CAN YOU WORSHIP WITHOUT BEING IN MINISTRY: Part One
Well this is going to be an honest post about what happens when you have been
fired from a ministry, or you feel forced out of a ministry, or you do not get the
position you applied for. I read about too many ministers who have just the same
experiences and are very discouraged about ministry. Let me tell you, God will
work it out.
Charles,
What does discouragement with ministry have to do with God's right to be worshipped? Or is ministry your only reason for going to worship? Just a question or two to ponder ... God
bless.
____________
My Reply:
What God wants to use as a blessing and growth, Satan will use the same situation as a discouragement and defeat.
I am discouraged with not doing ministry. I am discouraged with leadership of churches that do not see that I can do ministry. And as a result I am discouraged with the thought of trying to go to another church and experience.. Because it does seem that ministry plays a big role in being able to truly worship the Lord in the church setting. Can I worship in a church where I have had no prior connection. Yes.
Can you worship in a church where you have been told you cannot minister or have a ministry? Can a wife experience love of her husband when he is a not a loving husband to her?
Personally I have been in two churches the last several years and other than the first Sunday, have felt resented or misunderstood as to motive or something, of most things I have said or tried to do, by the leadership. Charity and I have felt the warmth of the regular members of the church very deeply. But I am too fleshly and sinful to set aside the disapproval of what I say and do, and enter into a truly worship attitude. We personally love to visit with the folks, we love to mix with the folks, it’s great. Which is a part of worship too. It’s not so hard to worship the Lord even in jail, but it’s not pleasant either.. When you know you have been rejected to do ministry, it’s hard to ignore.. I would also say that pride is a factor. When folks know you have been rejected or that you have not found a church to pastor you sense failure. You would think after so many years in ministry that you would be mature enough to handle all the situations that you are put in. That you would be able to throw off all the situations that come into your life.
Until now, we were able to throw off getting fired, and move on and get another job or ministry with little problems. This has been the first time that we have felt the pressure of not being able to get another ministry or even a secular job. In every case from 1966 thru 2003 we were able to leave a job and get another job in only a few months. I have never been without ministry or secular job for more than a few months, never. Charity and I would move to the next town and either get a secular job and then wait on the Lord for the next ministry. And each time we would have a job or two, and then a ministry would open up. But moving to Portsmouth, we have experienced something different. We had a job when we moved here, secular and ministry, lost the ministry, and quit the job. But this time Charity had a job and we didn’t want to move. So we thought that we could get another job or ministry. I have been unable to secure a job or ministry now for over two years. We have applied for several church positions which we have not received. But now after two years, it’s beginning to work on me. What Christ is doing in my life for His glory and what Satan is doing for his purpose cause both spiritual and human reaction. So how can we work through this?
The question is can you worship the Lord without doing ministry? Can you worship the Lord in church where you are discouraged about the ministry of the church? Is the local church only a place you come to sit and experience what is happening on stage? How would you describe worship in a local church? Would you say worship is experienced by most of the people who are in the church service on Sunday morning? “When I left church this morning, I felt that I had truly entered into worship of the Lord.” Do most members just go to church? Ministry does not necessarily lead to worship of God. You can be so busy doing ministry that you do not have time to experience the “spirit” of worship.
Part Two Tuesday
Well this is going to be an honest post about what happens when you have been
fired from a ministry, or you feel forced out of a ministry, or you do not get the
position you applied for. I read about too many ministers who have just the same
experiences and are very discouraged about ministry. Let me tell you, God will
work it out.
Charles,
What does discouragement with ministry have to do with God's right to be worshipped? Or is ministry your only reason for going to worship? Just a question or two to ponder ... God
bless.
____________
My Reply:
What God wants to use as a blessing and growth, Satan will use the same situation as a discouragement and defeat.
I am discouraged with not doing ministry. I am discouraged with leadership of churches that do not see that I can do ministry. And as a result I am discouraged with the thought of trying to go to another church and experience.. Because it does seem that ministry plays a big role in being able to truly worship the Lord in the church setting. Can I worship in a church where I have had no prior connection. Yes.
Can you worship in a church where you have been told you cannot minister or have a ministry? Can a wife experience love of her husband when he is a not a loving husband to her?
Personally I have been in two churches the last several years and other than the first Sunday, have felt resented or misunderstood as to motive or something, of most things I have said or tried to do, by the leadership. Charity and I have felt the warmth of the regular members of the church very deeply. But I am too fleshly and sinful to set aside the disapproval of what I say and do, and enter into a truly worship attitude. We personally love to visit with the folks, we love to mix with the folks, it’s great. Which is a part of worship too. It’s not so hard to worship the Lord even in jail, but it’s not pleasant either.. When you know you have been rejected to do ministry, it’s hard to ignore.. I would also say that pride is a factor. When folks know you have been rejected or that you have not found a church to pastor you sense failure. You would think after so many years in ministry that you would be mature enough to handle all the situations that you are put in. That you would be able to throw off all the situations that come into your life.
Until now, we were able to throw off getting fired, and move on and get another job or ministry with little problems. This has been the first time that we have felt the pressure of not being able to get another ministry or even a secular job. In every case from 1966 thru 2003 we were able to leave a job and get another job in only a few months. I have never been without ministry or secular job for more than a few months, never. Charity and I would move to the next town and either get a secular job and then wait on the Lord for the next ministry. And each time we would have a job or two, and then a ministry would open up. But moving to Portsmouth, we have experienced something different. We had a job when we moved here, secular and ministry, lost the ministry, and quit the job. But this time Charity had a job and we didn’t want to move. So we thought that we could get another job or ministry. I have been unable to secure a job or ministry now for over two years. We have applied for several church positions which we have not received. But now after two years, it’s beginning to work on me. What Christ is doing in my life for His glory and what Satan is doing for his purpose cause both spiritual and human reaction. So how can we work through this?
The question is can you worship the Lord without doing ministry? Can you worship the Lord in church where you are discouraged about the ministry of the church? Is the local church only a place you come to sit and experience what is happening on stage? How would you describe worship in a local church? Would you say worship is experienced by most of the people who are in the church service on Sunday morning? “When I left church this morning, I felt that I had truly entered into worship of the Lord.” Do most members just go to church? Ministry does not necessarily lead to worship of God. You can be so busy doing ministry that you do not have time to experience the “spirit” of worship.
Part Two Tuesday
Drafted by Charles E. Whisnant Proof Read Charity
