THE DESIRE FOR PASTORAL MINISTRY HAS BEEN A PASSION
Part Two
- I want to follow up this morning on yesterday’s article about MINISTRY.
When we would attend a World Baptist Fellowship, or a Preachers’ conference, the comment would be: Would all the “full time” pastors and preachers stand up”. What does that mean? Shouldn’t all preachers and pastors and Christians workers be “full time?”
If you are called to the preach the Word, teach the Word, if you are an Elder, Deacon, Youth Pastor, Children’s Director, Music Direct, staff member, you should be full time!
Well, I know what they mean. You work only for the local church that has employed you . Believe me, that is great if a church can provide you with the income that is needed for you and your family. Nevertheless, in cases where full support is not possible, and you need another income, it doesn’t mean you are any less full time in ministry. How many hours constitutes “full time?” Forty hours a week?
Your thinking can have a toll on you. You can feel guilty if you have another job. You are saying, “God didn’t call me to sweep a floor, sell a Bible, or work on houses.” He did though call us to play golf twice a week. Kidding.
I had the mentality when I went into the ministry, that I would be able to devote my entire time awake doing the work of the Lord in serving Him in the ministry of the local church. I believed that I would be able to serve in a local church, without thought of how much money I would receive from the church.
Therefore, that is the reason I was able to justify going to a church as Youth Pastor for $50 a week, going to a church to pastor for zip, nothing, (what was I thinking) and then going to another church to pastor for $50. That has been the life of the Whisnant from 1970 thru 2008.
While I was at FBC in Altoona, Charity and I and the children were well taking care of over the years. I wouldn’t trade the ministry at FBC for any amount of income any where and any amount.
Yes, there have been several places where we were employed only by the church, and Charity didn't work out side the home. (FBC was on of those places, and Calvary Baptist another)
The point I raise, while I desired to have all my time doing ministry, in my youth, I was willing to work to provide for my family. Secondly, you should be "full time" in the sense you are to be about the Lord work in the workplace, church or secular.
I am not so sure today, at my age, that I could physically be employed both in the workplace and in the church.
