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MINISTRY #9 YOUTH MINISTER...2B OR NOT 2B |
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MINISTRY #8 WHAT ABOUT NUMBERS |
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THE CHURCH ON HIGHER GROUND |
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HOMEPAGE |
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SERMON NETS HOMEPAGE |
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SERMON NETS MENU |
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SERMON NETS ON MINISTRY |
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MINISTRY #1 |
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MINISTRY #2 MINISTRY OR INDUSTRY? |
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MINISTRY #3 personal and corporate |
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MINISTRY #4 personal and corporate |
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MINISTRY #5 personal and corporate |
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MINISTRY #6 personal and corporarte |
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MINISTRY #7 WEB MINISTRY |
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MINISTRY #4 personal and corporate
#1 It's a Crime
#2 It's A Crying Shame
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Have you ever noticed how there are some crimes that go unpunished? There are some groups that either do have immunity from legal action or they seem like they do. You may be thinking of the Mafia or other well known crime organizations. You may be thinking of criminals who have been placed in the Government Protection Program for having turned State's evidence. You may be thinking of politicians who get away with murder and all other forms of vice. Actually, that is not who I have in mind. I am thinking of institutions of higher learning and so-called Christian colleges in particular.
Try to picture this absurd scenario. A person is walking down the street and is approached by a masked and armed robber. The robber points the gun and demands the citizens money. When the citizen shows that he has no money, the robber then gives him his address and tells the citizen to send installments every month. The citizen thanks him, goes away and sends installments as he was instructed, and tries to never be late with the payments. The citizen also tells everyone what a fine robber he was.
I know this sounds ridiculous, but no more so than the many college graduates I meet who tell me about their financial obligations to alma mater. Young men and women are called by God to enter full time ministry work (we are all called to full time service), either here at home or abroad. They dedicate their lives to Jesus and then they are directed by pastors, mission boards, other Christians and guidance counselors to go to Christian college or Bible college. The cost may be anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 a year. They cannot afford it, but not to worry, there are loans available. These loans can be paid off over a given number of years. The young servant of God takes the classes, works hard, graduates and then is tied up for the next several, important years in trying to get dis-entangled from their obligations. Sometimes they are able to serve while they pay, but they are still burdened with heavy financial responsibilities.
"So", you may say, "where is the crime in this?" They have been saddled with an exorbitant obligation which often times keeps them from God's work rather than sending them into God's work. They often must serve mammon in order to pay off an education which should be provided by the church. Why should the people and work of God enslave young Christians? Why should I constantly hear young Christians tell how they must work in some secular employment while the field they are called to must wait because of "student loans?" As if there is not enough problems with the church standing in the way of young people getting to the field of God's choosing, I meet most of them who are still not even basically equipped after four years of "Christian Education." They are not trained in Bible, Bible Doctrine, Theology, Missions, Pastoral Care, Biblical Counseling, Youth work, Christian Economics, Churchmanship or any other essential discipline. They are the blind leading the blind. They mean well, but they have been robbed for four years. They have been given a smattering of essential classes and a deluge of "stuff" which they either will not need or they could have gotten in less than 1/4th the time.
Of course they don't know that they have been robbed. They don't know that they have been mislead. They do all they can to repay the loans which they thought were such blessings when they were able to acquire them. What they should be doing is getting their money back. They have been robbed of four years and thousands of dollars. Don't think that their problems would be solved with three more years of seminary. Seminary does not do the job either.
What a student gets in seminary is basic and not even adequate for the ministry.
It's a crime
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I was reading a newspaper recently and came across an article/advertisement which was giving the schedule and roster for a "Christian" convention or rally of some sort. You know the kind I am talking about; Well known Christian athletes, entertainers, business leaders, political figures, motivators, TV ministers and of course the ever popular "Women's Speakers."
So pastor David, what is your problem? Do you have something against them? Well...NO, not simply because that is what they are. I am sure there are probably sincere and solidly based people who are Christian and do some of these other things as well. But I don't swallow everything that is dished up as "Christian" any more than I believe everything I read on a restaurant menu. What I do have a problem with is the commercializing of the ministry and the gospel. You see, I understand there is such a thing as "ministry" and there is such a thing as "business" or "commercial venture."
And NO, I am not against a guy (or gal) making a buck. But we should not market ourselves as "Christian" and then charge someone to come hear us talk about Jesus in our lives or call it "ministry" and then charge people to give them what the Lord gave to us.
Ministry is not a commercial venture. If it is being sold, it is not a ministry, it is a business. Jesus did not charge $5.95 plus tax for the fish dinner He served to the thousands of followers. It came out of His own pocket and a little fellow's lunch bag, and then it was multiplied miraculously for the multitude. Yes, a Christian can run a seafood (or any other) restaurant and charge for a meal if he so chooses, but do not call it ministry. Yes, a famous person may give a motivational seminar if he chooses, but if he charges for it do not call it ministry. Ministry is service to others, and not for personal gain. Those who receive the ministering should be generous to the minister, but that is a true "gift" and not a charge. Someone has said that, "Though LOVE makes the world go around, it is money which oils the wheels." I understand the importance and place of money in everyone's life. But ministry is that which is given. The church and Christians should not be charging for it's ministries of any kind.
The church is a ministry under the authority of Jesus Christ. If we are providing a service for which we charge, let us be honest and call it a business and not a ministry.
I look at the cost of some of these seminars and I am amazed that anyone attends. The info that is given MAY be worth the money, time and energy spent, but I think it looses much of it's value because it is marketed in the name of Christ and then banked in the name of the "Special Guest." I hear about the "honorarium" set by these Christians and fail to see the ministry or the service which is being rendered. Though the amount of money varies from speaker to speaker, it is not unusual for some of them to get THOUSANDS of dollars per appearance. This is also true with some so-called evangelist. If they are not promised their high figure "gift", they do not show up.
I find it interesting that all of these special speakers (who often have "jobs" with relatively high incomes and a number of "perks", or those "specialized ministries" such as "Christian Counselors" are able to charge and get much more than the poor pastor who serves without complaint and might only get the crumbs from the parishioners tables. For thousands of years we have EXPECTED pastors to make sacrifices for the "glory of God" while his children had hand-me-down clothes, shoes which were to small and the criticisms of tight-wad busybodies who wasted more on their foolishness than they gave for the care of their souls.
Finally, I am not crying sour grapes for the pastors who have been cheated by their selfish parishioners, I am simply saying it is a Crying Shame that the ministry has been prostituted in the name of "FAMOUS CHRISTIANS, either pastors or otherwise.
It's A Crying Shame
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