Education

Hewitt,
My best advice is to start on your knees and pray...

Before anyone can operate in full-time ministry, they need to know the calling of God and then they need to learn.

Firstly, never choose a ministry - listen to God and follow his calling, even if it's something that you would never have thought you would ever do. The key is to be in the place where God wants you. If you're in some other place, then that creates two problems 1. Your occupyinmg a position meant for someone else, and 2. You're not with the people who need you.

Then when your on your knees - learn how to be humble and submit to God. Remember, you have no rights before Him.

So - get on your knees and pray - let God prepare you!!

i am all for christian education and teaching, i just graduated from a bible college myself.

but i think personal revelation and change from being in gods presence yourself is more important. you may have head knowlegde, you may be able to quote volumes of theology, and explain every little riddle in the bible.
but without the fire breathing, life giving, annointing of the holyspirit, your just a walking white washed sepulcher. you may know alot, but youll still be no good to anyone becuase you dont have any life down in you, so you dont have anything real to give. people need more than teaching or theology changes, or even motivational speeches, or even teen centered events.

you must have something living breathing down inside you, you must have the annointing. what is the anointing?
well, as many great men have said, we really dont know what it is, we just see the effects of it.

it causes men to rave that they have fire in their bones and change them from meek puppies to raging flames that look death in the face and spit!
it is what enables men to raise the dead, to cast out cancer, to look at the sun and command it not to move and it must obey!

i dont really know how to describe it, or tell what it is.
but it is the raw power of god, if a man encounters it he is filled with fire.
a fire that burns him so that he wont stop untill he sees the world changed.
a fire that burns ever attack of the enemy and nothing can touch him.
a fire that lights up the night, and spreads knowledge and hope to those in dark places.

again, im trying to describe it, but i cant, if youve ever felt it, it will bring tears to your eyes and passion to your soul, its the most beautiful thing ever. the white hot fire of the lord.

though i can say this, youll never be truely effective, untill you receive the power jesus promised us would come after he left. the holyspirit, he is the life scource of this anointing, he is where it comes from.

you must attain him, and it.
and this only comes through immersing yourself in the word of god, long hours of prayer and seeking the lord with all your heart, and fasting.

colleges are fine, but some of the greatest men to ever walk the earth for god, where not educated men. but men who were changed by the anointing, and filled with the power of god, gods potentail not theres. and then there is no limit.
pray about it, god may send you to a college.
but know that colleges dont change the world, men of god do, and those are only found in the remains of a man who has given himself up, and been changed through countless hours in the presence of god.

though im not saying you dont need men as teachers, or that you dont need education from classes and such. because aparently we needed all the teaching that paul gave. so we do need teaching.

shoot, id have probly never learned anything about this anointing if i hadnt sat under a man who knew about or had it and learned about it.

so, i think it should be evenly balanced.
college, teaching, education and such.
and much prayer fasting and time in gods presence too.

i understand how this could be controversial, and people can think diffrently.
but i dont think there is any replacment for time alone in presence of god.

hey, im 20 years old, dont have my ministry yet, but my desire is to one day preach to the world too.

In that case, Hewitt - Go for it!!

Step out in faith and if you're not sure of the direction - all I can say is take one step towards the light and you may well then be able to see the next step to take. The light is where God is and what He's already told you to do.....have fun with God!!

Wow!! Congrats!! That certainly is great news...and God's hand was definitely part of it!

Would like to hear more about this Dallas Christian College.

You should also talk to the pastor of your current church. Many denominations have educational requirements. If you would like to stay in a particular denomination, you may need to go to a particular school or take a certain path.

There are lots of good schools out there. The key is not in finding the best school, but in finding the one that fits - both where you are and where you are going.

I've read some good posts and the awsome testimony of the bible school scholarship. That is just awsome. It seems like a confirmation from God. Usually I wait for at least 3 confirmations.

I just want to add a few things. Pray much and seek God's time. Abraham was promised a child and it took 30 years. He tried to bring the promise about by his own hands and had a child named Ismael. Also, Israel wanted a king so bad that God allowed them to have one, His name was Saul. And there was many problems with King Saul.

The only reason I put this is because I was young when I was called also, and there was much excitment in me, to the point that I went out and attempted to start a ministry and fell flat on my face. God's time is important.

Reading your "knocked me flat on my face" got me thinking....

I pictured myself flat on my face & realized that is a position of prayer. Maybe getting knocked on our faces (haven't we all at one time or another) is good for us if it puts us into a position of prayer? Maybe it will teach us to start from that position the next time?

That's wonderful! I too am wondering if God is calling me into the ministry. It's gonna take lots of prayer!

And I appreciated all the advice everyone gave.

Hewitt. The Lord is building up youth to lead those in the church system back to Jesus, this will be done as the youth begin ministry outside of the system. Those in the system will see the great thing God is doing among you and will follow. However, not all will follow. some will find it their duty to tear down this work God is doing.

You will walk like Jesus, in this world, the words you speak will be from the Father. You know that there is a great need to experience God, we have talked about Him long enough. So, Lay your hands on the sick and see them recover. Be Christ to your generation. Worship the Father in your culture.

Some of the punk culture is prophetic, some of the songs are God's message to us. Speak with confidence knowing that your generation will take us back to Jesus, we have lost our way.

The schools will only make you like  them. God will make you the new shepherds. Organic expressions of love for man and God will mark the new meetings, they may not even be meetings. Things are changing youth are the agents.

If you listen to the present systems leaders they will make you "practical" ministers, "practical" Christians. God is going to make you powerful ministers and powerful Christians. Don't trip on the "power" there are enough brokers already. You will be meek and lowly like Jesus, shepherds like Him, lovers of men, Sons of God, not "men of God" this a wonderfull thing you are our leaders. If this does not bring meekness and humility you do not understand yet, but you will.

God will school you!

In Love, your friend, Bill

 Hewitt, remember even though he is God, that alone is WOW he still wants to be your friend. We are not his slaves because slaves have no choice we do. God will never be in a hurry, push, and shove you where you don’t want to go. He well ask or tell us to go where we might not want to go but in the end it will be the best choice.

Years ago I use to sing in a choir and went for a walk by myself and said to the lord "I know you called me I just don't know to what". That night after the choir sang we would go out to people who came and pray for them. When I saw a man praying for one of our choir members and was hoping he might pray for me. Well When I went over there he put his hands on me and said "My son I have called you but you do not know to what but I will open all the doors" there was much more but even after that I new to ask my pastor how good was this mans word (since I never new him). The pastor said if he says something you can believe it. I have learned in life God will always let you know 1st. God just confirmed what I all ready new. I don't have enough time to tell you how he opened SO many doors just going to school. Trust, have faith and he will open all the doors. So I hope this helps a little. Remember God will ALWAYS go by his word and next time you look out side remember your DAD made all that.

Last, one time I was crying feeling real sorry for myself when out of no where he said "don't you know I love you?" Man those words cut so deep instantly I was so filled with joy. We forget so many times that he loves us so much. I just saw a man on TV saying "Just before I went on stage I ask the lord what to tell the people he said the lord told him to say, tell them I love them, the man asked the lord "is that all because they know that" the lord said "no they don't".

So stand back and just watch what THE GREAT GOD JEHOVAH will do for you. He is gona open all the doors for you IN JESUS NAME.

Walk by faith.