We receive quite a few prayer letters each month. I just received one from TX. It contained news of a modern Christian tragedy.
The report talked about a pastor from a foreign country. The pastor was a former professor! How sad!
It is a pattern that is repeated too often. A good competent businessman, a good competent engineer, and now a good competent professor, gets quite serious about Christianity, as we all should, and then.... goes to seminary, or cemetery, as I call it. He then may or may not have an effective ministry in full-time service in a mission post or Congregation.
Foremost we must listen to G^d and obey, and if he calling you to seminary, get there as fast as you can. ON THE OTHER HAND, figure out how to minister and grow where G^d has planted you. I am all for getting all the training, Bible knowledge, theology you can acquire, but young people particularly, don't feel compelled to leave your occupation to do somehting "more spiritual" unless G^d clearly directs.
That foreign pastor may be highly effective, I have no idea. BUT, a Christian professor, what a great idea! A Christian businessman, or school teacher, or auto mechanic, or retiree. All of us ought to be ministering wherever we are. The pulpit is a great ministry, but not the highest calling. Foreign missions is a great ministry, but not necessarily the highest calling.
Ask G^d where He wants you, then seek to minister right there in all the ways you can.
Now, to practice what I preach!
The report talked about a pastor from a foreign country. The pastor was a former professor! How sad!
It is a pattern that is repeated too often. A good competent businessman, a good competent engineer, and now a good competent professor, gets quite serious about Christianity, as we all should, and then.... goes to seminary, or cemetery, as I call it. He then may or may not have an effective ministry in full-time service in a mission post or Congregation.
Foremost we must listen to G^d and obey, and if he calling you to seminary, get there as fast as you can. ON THE OTHER HAND, figure out how to minister and grow where G^d has planted you. I am all for getting all the training, Bible knowledge, theology you can acquire, but young people particularly, don't feel compelled to leave your occupation to do somehting "more spiritual" unless G^d clearly directs.
That foreign pastor may be highly effective, I have no idea. BUT, a Christian professor, what a great idea! A Christian businessman, or school teacher, or auto mechanic, or retiree. All of us ought to be ministering wherever we are. The pulpit is a great ministry, but not the highest calling. Foreign missions is a great ministry, but not necessarily the highest calling.
Ask G^d where He wants you, then seek to minister right there in all the ways you can.
Now, to practice what I preach!
Christian professors?? What the? Who ever heard of such?!
ReplyDeleteWhat's next, ordaining plumbers? :-)
Well we could ordain taxi drivers. You heard about the pastor who got to heaven and saw the taxi driver being treated so well? He asked about it and St Peter said,
ReplyDelete"You preached and people slept. He drove and people prayed."
So, thanks be to G^d for clergy, but thank Him more for Christian profs like you.