Things You May Not Know About Ministry

[Charlie Brown]

Originally Posted by Berkeley

This was me, 7-8 yrs ago..

What did hinder you???

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

I disagree. Too much friendship between pastors and saints leads to a dilution of spiritual authority. That has nothing to do with elitism. It has to do with Divine order.

Originally Posted by mizpeh

What is this divine order? Where is this taught in the word of God?

I've been agreeing with RR as I've been reading along. I don't need to know my pastor's personal business but I do want to know him as a brother in Christ and what makes him tick. I've learned he has a heart for God and I respect that.

PP, please don't think that I am being disrespectful when I say this, but........

if too much friendship between pastors and saints would lead to a dilution of spiritual authority, then I would question the spiritual authority to begin with. First of all, I've definately not seen that to be true in any church I've been in where the pastor had close friends from within the church. In fact, if anything, it tended to solidify the bonds between those involved. When that happened, it became much less necessary for the pastor 'come down' on them. And
Second of all, if this calling isn't 'like fire shut up in your bones' then is it really a calling? And if it is like the fire, then it has to come out.

It would seem to me that the closer you feel to someone, the more you would feel a burden for their very soul. And therefore, the more you would feel compelled to give to them whatever it is GOD wanted you to give them.

Of course, since I'm not in the ministry, I'll just watch from the outside. But I have to be honest and tell you that from my point of view, when you shut yourself away from the saints and fellowship only with other pastors, it makes me wonder...................

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Kutless

PP I am not trying to be difficult here...but could you give a specific example?

Kutless, it's just a "knowing" that you are different, consecrated, set apart for a specific purpose. That you are not to be like everyone else. This is becoming more and more rare in our society. It is also viewed as elitism when it really isn't anything other than biblical anointing.

[berkeley]

Originally Posted by Charlie Brown

What did hinder you???

stuff... lol.. let's not open that can of worms!!

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Margies3

PP, please don't think that I am being disrespectful when I say this, but........

if too much friendship between pastors and saints would lead to a dilution of spiritual authority, then I would question the spiritual authority to begin with. First of all, I've definately not seen that to be true in any church I've been in where the pastor had close friends from within the church. In fact, if anything, it tended to solidify the bonds between those involved. When that happened, it became much less necessary for the pastor 'come down' on them. And
Second of all, if this calling isn't 'like fire shut up in your bones' then is it really a calling? And if it is like the fire, then it has to come out.

It would seem to me that the closer you feel to someone, the more you would feel a burden for their very soul. And therefore, the more you would feel compelled to give to them whatever it is GOD wanted you to give them.

Of course, since I'm not in the ministry, I'll just watch from the outside. But I have to be honest and tell you that from my point of view, when you shut yourself away from the saints and fellowship only with other pastors, it makes me wonder...................

Okay, go back and read my posts Sis. I have NEVER said that a pastor shouldn't fellowship and be close with the saints. My only point was that there is a line that doesn't need to be crossed.

I have learned this in the church I planted. My job is to bring folks into a relationship and fellowship with HIM.

That being said, I am a very sociable person. I fellowship with the church way more than I hang out with my preacher buddies.

Sometimes the whole getting close to 'saints' for a preacher works in the opposite direction, in the negative sense, PP.

The preacher gets to know the 'saints' so well that he gets a little (ok, a LOT) loose in the tongue about the problems other 'saints' have... and tells how he had to talk to this one about that or that one about this... when it's none of anyone else's bidness...

And sometimes, he gets 'close enough' that he feels that he can get away with "telling 'em like it is" without using any kind of compassion in the delivery...

Seen both...

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Charlie Brown

From what I remember hearing, as a young man Verbal Bean would often find himself alone when all the other teens were going out to have fun. He found his pleasure in the presence of God.

So it is not always by ones choice that they become a loner. Its just that not everyone whats more of God. I have found that often when I go out and fellowship with others, they want to talk about everything but God stuff. I really am not interested in sports. I could care less about fishing, or golf, or anything else for that matter. I want to talk about the things that accompany the Kingdom of God, and will sit all night and listen to those that will feed it to me. This make for, at times, a very lonely journey.

When I was a younger minister, Brother Jonathan Urshan Sr gave me and a few other young guys from the church a course in homiletics. It was life-changing.

He really planted a love for study in me. He referred us to EM Bounds, Arthur Pink and so many other authors who talked about prayer and real relationship with God.

EM Bounds is still a personal favorite of mine. His pamphlets on prayer are second to none.

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Okay, go back and read my posts Sis. I have NEVER said that a pastor shouldn't fellowship and be close with the saints. My only point was that there is a line that doesn't need to be crossed.

I have learned this in the church I planted. My job is to bring folks into a relationship and fellowship with HIM.

That being said, I am a very sociable person. I fellowship with the church way more than I hang out with my preacher buddies.

I'm glad to hear you say this, PP. I don't think it's wrong for you to have preacher buddies - not at all!! But I think it's detrimental to everyone when you see elite little groups made out of those preacher buddies.

One thing I've noticed, particularly in the church we attend now, is that in this church the pastor has close friends from within the church. His wife has a couple of very close girlfriends from within the church. And because people see this going on, they are feel much more comfortable forming their own friendships from within the church. People will follow their leaders example, you know

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Ronzo

Sometimes the whole getting close to 'saints' for a preacher works in the opposite direction, in the negative sense, PP.

The preacher gets to know the 'saints' so well that he gets a little (ok, a LOT) loose in the tongue about the problems other 'saints' have... and tells how he had to talk to this one about that or that one about this... when it's none of anyone else's bidness...

And sometimes, he gets 'close enough' that he feels that he can get away with "telling 'em like it is" without using any kind of compassion in the delivery...

Seen both...

Exactly.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Margies3

PP, please don't think that I am being disrespectful when I say this, but........

if too much friendship between pastors and saints would lead to a dilution of spiritual authority, then I would question the spiritual authority to begin with. First of all, I've definately not seen that to be true in any church I've been in where the pastor had close friends from within the church. In fact, if anything, it tended to solidify the bonds between those involved. When that happened, it became much less necessary for the pastor 'come down' on them. And
Second of all, if this calling isn't 'like fire shut up in your bones' then is it really a calling? And if it is like the fire, then it has to come out.

It would seem to me that the closer you feel to someone, the more you would feel a burden for their very soul. And therefore, the more you would feel compelled to give to them whatever it is GOD wanted you to give them.

Of course, since I'm not in the ministry, I'll just watch from the outside. But I have to be honest and tell you that from my point of view, when you shut yourself away from the saints and fellowship only with other pastors, it makes me wonder...................

Sister, I am in agreement with PP in that there needs to be some distance between pastors and their congregation. I have seen buddy buddy type relationships cause problems in churches before.