Identity Crisis... Help!

[Brother Matt]

:wave: Hi! :help:

I need someone's help to sort this out... I wasn't completely sure where to post this, but this seems most logical.

First a little background:

I was born and raised a Lutheran. Went to church every Sunday; grew up in a good Christian family...

After I graduated from High School I stopped going to Church... my teens and 20s were my rebellious years... Rebelling against my family, society and questioning God; not seperating completely from my faith, but I was certainly challenging Him.

A few years ago I was saved... which is interesting because I've been an unsaved Christian all my life... Going through the motions and waiting for the God to provide me direction.

Long story, but I had found the Creationist movement and one thing led to another...

Equiped with my new found faith I seeked out a Church to attend. I naturally gravitated to The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Not the same one I grew up in (I don't live in the same town anymore) but very similar to it... I felt comfortable there; kind of like coming home.

I really felt I had been "called"... I met with my Pastor on many occasions trying to decide what to do with my new found passion for service and Christ.

I actually decided that I would pursue being a Pastor. I looked into a local college (Concordia) to see about starting my studies... I've taken many college courses in 3 different colleges, but I never got the "degree". So I had a long road to take... and I was ready to pursue it. It was an awesome feeling that's hard for me to describe; I felt I was even seeing literal signs pointing me in the direction I was going...

BUT, there was one problem I discovered and I couldn't be a Pastor for this Church... my wife is not of the same denomination and the Church requires she be. And after many discussions, she wasn't changing... (and I am not upset about that; I respect her decision; I feel God puts you in certain situations for a reason... I do pray for her) :prayer:

So... (I'm trying to make this short; sorry.)

So I ended up becoming an Elder for my church... which I could be satisfied with; there is still a lot I can do for the Church in that position...

OK, but here's my problem:

I have a Lutheran, biblical foundation... I studied and memorized 100s of verses as a child; attended camps and was very involved in church...

BUT in the last few years, everything that has influenced me and has placed me where I am today in my faith and understanding has come from Baptists... When I listen to a Christian program on the radio or t.v.... there aren't any Lutherans. The books I've picked up that have helped me most are written by authors like Charles Stanley or Tim LaHaye... I'm pretty sure they are not Lutherans.

I'm trying to figure out why I am where I am and why I don't feel like I belong to my own Church... why the Church I grew up with and feels comfortable does not match a lot of my belief systems... theology... or aren't as evengelistic as I think they need to be... they are more worried about commities instead of spreading and teaching the Gospel.

You will hear little of the Creationist point of view in my Church... a subject I'm very interested in, The End Times, is rarely handled. Being as conservative as they are, they certainly won't try and connect the Bible to what's happening in the real world.

It almost seems they have adopted a Catholic attitude or approach in some ways... I stress some ways... being married to a Catholic and having been raised in a split denominational family (Dad and I Lutheran; Mom and Sisters Catholic...)... The Catholic way distresses me; but that's for another thread.

What I mean is, they are very much into their routine and stick to the same traditional Bible Stories and methods... my church actually has an identity crisis themselves. They're actually sending people out to other churches to figure out if we can become more progressive so we can attract more people (music/visual aids or whatever).

There are many other things that contribute to my confusion, but I guess I am just reaching out for some prayers and advice to help me find my home.

...(Telling my wife I'll be attending a Baptist Church might push her right over the edge as well... so that doesn't help)... BTW, not literally or physically... She still can't figure out why I open the Bible... imagine that. She attended Catholic grade school, high school, and college... never opened a bible. :scratch:

Now that a wrote a whole story...

I have such a passion and love for Christ. I want to do more in my life and find ways to serve... but I need to know where I am is the right place for me... I'm actually involved with several Christian projects right now that are seperate from my church... so that has made me very happy and Blessed. But I need to know if the church I attend is right for me.

Thoughts for a confused Christian?

[ZiSunka]

I went through several denoms before I settled, more or less, here.

I came to this place because after a lot of Bible study, I realized that the Baptist/Anabaptists practice Christianity most closely in line with Biblical Christianity.

We'll be praying for you and your wife, too, that the Lord will lead you both to the church He wants you to be at, for your growth, your spiritual support and because he has a ministry of some sort for you there. :)

[mesue]

:pray: Dear Lord, Brother Matt needs Your guidence and direction on where to go. My flesh says "Be Baptist!!! :clap: But it is Your will and not mine. PLease be with Brother Matt as he searches Your will for him. Make it crystal clear as to where you want him to go. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen. :pray:


Brother Matt, pray, seek the Lord on this. Read Acts and see what a Biblical church is and then go look for one. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. God wants you in a Bible believing church. He will not misguide you. Follow where He leads you. I truly believ He will bless and honor this.

[daveleau]

The key is not to align yourself with any one denomination for the sake of aligning with a denomination, as no denomination has a monopoly on the truth. All denominations stray from God's Word in our theologies in some ways. There is no perfect church and there is no perfect denomination. With that said, I have found that the most biblical churches in my area are Baptist. An issue arises in you being an elder ina church. I am not saying that you should not go where God wants you to go, but you have a commitment to that church that you should not (and do not seem to be) taking lightly. I have found that Lutheran churches can be biblical just as much as a Baptist church. Instead of finding a new place, God may be putting you in this position in this church to affect change in a good way.

The best thing you can do regarding the confusion is to pray incessantly about your direction and how you can best serve God. Talk with your pastor and find out what in your church is less Scriptural that you find other churches doing correctly (according to Scripture). Ask for God's advice first, and then seek out your pastor.

As for your wife. You are the spiritual leader of your household and are directly responsible for leading her to Salvation. You can't do it, but you must lead her there, if she is not already. If she is already biblically saved, then you need to get into some neutral ground with her for Bible study. Join a non-denom Bible study so you can grow together. A house should never be divided, even if it is regarding divisions in church membership. Your family needs to go to church together. Always be kind in your direction towards her, especially in her spiritual life. But, do not settle for a divided family. It will only lead to confusion, as you can obviously attest to. If she is part of a poorer (less Scriptural than most RCCs) Catholic diocese, as my father was, then your children will grow up wondering why your mother and your ideas are so different. It will plant seeds of doubt in their minds and they will be less likely to follow Him when it is their time to make that choice. Insist on praying together and allow her to lead the prayers part of the time. These little influences will drive you both to where God wants the family rather than splitting up on Sunday to go your own ways.

The key is prayer and fellowship with God.

God bless,
Dave

[GreenEyedLady]

I was also going to address your wife's salvation.
Is she saved?

[SonOfThunder]

I often wonder if when we face judgement we will be wearing tags that spell out where we worship God? I don't happen to think so. God can use you providing you are following Him in spirit and in truth. If however you view where you are at present as 'false' then you need to re-evaluate.

I'll pray for you


James

[Flynmonkie]

I like much of what Dave is saying here....and the others....(although I am a bit confused how his wife is saved by his salvation- would love to discuss that further sometime! :) )

My thoughts are try to place emphasis on what you two do agree on, not making a big huge issue about what you do not. I believe this is where we stand back a bit and let God do the convincing (yes even with your wife) So it might be a great idea that you agree to disagree in private...but lead the children strongly on the most important things. I had been raised in a half Baptist/ Half catholic household--- Guilty for everything! And the arguments that my parents had drove us all apart –helping to end in divorce. It also became easier for me to understand, the differences. Which when you bottom line it...the basics are there. That is all you need for the Holy Spirit to work with..

Regarding her not being interested in the Bible. Recently I found a solution to this. One of my friends had constantly been brining quotes up from various sources. Giving all credit to "that source". So I started coming back with “everything you read that you believe is good common sense originated in the Bible”. One quote He said, he found in a Very non-Christian magazine, he further explained that this is how he believed love should be. I let him read it to me, and started to laugh. It was 1 Corinthians 13! LOL! So now (after much time doing this) He has started reading the Bible and just visited our church last week. Just giving you an idea on how to work with that.

I am not sure regarding what your vocation should be or where you should go with that. It is something you will really have to pray about. As I am sure you know, Let God know you need some direction and keep your faith. Recently I read someone (a pastors) story about doing just that. I want to say it is the Prayer of Jabez? Cannot remember for sure. I remember being quite impressed at his explanation of leaving decision making to God and not worrying about it.

Oh and BTW, Did you know the Grahams are from two different denominations? One Baptist, the other Methodist! You might check into reading their story for ideas :)

[daveleau]

His wife is not saved by his salvation, but he is responsible for her salvation because he is the head of the family. It is his responsibility to influence her as much as possible towards accepting Christ through his witness, his advice and his lifestyle.

[Gold Dragon]

I have such a passion and love for Christ. I want to do more in my life and find ways to serve... but I need to know where I am is the right place for me... I'm actually involved with several Christian projects right now that are seperate from my church... so that has made me very happy and Blessed. But I need to know if the church I attend is right for me.

Follow that passion and love for Christ. If it requires that you change traditions/churches/denominations to grow in Christ, then I support you. I also think it is important that your wife understands and supports you, even if she may disagree with you.

However, one thing to keep in mind is to love and respect others in their spiritual journey in Christ where staying in the Lutheran or Catholic traditions that you are trying to move away from is the the best thing for them right now. Be careful not to overgeneralize and normalize your situation for everyone else.

You will hear little of the Creationist point of view in my Church... a subject I'm very interested in, The End Times, is rarely handled.

Genesis and end times theology are important and should be discussed. But there is a whole lot of stuff in between too. I would say that most evangelical Christians (including Baptists) overemphasize the beginning and the end at the exclusion of the middle.

She still can't figure out why I open the Bible... imagine that. She attended Catholic grade school, high school, and college... never opened a bible.

That is sad and I will pray for your wife. My Catholic friends open their bibles a lot.

[Flynmonkie]

His wife is not saved by his salvation, but he is responsible for her salvation because he is the head of the family. It is his responsibility to influence her as much as possible towards accepting Christ through his witness, his advice and his lifestyle.
Thanks Dave, I am familiar with the verses just had not had a chance to look into the meaning this deeply - I did not wish to derail :)

[eldermike]

Brother Matt, The Lord is in control, it's His plan not yours. All you need do is seek Him daily, and step through the doors He has open and don't worry about the ones that are closed.

Remember, there are no qualifications for a pastors wife so consider any church that seeks a qualified pastors wife as a church that will use you up and then throw you in the street. They are simply trying to get the "package deal" that you will not find in scripture.

Love your wife like Christ loves the church and trust God to be the agent of change in her life.

I prayed for you today!

[Brother Matt]

Wow. The lord has really Blessed me by leading me to CF...

You've all given me a lot to think about. I am taking this seriously. I have a thirst for the Word and I want to make sure I am getting the right approach and interpretation at worship... #1

I do believe a person gets saved once... and once that person is saved, that person has made it through the narrow gate... and no matter the ups and downs from that point forward, no matter where your feet tread, you continue to be saved by the Grace of God.

So from that perspective I am not worried; in fact that gives me great joy and comfort...

And I do believe my Lutheran Church is a good Bible believing church with a lot of good Christians

But I also believe that many of them are being influenced to much by monetary concerns... I believe there are other ways to attract people and bring people to your church than adding entertainment or investing in visual aids...

So maybe I'm more concerned about the administrative side and the continuous debate raging about how to conform to what "successful" churches are doing...

I don't know.

I will put my trust in God... I've had many conversations with Him already about this situation... I will continue to pray on this and wait for His answer.

Regarding my Wife...

I'm taking it one day at a time... she is a good person. I am leading by example... In the beginning I pressed hard, but after she made it known her position on the subject, I do not want to push her away, so I nudge. Little doses at a time.

You see when I met her, faith was not a big part of my life and it wasn't a big consideration when it came to marriage... for a long time, I was going to leave it up to my wife to decide what church to attend because I figured it would be more important to her... That was before I got saved.

But I believe God has a purpose for me being in this situation. A trial perhaps...

Well before I go on and on and on... :sorry:

Thank you so much for all your comments and prayers.

May God be with all of you... Blessing all your efforts here at CF and bringing you joy and comfort in your life...

In Christ,

[Stinker]

BUT in the last few years, everything that has influenced me and has placed me where I am today in my faith and understanding has come from Baptists... When I listen to a Christian program on the radio or t.v.... there aren't any Lutherans. The books I've picked up that have helped me most are written by authors like Charles Stanley or Tim LaHaye... I'm pretty sure they are not Lutherans.

I'm trying to figure out why I am where I am and why I don't feel like I belong to my own Church... why the Church I grew up with and feels comfortable does not match a lot of my belief systems... theology... or aren't as evengelistic as I think they need to be... they are more worried about commities instead of spreading and teaching the Gospel.

...(Telling my wife I'll be attending a Baptist Church might push her right over the edge as well... so that doesn't help)... BTW, not literally or physically... She still can't figure out why I open the Bible... imagine that. She attended Catholic grade school, high school, and college... never opened a bible.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brother Matt: Why would your wife feel that way about your becoming a Baptist Pastor?
Maybe she would feel as if she were living in a 'glass house' or something? Constantly being judged by others who would know she's a pastor's wife?

[Flynmonkie]

I do believe a person gets saved once... and once that person is saved, that person has made it through the narrow gate... and no matter the ups and downs from that point forward, no matter where your feet tread, you continue to be saved by the Grace of God.

So from that perspective I am not worried; in fact that gives me great joy and comfort...

You are absolutely correct. No worries about the "place" you are called. Worry about that personal realtionship before anything else!

And I do believe my Lutheran Church is a good Bible believing church with a lot of good Christians

But I also believe that many of them are being influenced to much by monetary concerns... I believe there are other ways to attract people and bring people to your church than adding entertainment or investing in visual aids...

So maybe I'm more concerned about the administrative side and the continuous debate raging about how to conform to what "successful" churches are doing...


I will put my trust in God... I've had many conversations with Him already about this situation... I will continue to pray on this and wait for His answer.


This can happen I believe in any church...You are right, you keep looking at what God seems to be leading you to do

Regarding my Wife...

I'm taking it one day at a time... she is a good person. I am leading by example... In the beginning I pressed hard, but after she made it known her position on the subject, I do not want to push her away, so I nudge. Little doses at a time.

You see when I met her, faith was not a big part of my life and it wasn't a big consideration when it came to marriage... for a long time, I was going to leave it up to my wife to decide what church to attend because I figured it would be more important to her... That was before I got saved.

But I believe God has a purpose for me being in this situation. A trial perhaps...

Well before I go on and on and on... :sorry:

Thank you so much for all your comments and prayers.

May God be with all of you... Blessing all your efforts here at CF and bringing you joy and comfort in your life...

In Christ,

Our marriage is living proof that you are doing the right thing here. We also did not have the right kind of faith when we first got together. I returned to my faith over a year and a half ago.....and hung in there through some pretty rough times in our relationship...I was ready to leave and had every good reason to do so.....He became saved in Feb, our official marriage was in April. What helped me through this is asking yourself- what is the most important thing to God? ...her salvation. And there were trials for a reason in all of this journey….Looking back. It sounds to me your on the right path! Just keep watching Him. :prayer:

[Brother Matt]

Brother Matt: Why would your wife feel that way about your becoming a Baptist Pastor?
Maybe she would feel as if she were living in a 'glass house' or something? Constantly being judged by others who would know she's a pastor's wife?
Possibly... I think there is an embarressment factor maybe. Maybe. At the same time she was very supportive of my decision to pursue being a Pastor. She encouraged me to go and talk to the college etc... even came with me.

So maybe not; she's a complicated woman. :scratch:

She supports me, as long as it doesn't force her to change I think...

[Iollain]

So maybe not; she's a complicated woman. :scratch:


Oh that's just normal for us women :)

[MbiaJc]

:wave: Hi! :help:

I need someone's help to sort this out... I wasn't completely sure where to post this, but this seems most logical.

First a little background:

I was born and raised a Lutheran. Went to church every Sunday; grew up in a good Christian family...

After I graduated from High School I stopped going to Church... my teens and 20s were my rebellious years... Rebelling against my family, society and questioning God; not seperating completely from my faith, but I was certainly challenging Him.

A few years ago I was saved... which is interesting because I've been an unsaved Christian all my life... Going through the motions and waiting for the God to provide me direction.

Long story, but I had found the Creationist movement and one thing led to another...

Equiped with my new found faith I seeked out a Church to attend. I naturally gravitated to The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Not the same one I grew up in (I don't live in the same town anymore) but very similar to it... I felt comfortable there; kind of like coming home.

I really felt I had been "called"... I met with my Pastor on many occasions trying to decide what to do with my new found passion for service and Christ.

I actually decided that I would pursue being a Pastor. I looked into a local college (Concordia) to see about starting my studies... I've taken many college courses in 3 different colleges, but I never got the "degree". So I had a long road to take... and I was ready to pursue it. It was an awesome feeling that's hard for me to describe; I felt I was even seeing literal signs pointing me in the direction I was going...

BUT, there was one problem I discovered and I couldn't be a Pastor for this Church... my wife is not of the same denomination and the Church requires she be. And after many discussions, she wasn't changing... (and I am not upset about that; I respect her decision; I feel God puts you in certain situations for a reason... I do pray for her) :prayer:

So... (I'm trying to make this short; sorry.)

So I ended up becoming an Elder for my church... which I could be satisfied with; there is still a lot I can do for the Church in that position...

OK, but here's my problem:

I have a Lutheran, biblical foundation... I studied and memorized 100s of verses as a child; attended camps and was very involved in church...

BUT in the last few years, everything that has influenced me and has placed me where I am today in my faith and understanding has come from Baptists... When I listen to a Christian program on the radio or t.v.... there aren't any Lutherans. The books I've picked up that have helped me most are written by authors like Charles Stanley or Tim LaHaye... I'm pretty sure they are not Lutherans.

I'm trying to figure out why I am where I am and why I don't feel like I belong to my own Church... why the Church I grew up with and feels comfortable does not match a lot of my belief systems... theology... or aren't as evengelistic as I think they need to be... they are more worried about commities instead of spreading and teaching the Gospel.

You will hear little of the Creationist point of view in my Church... a subject I'm very interested in, The End Times, is rarely handled. Being as conservative as they are, they certainly won't try and connect the Bible to what's happening in the real world.

It almost seems they have adopted a Catholic attitude or approach in some ways... I stress some ways... being married to a Catholic and having been raised in a split denominational family (Dad and I Lutheran; Mom and Sisters Catholic...)... The Catholic way distresses me; but that's for another thread.

What I mean is, they are very much into their routine and stick to the same traditional Bible Stories and methods... my church actually has an identity crisis themselves. They're actually sending people out to other churches to figure out if we can become more progressive so we can attract more people (music/visual aids or whatever).

There are many other things that contribute to my confusion, but I guess I am just reaching out for some prayers and advice to help me find my home.

...(Telling my wife I'll be attending a Baptist Church might push her right over the edge as well... so that doesn't help)... BTW, not literally or physically... She still can't figure out why I open the Bible... imagine that. She attended Catholic grade school, high school, and college... never opened a bible. :scratch:

Now that a wrote a whole story...

I have such a passion and love for Christ. I want to do more in my life and find ways to serve... but I need to know where I am is the right place for me... I'm actually involved with several Christian projects right now that are seperate from my church... so that has made me very happy and Blessed. But I need to know if the church I attend is right for me.

Thoughts for a confused Christian?

First you are not old enough to be a Elder. Second God is not calling you to pastor. For the Elders are the bibical pastor of the Church, all of them that qualify with equal authority.
Third I think the Lord won't you and your wife to be a team at whatever you do for Him.
Fourth I was raised a Baptist, however I really respect the Catholics for they are the only denomination I can think of that hasn't changed their doctrine to satisfy modern culture. Which is a good thing in my mind. There is doctrine in the Baptist Church I don't agree with, I don't think the pot can call the kittle black. The Catholic doctrine that matters is as sound as Baptist.

I really think you should seriously consider you and your wife serving together. That is in the same Church. A divided house can't stand. And like I said I see no more wrong with the Catholic than are wrong with the Baptist.

My three cents worth.

May Grace and Peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of Him.

[Brother Matt]

First you are not old enough to be a Elder.
There are no age requirements... Wisdom does not know time. Experience is a product of our environment and our actions... it doesn't know time. One person can accumulate the experience in a year that another does in 10...

Knowledge can take one person a lifetime to absorb; another a fraction of that...

We're all individuals. God uses us and prepares us all to serve and to be called at different times of our lives.

Second God is not calling you to pastor. For the Elders are the bibical pastor of the Church, all of them that qualify with equal authority.

That is the one thing I am sure of; I was called...

A divided house can't stand.

These words only tell me that my house is not divided, because we do stand. God provides the power to hold things together for His purpose. I having a sneaking suspision that we are on a road that will bring her closer to Christ and to being saved.

I believe she will be because God has allowed me to see it. In my dreams I see her on her knees asking for Gods forgiveness, professing her faith, and giving her life over to Him...

We have an entire lifetime to accomplish this... maybe...

Then again, it may be later than we think.

Thanks for the comments MbiaJc... May God deeply Bless you.

oh, And lollain. ^_^ This is true...

[Crazy Liz]

Possibly... I think there is an embarressment factor maybe. Maybe. At the same time she was very supportive of my decision to pursue being a Pastor. She encouraged me to go and talk to the college etc... even came with me.

So maybe not; she's a complicated woman. :scratch:

She supports me, as long as it doesn't force her to change I think...
Sounds a lot like my husband. :D

[MbiaJc]

Brother Matt


There are no age requirements... Wisdom does not know time. Experience is a product of our environment and our actions... it doesn't know time. One person can accumulate the experience in a year that another does in 10...

Knowledge can take one person a lifetime to absorb; another a fraction of that...

We're all individuals. God uses us and prepares us all to serve and to be called at different times of our lives.


Not so! There is definatly a age requirment. Elder means exactly what it says. In the Levitical priesthood a priest retired at age 50yr. He then became eligible for appointment of Elder or to the Sanhedrin.

Knowled can be obtained by a young man, however most of the wisdom and understanding only comes with age. Experience only comes by use not knowledge.

Your call to salvation and dicipleship are one and the same and are not seperated no where in scripture.


That is the one thing I am sure of; I was called...

Scripture please where you were called to Pastor?

If you are it goes against what the Bible teaches. God said He had no respect of persons.

There is no where in scripture where one man is called to pastor a Church.

There is no Spiritual Gift of pastor given except given by the Church to the Elders of the local Church. And that is all of them that qualify with equal athority.

The Church also gives the spiritual gift of Deacon.

This one man professional pastoral authority we have today is not bibical.


These words only tell me that my house is not divided, because we do stand. God provides the power to hold things together for His purpose. I having a sneaking suspision that we are on a road that will bring her closer to Christ and to being saved.

You going to one Church and her to another is not that a tear?

I believe she will be because God has allowed me to see it. In my dreams I see her on her knees asking for Gods forgiveness, professing her faith, and giving her life over to Him...

I though you said she was already a member of a Baptist Church? Are you saying she is not saved?


We have an entire lifetime to accomplish this... maybe...

Then again, it may be later than we think.


?????????????????????????????????????

My boses opuciation was a Jewish carpenter and I feel it is my duty to teach what He has taught me.

May Grace and Peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (That knowledge is a full knowledge, a percise and correct knowledge)

[Brother Matt]

:wave: Hi again!

I'm not already a member of a Baptist Church... That's what the original intent of this thread was to explore the reason why I have been so much more influenced by Baptists these last few years and whether being a Lutheran is the right denom for me...

This is fun. It's stimulating my mind...
Not so! There is definatly a age requirment. Elder means exactly what it says. In the Levitical priesthood a priest retired at age 50yr. He then became eligible for appointment of Elder or to the Sanhedrin.
You do have to be 35 to become a Pastor in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod... but I could have received the education so I would be ready by that time.

I just need a biblical reference for your arguement regarding the age of an Elder... I don't recall there being an age limit set forth within the Word of God... and someone should tell my Church because they don't seem to see a problem with my age...

There are differnet interpretations as far as what an Elder is as well...

It wasn't actually my idea to be an Elder; the thought would have never crossed my mind... until my Pastor suggested it.
Knowled can be obtained by a young man, however most of the wisdom and understanding only comes with age. Experience only comes by use not knowledge.
Maybe in your corner of the world, but not in mine. I've worked with people all my life in my professions and wisdom and understanding definitly does not necessarily come with age...

I feel I have more life experience and wisdom than some 40 or 50 year olds I know. It's what you've done with your life... and some can do more in a short period of time than another can do in a lifetime...

For regular life experience:

I run multiple businesses... I run a contracting business... (Remodeling, Painting, Carpentry...) ... I've been an insurance agent (Property, Casualty, Life, Health...) for the past 10 years (I have my own agency)... and I run more than a couple websites online. I have been in Business and Sales for over 15 years.

Do you think I could have accomplished all those things without having experience?

Could I manage people if I didn't have experience? No. Could I manage my time if I didn't have experience? No.....

OK, that's my life experience... Now...

Someone's Biblical Experience:

Someone picks up a Bible when they are 55 years old. In 7 years they decide to become an Elder. That's OK...

Now I had a Bible place in my hands when I was 2 years old... That's not OK?
Your call to salvation and dicipleship are one and the same and are not seperated no where in scripture.
I understand you are talking from a Biblical perspective... I like biblical perspectives.

Maybe you are right... Maybe that's why I am where I am today. I asked God... I prayed to him... I asked for signs... I followed the signs I got... and all of them led to me pursuing ministry.

But in the end, maybe that was either me misinterpreting what God was saying, or I messed up and should have become one no matter what the sacrifice... or it was just a test and it was just part of the path to lead me here to talk to you. :)

Don't know...
Scripture please where you were called to Pastor?
If you are it goes against what the Bible teaches. God said He had no respect of persons.

There is no where in scripture where one man is called to pastor a Church.

There is no Spiritual Gift of pastor given except given by the Church to the Elders of the local Church. And that is all of them that qualify with equal athority.

The Church also gives the spiritual gift of Deacon.

This one man professional pastoral authority we have today is not bibical.
You obviously don't believe in being "Called" to service... and that's fine; we agree to disagree... I am not going to change your mind and I can't roll back the video and show you what I went through and what I experienced...

And maybe I need to go back to the Scriptures and find a new reason for the feelings I received and the draw I felt... could be reason of mental insanity; who knows. I asked God this at the time, but he chose not to answer that question... :prayer:

Whatever it was, it was awesome and made me change the whole direction of my life... was it simply the effect of being saved and my experience was just more potent than the average... who know...

Maybe it was all a figment of my imagination...

God only knows; can't wait to ask Him.
You going to one Church and her to another is not that a tear?
Maybe it's a small tear; I'm optimistic and will trust the Lord will mend...

Yes I understand the scripture you are referring to... I am weak in this regard... I cannot ditch my Wife because she is not saved YET. I am far from perfect.

I'm hoping this Tear can be mended... I am certainly not going to seek out a permanent solution to a potentially temporary situation at this time. I will have patience and pray for the Holy Spirit to intervene and work inside her...

I find it hard to believe that the Lord would want us to abandon a lost soul even if it's in our own household...
Then again it may be later than we think...
Reference to the last days, sorry.
My boses opuciation was a Jewish carpenter and I feel it is my duty to teach what He has taught me.
:amen:

At first I thought you were talking about your real boss, lol...


Many Blessings,