Called to Ministry

I've been reading around the forums and read a few posts that made me want to ask those that are in the ministry or have been.

How did/do you know or feel you were called to preach?

When you came to the ministry what were your expectations and were they met or once you got in did you have a different view of things?

I think it would be safe for me to say, When you first felt called money was not what drove you, and thought you would preach for free if need be, but now that you have been at it for a while is that still the case or would you have to make xyz to take a church? Not that I'm saying money is why you preach, as I know most preachers are way under payed, but even in your older age would you take a church that pays nothing at the time of calling, if you truly felt God called you to do it?

Any other comments welcome pertaining to your experiences as pastor, preacher, otherwise. And preacher wives comments welcome as well, as they sometimes see things we men don't see.

Thanks for your input,
Dell

 

Thanks for your reply Jk. Your not a pastor, so do you fill in for the church you attend when the pastor is out or do you interim? Perhaps you do street preaching or jail house preaching? Just curious as to your experiences.

Dell

 

Thanks Jk for the insight.
I do open assembly from time to time, I am assistant to the Sunday school director. I do enjoy it when I do it, but trying to keep it short is a problem. My wife has to remind me, It's just opening, not today's message. And I was invited to speak at a brotherhood for an old school friend. Too long for them to. My friend kept pecking at his watch, only after 10 minutes. They told me to take as long as I needed. I guess as long as it wasn't more than 10 minutes.
I have learned to limit "their time" and keep it as short as possible.
The men in jail received me better when I used to go. They didn't care how long I stayed. I never preached to them, but we had more of what I would call a Bible study. Those folks have more questions than the FBI and CIA.
Once I went into one zone about 6:30pm and we got into studying so much so we lost all track of time. Lock down is at 9pm and shift changes shortly after that. Somewhere around 11pm I asked one of the inmates what time it was and when we found out it was late I told them I had to get to the house before my wife called the Sheriff looking for me. Because of when lock down is and then shift change the front desk forgot about me and the next shift didn't even know I was in there. If I was not married I would have just found a bed and waited until morning to get out. The jailer finally did come around and let me out.
We have a new jail now and it has cameras and windows to the control room. They would not let me stay past 9:30pm after the new jail was built. I remember at times the inmates would ask the jailer for just a few more minutes, we're almost finished. I'm coming back after I lock everything else down and then you gotta go, he would say.
I don't go now, as time and work does not come together. But I had a lot of fun when I did go.

 

Agreed. and Happy New Year to you as well! May God bless you and your families.

 

I come from a LOOOOng line of poor folk, so if I ever do go into the ministry I should feel like I'm at home.
I have lived in houses with no running water (unless you consider running down the hill to draw water from the well, running water) and out houses. I have lived in houses that we would just about freeze to death in the winter and leak like a bucket with a hole in it when it rained. And I lived in houses with the best of everything.
I will admit, I like the better of everything, but can live without it just as well.