Category: ministry

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Question about desire

In 2008 I fasted for 3 days and 3 nights reading the word of God using the Rhapsody of Realities. I took a one year plan reading from Genesis to Revelation. I stopped reading and following the plan the day my mother died. I was in the book of Isaiah during that time. My wish and my desire was to meet the man of God Pastor Chris so that he could impact me with the gift of healing and prosperity as well as the knowledge and wisdom to teach the word of God. I didnt manage this because I was still young and came from a poor family. I couldn’t have access to the internet facebook and so on. I wanted to be with him or to be part and passal of the people who spread the word of God through Rhapsody. Now I am 21 and this desire is still burning within me. I don’t know what that means. Pastor, I need you to please help me.

~ Tinashe

ANSWER

Dear Tinashe,
I sense that your desire is to walk with God and serve Him. I share that desire.

You started off on a good path by reading the Bible. You can never go wrong reading the Bible and meditating on it. God speaks through His Word (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). You will grow spiritually and get to know Jesus better by spending time with Him daily in prayer and Bible reading.

Let me suggest that you begin focusing on the life of Christ as found in New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Keep notes on what you are reading each day. Write the date, the passage reference, and your response to these statements:
1. God said to me:
2. I said to God:

God will meet you and you will grow. When God is ready He will use you for His glory to tell the Good News!

~ Pastor Chris

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How do I confront a Pastor about a message I strongly disagree with?

Our college pastor California said three things I disagree with and would like to get your perspective. These things are very important to me as the youth that hear his sermons i care for and want to make sure arent being mislead.

His statements…

1. if you skip a bible study, sunday church service or dont read your bible for a day then God doesnt hear your prayers that day.
the verse he used, -God detests the prayers of a person who IGNORES the LAW. (Proverbs 28:9 NLT)

2. God doesnt hear the prayers of a fallen away believer or a prayer for a fallen away believer.
-the verse he used, Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for these people “ANYMORE.” (Jeremiah 14:11 NLT)

3. God doesnt hear your prayers if you have a unconfessed sin of any kind
-the verse he used If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. (Psalms 66:18 NLT)
(all other versions use cherished or regard, literal translations is if i had seen lawlessness… which leads me to believe that if i have a sin im not willing to forsake or try to justify God doesnt hear my prayers i.e. some one i know going to church and not willing to give up smoking weed after 2+years of accepting Christ then God doesnt hear that person.

i would like to hear what you think about the matter and what i should do about it i have calmly and respectfully confronted him alone only to be shut down and him backing up his views with out other scripture other than the book of Nahum saying God is a God that needs to be feared and revered…

Answer

David,

Your next step is to take your concerns to the Senior Pastor of your church.

God gives responsibility to pastors to shepherd His people which includes caring for them, feeding them, and protecting them. Acts 20:28-31, NIV, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard!”

Ephesians 4:11-16 is also an important passage in regard to your concerns. It states additional responsibilities of pastors. “It was he (God) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Pastor Chris

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How Do You Go About The Discipleship Process?

Dear Pastor Chris,

Could you please answer 3 questions for an assignment I have due?

 a. How do you go about the discipleship process?

b. What are key elements that you think are necessary to the discipleship process?

c. Is there anything you would change about the way you do discipleship in your church?

~ Allisa 

 

Dear Allisa,

Jesus gave us the best example of the discipleship process. He preached to crowds but spent time with twelve individuals. Out of the twelve He spent extra time with three men (James, Peter, and John).

From this we learn the value of small groups as a starting point in discipleship. We also see that there are some people that God calls us to invest in their spiritual growth with additional personal time and energy.

Jesus’ example of discipleship was similar to the concept of on the job training. He was there for His inner group in a variety of situations. Sometimes He directly taught them. At other times he let them serve and come back to report. At other times He let them observe how He “did ministry” as He related to others. Sometimes He questioned their thinking. At other times He encouraged them. His lifestyle was so profound in its impact on them that they asked Him to teach them how to pray. They wanted to grow spiritually because of what they saw in Him.

Bottom line: there are things people need to know about God and the Bible. This is usually attained through didactic teaching and study. There are other things that people need to know that are only discovered through relationship and service (the applying of our faith). Even Paul wrote most of his letters in two parts, orthodoxy and orthopraxy. Orthodoxy is the concepts of theology (Ephesians 1-3). Orthopraxy is the application or the living out of theology (Ephesians 4-6). Orthodoxy is the “what” and orthopraxy is the “so what.” We need both.

In our church we have Sunday worship which is speaking to the crowds. We have Adult Bible Fellowships which is smaller in its focus, but still speaking to the crowds (although smaller crowds). We have small groups that meet throughout the week (our version of the twelve meeting with Jesus). We also have a one-on-one discipleship ministry called Operation Timothy that we got from the Christian Businessmen’s Connection (CBMC).

I believe that the best results come from developing followers of Jesus who want to grow and are seeking to be obedient to Him. More energy needs to be put into sincere followers of Jesus. We put too much effort into disobedient Christians who may or may not be genuine followers of Christ.

~Pastor Chris

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Can I ever be a minister or deacon?

Pastor Chris,

When I was only 18 I had sex with my neighbor that was married. Her husband was out everynight with other woman. I feel terrible about this and wish I could take it out of my mind. Im in the military, now 23, and will be getting out soon. I want to go to school for bible, will this affect me if I ever wanted to be a minister or deacon?

~ F.F.

F.F.,

While we cannot ever justify sinful actions or attitudes, we can be forgiven of them.  Read 1 John 1:9.  When God forgives us He also cleans us up from our mess.  His grace is sufficient for this.  Remember, Paul was a murderer and David was an adulterer.  God forgave them and used them for His glory.  He will do the same for you.

You will remember your sin, however.  Allow that memory to be used of God to create a hedge of protection to hinder you from making the same mistake again. 

Do not let the devil tell you that you cannot be forgiven or be used by God.  The devil is a liar (John 8:44).  The devil will keep you bound to the past and ineffective in the Lord’s service if he can.  Do not let him do that.  Serve Jesus with your whole heart.

~ Pastor Chris