Hello. I'd love your input. At first, I posted this as a reply within an existing thread I found where so many are already connected re the subject about which I would like counsel. However, it occurred to me that I should also post my own thread, to increase the odds of getting a reply and also in case the thread I was in might have been closed to new replies. I'd love it if you all could please weigh in as to whether my conclusion (below) is appropriate. I feel it is, but still would like to seek counsel in the brethren as part of due diligence. It's a long story, and there is so much more to it than just what I've written below, as I'm sure any of us can relate, but for the purposes of what I'm asking I'll condense it:
I was called by God 15 years ago. He gave me many visions during prayer, about which I spoke to many different clergy, who all agreed that the experience was and messages were authentic. Clergy of various denominations, and non-denominational ones, literally just began appearing into my social life and suddenly I was interacting with them pretty much daily. I went into spiritual direction to help process the whole thing for about 4 years. In the middle of that, I joined a Holy Order as a lay affiliate for about 7 years (was Episcopalean / Anglican at the time, but have since moved out of that and into the non-denominational church). I read and read about theology, theological history, the Bible, and prayed all the time. God told me distinctly that I was to be priest and perform all the things that the Apostles had done and speak words of knowledge to people that He would give me that no one could possibly know, in an effort to make Himself abundantly clear to them. Later, that word kept pressing and I told him I couldn't possibly afford all the money and further years of study in seminary that would be involved in waiting to be ordained and needed His help. He told me that I was to minister but not to go to seminary. Meanwhile, I'd moved across the country to follow the secular work aspect of my calling, as He wanted to use me in that as well, and found a small church group there. I spoke to the minister about this conundrum and he explained that I could enter into discipleship with him, through his church, for eventual ordination. I did that, and essentially functioned as both a pastoral assistant and associate pastor. However, that pastor fell into a form of apostasy. After trying various unsuccessful attempts to address that, I had to disinvolve myself there. God told me at various churches I visited that I should be preaching and, when in prayer, He said that I was already ordained of Him and needn't any more processing - that any papers to legitimize me legally with men and the world were just a technicality and to move forward. Literally right after that, when attending a different church in my search for a new one, an elder who prayed over me got and gave me the same word! The only way I could figure to move forward was through some sort of online ordination, but I was concerned that would appear less authentic or fake and ultimately not be recognized, and didn't know how to really verify some online organizations, and had other, similar concerns. Then, my mother developed problems causing me to move back east to help her, which was a full-time job, and is now a part-time one. I searched here for a church like the one lie the one I'd been part of on the west cast but the only suitable places I've found don't have the ordination process/ option. (This state is difficult, faithwise - a small number of Bible-based churches in a small state that is otherwise a small sea of fairly rampant secularism.)
So, the notion has again come into my mind that I should just stop waiting for approval and just do it. Thus, the online certificates method has come up for me again. Now, especially with all that is happening, I feel like I should get over those concerns, get some sort of online cert. through whatever site seems the most legit to me and/ or recommended by others and just do it and move on. Does this sound right to any of you? Please let me know ASAP as I feel like I need to move on this quickly after so long.
Thank you and God bless!
I was called by God 15 years ago. He gave me many visions during prayer, about which I spoke to many different clergy, who all agreed that the experience was and messages were authentic. Clergy of various denominations, and non-denominational ones, literally just began appearing into my social life and suddenly I was interacting with them pretty much daily. I went into spiritual direction to help process the whole thing for about 4 years. In the middle of that, I joined a Holy Order as a lay affiliate for about 7 years (was Episcopalean / Anglican at the time, but have since moved out of that and into the non-denominational church). I read and read about theology, theological history, the Bible, and prayed all the time. God told me distinctly that I was to be priest and perform all the things that the Apostles had done and speak words of knowledge to people that He would give me that no one could possibly know, in an effort to make Himself abundantly clear to them. Later, that word kept pressing and I told him I couldn't possibly afford all the money and further years of study in seminary that would be involved in waiting to be ordained and needed His help. He told me that I was to minister but not to go to seminary. Meanwhile, I'd moved across the country to follow the secular work aspect of my calling, as He wanted to use me in that as well, and found a small church group there. I spoke to the minister about this conundrum and he explained that I could enter into discipleship with him, through his church, for eventual ordination. I did that, and essentially functioned as both a pastoral assistant and associate pastor. However, that pastor fell into a form of apostasy. After trying various unsuccessful attempts to address that, I had to disinvolve myself there. God told me at various churches I visited that I should be preaching and, when in prayer, He said that I was already ordained of Him and needn't any more processing - that any papers to legitimize me legally with men and the world were just a technicality and to move forward. Literally right after that, when attending a different church in my search for a new one, an elder who prayed over me got and gave me the same word! The only way I could figure to move forward was through some sort of online ordination, but I was concerned that would appear less authentic or fake and ultimately not be recognized, and didn't know how to really verify some online organizations, and had other, similar concerns. Then, my mother developed problems causing me to move back east to help her, which was a full-time job, and is now a part-time one. I searched here for a church like the one lie the one I'd been part of on the west cast but the only suitable places I've found don't have the ordination process/ option. (This state is difficult, faithwise - a small number of Bible-based churches in a small state that is otherwise a small sea of fairly rampant secularism.)
So, the notion has again come into my mind that I should just stop waiting for approval and just do it. Thus, the online certificates method has come up for me again. Now, especially with all that is happening, I feel like I should get over those concerns, get some sort of online cert. through whatever site seems the most legit to me and/ or recommended by others and just do it and move on. Does this sound right to any of you? Please let me know ASAP as I feel like I need to move on this quickly after so long.
Thank you and God bless!
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