Originally posted by Jamal5000:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by timothy 1769:
paul had a few troubles, i'm glad he stuck with it.
A few troubles???
Lol...imagine how many pastors would still hold down their jobs if they had the "few" troubles Paul had.
</font>[/QUOTE]Sadly, if we had the trouble Paul had, a lot of us would probably give up.
I think, besides not being called to begin with, the pastor's wife {THAT one still surprises me!} or sin, I think prehaps the next one would be discouragement.
Especialy in the Bible belt, it seems most everyone is "saved" so soul winning is harder....at least it is in my town. If the pastor gets discouraged, it can rub off on the congregation, and then everyone is depressed! That dosn't make for pleasent "worship" services. It's VERY easy to get complacent. And when these things happen, the devil likes to slip in and cause problems in the church, or in the member's lives. Add all that together, and I'm sure the idea of leaving the ministry is on a lot off men's minds.
Now, I'm no paster, and praise the Lord, I'm no man! BUT I think they can find their answers in God's word. Perserverance,patience, long suffering, compassion, love, zeal. That's what we ALL need, but prehaps a pastor especialy. I'm sure he must have a hard job. He's always on call, probably does most of the work around a church, has to visit people, visitation, not to mention the hours of hours of study that goes into an individual message that has to be done THREE times a week, then he has his family, and it's his responsibility to be the head of the home there. Also, besides God, he's over the church, and probably has a 100 or more members he has to preach to, comfort, confront, check on, visit. Then add that to the problems of life such as sickness, grief, financial problems.etc, {sound bad?} he does have a lot to do.
But I think any man God calls, He will enable him to do His will. God said "My grace is sufficient for thee." Now, I know he's a man. Just like us all, only God called. So he's prone to temptation, and discouragment like any of us, but when ya stay in the Word, it helps that. God can help them. But the thing I beleive with all my heart {and some may not agree.} is that when God calls someone, He dosn't change His mind. Even if that person fails in a horrible way, or gets backslidden, I beleive God still wants them for His work. God can forgive. In fact He already did at Calvary. God knew the things that pastor would do from the begining, and still He called him. God may put him in another part of the ministry {Missionary, evangelist etc...} but God still has called them.
And our pastors wives do have a lot too. They share their husband with a whol congregation of people. I've visited my pastor's wife before, and it seemed the phone rang off the hook. Preachers, missionaries, church members, you name it. She said that was an everyday thing.
A pastor's wife probably has to hold down the home front a lot. And when doing God's work, the devil will fight. But still I say God gives grace.
Marrage is sacred, and if she promised to love, houor, cherish, obey in sickeness, heath, richer, poorer, better, or worse, she needs to hold to those vows. Both of them do. Some might think I'm old fashioned...yeap!
I don't think she ought to give him an ultimatum of "Ministry or me." Not when she's promised to stand by him for life. Wives are called on to be helpmeets, and to submitt. I know I didn't have a family to see that type of example, but the ladies in church's work has not been in vain on me. I do now that little bit.
And I know despite what is right, many might still go against it. That's what sad. Both minister and his wife have a lot of responsiblility, but I think with God's guidence it can be done.
One things for sure! Pastoring is NOT a profession, and anyone that thinks it is, and pastors might find that out quick. IT's a calling, and God dosn't call the equiped, but equips the called.
And yeah, I've rambled. Sorry about that, I do seem to do that a lot!
And I also unserstand I've never been in either the minister or his wife's position, so what I say or anyone else may sound simple, but I'm sure when actualy put in this position it's easier said than done.
~Miss Abby
PS, thanks for reading my long, and probably tiring post!