if I like my wife to scratch my back does that make me a GOB?

It would be cheaper to join the Moose Lodge!

LOL


http://www.mooservrlodge.com/logo.gif

I'm glad I'm from Canada.

Seriously ... we don't have a lot of this sort of thing where I come from but I acknowledge that this sort of thing exists more in some part of the U.S. than others.

I've found that overall in organizations there is a proclivity to looking after one another. When you're the one needing looking after you might be thankful that dynamic is in place.

It's a known fact that those in leadership tend to want to cover those in trouble under or around them -- whether they're right or not.

Ha! Some people seem to overlook the obvious so we need people like you who are practical and wise to state it. :saycheese

I do not think a man has to be a pastor to need a license.

I just think there should be some ministerial drive to do something.

It also worries me that some men could vote and help control direction of fellowships who have no real spiritual calling at all.

I'm certainly glad a certain card or certain affliation does not keep one from being a Child of God.

There ought to be some ministerial drive in ALL of us. We are all called to and given the ministry of reconciliation.