You Have a Ministry
Regardless of how it may appear to the contrary, if you are a Christian, you already have a ministry and no ordination papers or degrees are required. There is something that God has called and equipped you to do, where you would answer directly to Him regarding your progress. But the majority of Christians do not believe this (they think they need to go to Bible school or seminary) and the majority of pastors do not truly encourage Christians to step out into their own private ministries. Instead they teach and model a system where it seems normal and acceptable to God for churches to absorb and merge the average Christian's private ministry with the local church. This generally is nothing more than the subverting and redirection of a Christian's talents and abilities while of course neglecting their true spiritual gifts, which most modern pastors don't care the least about. Instead these men usually think they have “all that” covered by their own alleged spiritual gifts. What they often really want from members is just their money, earthly talents and time, and of course to fill lots of seats so they can have the largest audience possible when they teach or preach.
The good minister encourages Christians to step out and serve God in whatever God has called and gifted those particular Christian to do, equipping and supporting their efforts. The typical modern minister seizes these opportunities and flips things around to where they are, for all practical purposes, acquiring or “assimilating” private ministries very much like properties. Except of course they pay nothing, not that anyone's ministry should ever be for sale anyway of course. This whole process is often done very subtly and quietly in the background to where it goes on virtually unnoticed.
Countless Christians lose their private ministries without ever realizing that they even had one to begin with! They are usually so steeped in modern church traditions that they fully believe a church grows by assimilation (absorption) of the talents, abilities (and sometimes gifts) of Christians to use for the expansion of the pastor's agenda, which usually means the expansion of the brick and mortar facilities.
Of course we don't see a single example of anything like this going on in the Bible, but these churchmen don't seem to care in the least about what we see in the Bible as far as doctrine, practice (pattern) or example. As far as they are concerned, the Bible is not their final controlling authority and so they can “do whatever they please” and “write their own ticket with God”. Really? Let's see how that works out for them when they have to stand before God one day and give an account for how they lived, behaved and treated God's people. The bottom line is these men do not truly look to the Bible for their instruction regardless of any lip service to the contrary that they may give to the Bible or to God. Instead, these kind of church leaders operate by their own false authority and this is precisely how they can get whatever they want. And these same people have the brazen audacity to pray the Lord's prayer claiming that they want God's will "to be done on earth as it is in heaven", while in reality, what they really want is their own will to be done on earth as it is on earth.
Again, be very careful what you join. You could be assimilated and knocked out of true service for years and not realize it until a lot of time is wasted. That's my story in a nutshell. But thankfully I eventually got free (about 10 years ago now) and I have been serving the Lord directly ever since. But if I had only read the New Testament with an eye on specifically discovering what the true church of Jesus Christ looks like before joining any local church, I could have avoided many years of pain, suffering, betrayal and financial losses that can happen when you leap before you study. But no! I never questioned those particular doctrines or practices (and none of those churches ever once encouraged members to check out their particular beliefs and practices. In fact, I have never seen such a church EVER do so!). So of course, as a good little robot and puppet of men, I just assumed that all the buzz and activity that I saw going on with those churches must be normal, must be God's will. That's a deadly assumption. I had no idea that what I was seeing was actually nothing more than the doctrines and traditions of men in operation, the very thing that Jesus warned us would make the Word of God ineffective in our own lives. And there is nothing more spiritually dangerous than making God's Word ineffective in our lives!
(7) Howbeit in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (8) For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men... (9) And he said unto them, Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition. (13) Making the word of God of none effect [ineffective] through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things you do. (Mark 7:7, 8a, 9, 13) [Emphasis added]
Again, if you are a Christian you have a ministry, but it's your responsibility to protect it. Don't let it be suppressed or stolen. My hope is that you will study now and never have to go through any of what I (and countless others) have endured at the hands of a very cruel unbiblical system with very cruel taskmasters.
ChristiansFree.com
Regardless of how it may appear to the contrary, if you are a Christian, you already have a ministry and no ordination papers or degrees are required. There is something that God has called and equipped you to do, where you would answer directly to Him regarding your progress. But the majority of Christians do not believe this (they think they need to go to Bible school or seminary) and the majority of pastors do not truly encourage Christians to step out into their own private ministries. Instead they teach and model a system where it seems normal and acceptable to God for churches to absorb and merge the average Christian's private ministry with the local church. This generally is nothing more than the subverting and redirection of a Christian's talents and abilities while of course neglecting their true spiritual gifts, which most modern pastors don't care the least about. Instead these men usually think they have “all that” covered by their own alleged spiritual gifts. What they often really want from members is just their money, earthly talents and time, and of course to fill lots of seats so they can have the largest audience possible when they teach or preach.
The good minister encourages Christians to step out and serve God in whatever God has called and gifted those particular Christian to do, equipping and supporting their efforts. The typical modern minister seizes these opportunities and flips things around to where they are, for all practical purposes, acquiring or “assimilating” private ministries very much like properties. Except of course they pay nothing, not that anyone's ministry should ever be for sale anyway of course. This whole process is often done very subtly and quietly in the background to where it goes on virtually unnoticed.
Countless Christians lose their private ministries without ever realizing that they even had one to begin with! They are usually so steeped in modern church traditions that they fully believe a church grows by assimilation (absorption) of the talents, abilities (and sometimes gifts) of Christians to use for the expansion of the pastor's agenda, which usually means the expansion of the brick and mortar facilities.
Of course we don't see a single example of anything like this going on in the Bible, but these churchmen don't seem to care in the least about what we see in the Bible as far as doctrine, practice (pattern) or example. As far as they are concerned, the Bible is not their final controlling authority and so they can “do whatever they please” and “write their own ticket with God”. Really? Let's see how that works out for them when they have to stand before God one day and give an account for how they lived, behaved and treated God's people. The bottom line is these men do not truly look to the Bible for their instruction regardless of any lip service to the contrary that they may give to the Bible or to God. Instead, these kind of church leaders operate by their own false authority and this is precisely how they can get whatever they want. And these same people have the brazen audacity to pray the Lord's prayer claiming that they want God's will "to be done on earth as it is in heaven", while in reality, what they really want is their own will to be done on earth as it is on earth.
Again, be very careful what you join. You could be assimilated and knocked out of true service for years and not realize it until a lot of time is wasted. That's my story in a nutshell. But thankfully I eventually got free (about 10 years ago now) and I have been serving the Lord directly ever since. But if I had only read the New Testament with an eye on specifically discovering what the true church of Jesus Christ looks like before joining any local church, I could have avoided many years of pain, suffering, betrayal and financial losses that can happen when you leap before you study. But no! I never questioned those particular doctrines or practices (and none of those churches ever once encouraged members to check out their particular beliefs and practices. In fact, I have never seen such a church EVER do so!). So of course, as a good little robot and puppet of men, I just assumed that all the buzz and activity that I saw going on with those churches must be normal, must be God's will. That's a deadly assumption. I had no idea that what I was seeing was actually nothing more than the doctrines and traditions of men in operation, the very thing that Jesus warned us would make the Word of God ineffective in our own lives. And there is nothing more spiritually dangerous than making God's Word ineffective in our lives!
(7) Howbeit in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (8) For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men... (9) And he said unto them, Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition. (13) Making the word of God of none effect [ineffective] through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things you do. (Mark 7:7, 8a, 9, 13) [Emphasis added]
Again, if you are a Christian you have a ministry, but it's your responsibility to protect it. Don't let it be suppressed or stolen. My hope is that you will study now and never have to go through any of what I (and countless others) have endured at the hands of a very cruel unbiblical system with very cruel taskmasters.
ChristiansFree.com