Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
Many honestly don't seem to know the Word of God very well.
Sue, I say this sincerely ...
God is not a god of confusion, or disorder, or fear. If you haven't done so already, it might help you to talk with a man who is or has been a pastor, to help you to discern if you do indeed also have a calling.
My pastor, members of my congregation, friends from within the body outside of my church as well as my wife have all said God is raising me up to be a pastor.. it was because of my wife telling my pastor that she has been told since she was 8yrs old by different people across different churches throughout her life that her calling was to be a pastors wife that confirmed my calling and this was after she had agreed to marry me and I hadn’t told her what I suspected my calling to be at the time.
I relate to your concern. I think the blame should be the seminaries and Bible colleges where men and women are trained. While there certainly needs theology and other subjects to be taught, the heart is often left barren. Effective ministry should flow out of the heart not just the head. Truth should not only inform but transform. What I am trying to say is that it comes done to one's relationship with God. We must be worshipers first before we are workers. E.M. Bounds wrote, 'God is not looking for better methods but rather, for better men'.That's a real good thing to be praying about.
I'm very concerned about the lack of good preachers we are seeing today.
There were so many good ones in the past.
And the last of the good ones seem now to be approaching their last days ...
This lack of solid preaching has been going on for some time now.
I had hoped by now that some new, younger SOLID preachers would appear on the scene ...
but I'm just not seeing it happen.
I keep hoping it is, and maybe I'm just missing it ...
Meanwhile, teaching threads like this one are helping to keep the message going forward.
@Christsfreeservant : "Thank you!"
In my opinion, it's the blind leading the blind. There's a lot of bad theology being taught in seminaries/colleges and it's only fueling the problem because the vast majority of churches will not accept a Pastor unless they have a theological degree.
Mourningdove, well, I am 76 years old, and I have taught the Scriptures for 50+ years, and daily for the past 20-21 years. I started teaching the Scriptures at the age of 16, but I had times when I was not teaching, too. But in 2004 the Lord called me to write down what he is teaching me from his word each day and to put these writings on the internet, and so I have been doing that ever since then, by the grace of God, in the power of God - all glory to God. I do take the time to prayerfully go over the Scriptures and to pray that the Lord will lead me in what to say. And if there is something I don't understand, I will go to the Greek or to the Hebrew or to some Bible commentators for better understanding, but always under the direction of the Lord, for my trust is in him alone. I just trust that the Lord will guide me in what to write each day. And beginning in 2004 he had me read the Bible Genesis to Revelation, and again, and then from the Psalms through Revelation, and over again several times in order for me to get the context of what the Scriptures teach, for context is critical to correct biblical interpretation. Thank you for asking. I hope this answered your question. All in the power of God and not in my human flesh.Sue, I say this sincerely ...
you seem to have such a 'good handle' of the Scriptures.
You seem to know them very well, and you teach so very well.
If you don't mind me asking, how did you learn the Word so well?
I know my question is alittle off topic, but maybe not really.
We've been talking abit about calling, and there clearly seems to be a calling on your life to teach.
You really do it here quite well.
I couldn't do what you do ... thanks for sharing your gift!
What a heart and mind for the Word the Lord has given you!
mourningdove, thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words of encouragement to me. God bless you! And all glory to God!!What a heart and mind for the Word the Lord has given you!
I'm a senior, too, but even in my younger years I couldn't have retained and expressed the Word of God the way that you do. And what a gifting, that you were already committed to the Scriptures at the age of 16! Thank you for sharing your story. We've been talking some about 'ministry' here in this thread, God's calling, and how He works in our lives where we are called ... and your story gives testimony to how God can take a willing, committed heart and work thru it to bless others, while blessing us, too. He is a Great God!
