What Qualifies Me To Minister?

For the past five years I have been happily living in a small town in the Midwest part of the United States. I graduated from Vineyard Leadership Institute and was ordained in the Association of Vineyard Churches in 2006.

Soon after being ordained I attended our small town's Minister's Alliance lunch and presented an idea to the group of pastors. Because of my life experiences and the gifts I have been given by the Holy Spirit I have a heart for helping men find healing for the wounds of life. As I presented my ideas I could see agreement in the eyes of some of the pastors and when I was done with my presentation the pastor who invited me made a statement that questioned my qualifications to minister to other men. He wanted to know if I had a masters in Theology or Counseling because he would not send men to any program that was not led by a qualified person.

Two years later I still feel God is calling me to be involved in helping men and women find healing for their wounds. I do not have a masters or a bachelors degree but I do have a PHD (Personal History Degree) in life and I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me and that more than makes up for my lack of education. I have met many educated people who did not have a clue how to relate to people who were hurting.

To gain a master degree one has to write a thesis or dissertation within their field of study. He or she has to know their subject well and be able to write a paper explaining their position on a particular part of it. Following is sort of my paper on why I am qualified to minister to hurting men and women.

When I was three my mom ran off with another man while our dad was out of town on business leaving me, my 6 month old sister in the care of my 7 year old brother. He cared for us by himself for about four days before anyone discovered what had happened. I did not realize how this affected me until about 10 years ago when I discovered that although I am a faithful man I did not know how to express love for my wife. Not only that but I always lived in fear of being abandoned. The results of not knowing how to express love and living in fear of abandonment was experiencing two divorces which only reinforced my fear of being abandoned. I understand fully why men turn to drugs, alcohol or pornography to medicate their fears and why they find it hard to show love apart from sexual intercourse.

Right in that one paragraph are all of the life experiences needed for ministry yet there is more. When I was eighteen and heading off to Vietnam I had a lay over in California and an Air Force Staff Sergeant acted as though he was going to befriend me and show me a fun night on the town but instead sexually molested me. For the next 30 years I avoided male friendships fearing that it would lead to similar actions. When I discovered my son was living a homosexual life I disowned him and have lived in regret every since.

What qualifies me to minister to men? I have experienced almost every sin they can get involved in and by the Grace of God He delivered me from them. He did that through men and women who have experienced similar events in their life. Men and women who the Holy Spirit are operating in and who are surrendered to His guidance. Men and women who allow God to use them to be instruments of healing in the lives of hurting, wounded people.

I do not agree with the idea that people need to be trained in dealing with people but I do disagree that it has to be a formal education. What qualifies me to make the statement I am a Community Chaplain? My PHD in life and the power of the Holy Spirit working through me. No school, college, university or church has called me to work with the addicted, the rejected and the dejected. God has and that is the most important qualification I need. If you look at the examples in the Bible good pastoring flows from the heart not the mind. I have spent the last 12 years training for ministry and moving it from a mind thing (knowledge) to a heart thing (compassion). From the example that Jesus set it seems to me that is how He pastored the hurting.

I do need are people who support what God is calling me to do. I need people with skills and gifts that I do not have to come along side of me. I need to step back and let them use their gifts without trying to control them. I need to submit daily to God and to rely on His power to minister to hurting people who want to find healing for the wounds of life.

Being a Community Chaplain is not my vision but the vision God has placed in my heart. It is a ministry that can help our community to be a better community and it can work in cooperation with the local churches without being in competition with them. The Kingdom of God is not a denomination or an organization it is made up of people who have come to accept Jesus as their Lord and their Savior. The job of the Church and pastors is to make the journey to healing one that is more attractive to people than them staying in their woundedness and addictions.

Isaiah 61:1  "...He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."

What about you?  I want to encourage you to study your life and look for the events that have shaped you. Then take time to find out what gifts God has given to you.  Knowing those two things will help you to know how your life and the gifts you have can be combined together for ministry. Finally I want you to know that you, yes you, have been made for ministry. No matter how badly you have failed or sinned God can redeem you and use you in ministry.

Please share with us how what ministry you are qualified for because of your experiences and gifts.

What Are You Known For?

I had a wonderful time this morning interviewing Jay Preston the Director of My Father's House in Paola, KS. Over the next few posts I will include the things we chatted about. I believe that the first thing I would like to share is probably the most important.

One of the questions I was going to ask Jay was, "What do you want people to remember about you?" I never asked that question directly because he answered it several times while answering other questions. I believe I can safely say Jay wants to be remembered as a guy who took the risk to do what God wanted him to do no matter what the cost.

What is so important about that statement? Consider the men and women written about in the Bible. Many were ordinary folks that God used in extra-ordinary ways. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Esther, Mary (the mother of Jesus), and the disciples are all people who were not much different than you and me. The only difference might be is that they took the risk to do what God planted in their hearts.

Jay is one of those people. Seven years ago God planted a dream in his heart of helping the rejected, the dejected and the addicted. The people who most churches will help but at an arms distance. From his life experiences Jay could have said there is no way I want to get involved with that type of thing. Instead he moved forward past his doubts and answered God's call. I will write more about Jay in future posts.

Here is what I want to stir in you today, "What is God calling you to do?" Whatever it might be I am here to tell you that people will oppose what you are being called to do. They will misunderstand, disagree with, or just plain fight you about it. You might hear things like, "Why are you planning to do that?", "You aren't talented enough or smart enough to do that.", "Don't you understand that the people you are thinking of serving are losers?". I am also here to tell you that if it is really God calling you to do it none of that matters. Dexter Yeager, a Diamond in the Amway multilevel marketing business once said, "If the Dream is big enough, the facts don't count." God is so much bigger than any fact that you might face. He is bigger than the group of people who will scoff at your dream. He is bigger than a lack of money, a lack of supporters and you!

You do not have to be known for the mistakes you have made, for the failures in your life or for your lack of talent. When you accepted Jesus as your savior God through His Holy Spirit gave you gift(s) that can be used despite you.

Here is my challenge to you today: 1. Take the time over the next few days to ask our Father what is it He wants you to do.  2. Journal about it during the week. 3. Ask at least three people to pray about it with you. 4. If God confirms what was placed on your heart begin the process of pursuing it.

One last thing that Jay sort of said, "It is all about Grace, Grace, Grace, not you." Whatever God has placed on your heart is not about you but about sharing the Grace and Mercy that God has given to you.

As always I am interested in hearing about what God is stirring in you. Please leave a comment and give me the opportunity to pray with you about your dream.