From the Banks of Polecat Creek...

[Caretaker]

If the Body of Christ was functioning properly would professional paid clergy be necessary?


Jesus Himself was cared for by the provision of the people He served, whether at Lazarus' home, or Peter's home or some other venue. He made mention of the fact that He had no assets or income of His own in Matthew 8:19,20.

As the church grew, the churches and people of Jerusalem provided for the needs of the entire church. In Acts 2:44-47 we see that the people provided for the ministration of the church and each others needs through the sale of properties. We also see that the apostles are busy about the study of God's word and not a job when the appointment of deacons to care for the widows controversy and other service issues(Acts 6:1-6.)

[Caretaker]

Can a pastor work a forty-hour job and still be as effective as a full-time paid clergy?

[Murph]

But...didn't Paul make tents for an income? Didn't want to be a burden. Made tents all day and preached all night. He took very little from the churches by way of pay.

He probably did right much preaching while he was making tents too. I often have imagined that is how he met Priscilla and Aquila. Heard them in the market place talking about the Lord while they were making tents, sat down and struck up a conversation...one thing led to another and off they went. The rest is history.

[Caretaker]

Mar 24, 2009 21:19:41 GMT -6 Murph said:

But...didn't Paul make tents for an income? Didn't want to be a burden. Made tents all day and preached all night. He took very little from the churches by way of pay.

He probably did right much preaching while he was making tents too. I often have imagined that is how he met Priscilla and Aquila. Heard them in the market place talking about the Lord while they were making tents, sat down and struck up a conversation...one thing led to another and off they went. The rest is history.

While he was with Priscilla and Aquila he did make tents.

Acts 18:
1: After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2: And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
3: And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
4: And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
5: And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
6: And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
7: And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
8: And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
9: Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
10: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
11: And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

During his missionary journeys he also received wages and gifts from other churches, so as not to be burdensome on the new churches he was establishing:

2 Cor. 11:

7: Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
8: I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
9: And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

Paul also said:

1 Tim. 5:
17: Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18: For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

1 Cor. 9:
13: Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the alter are partakers with the alter?
14: Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

New International Version
1 Corinthians 9 Read This Chapter

9:13
Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?

9:14
In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

[Caretaker]

Here is an interesting insight on bi-vocational pastoring:

enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200701/200701_000_bivocpastor.cfm

Recognize Your Limitations

To begin with, there is no such thing as a part-time pastor. You’re either a pastor or you are not, and the demand on those who receive less than a living wage from the church is the same as it is for those who are fully compensated for their services. Anyone who has ever been there knows that leading, loving, preaching to and praying for a congregation of any size is an around-the-clock responsibility whether you work anywhere else or not.

With that said, you must learn to leave some things undone. For instance, as much as you may want to be, it is not wise to spend all night at the hospital with sick church members or at the funeral home with grieving families when you have to work the next day. Not only are you doing irreparable damage to your body, you are also cheating your employer who pays you to be rested and ready to work for him. It is true that God will give us strength when we need it, but He also expects us to take care of the bodies He gave us. Routinely overextending yourself is poor stewardship of your health, so determine to not overdo it.

[Keith]

Amen, amen and amen!

[veterinarian]

;D

[DB]

I sit and listen as the tree frogs pipe their "rain song", the storm has passed by and we're still safe in the arms of God our shield.

Earthquakes, threats of war, diseases, cancer, and the ever present horror of our own government seeking to strip away the freedoms of the people of this country loom just outside of reach from this little holler in Va. The advesary walks about seeking whom he may devour by stealing their joy, killing in cold blood, and destroying what he can - while he can; instilling fear in the hearts and minds of man, hating, dividing & recruiting even the "elite" of the "Christian" faith to carry out the product of his nature...

Thousands upon thousands of precious babies are ruthlessly butchered by the hands of Satans minons in white robes every day, a "president" who supports and pushes for such an abomination wearing a buiseness suit and tie all the while smiling and telling the controlled populus citizenry that he too - is of the "Christian" faith.

Sodomites run rampant influencing the public and having more rights every day, while the freedoms of those to simply speak the truth in love are under attack.

Pastors stand in the pulpits of church buildings and trumpet how God Almighty has given them the authority of the word of God to preach the whole council of God, while they have played their part in committing what could possibly be the most horrendous form of spiritual adultery, blasphemy, and cowardice since the birth of the local church. They cower down and ask the irs and government (Ceasar) if they may have permission to exist and could they possibly be permitted to partake of a so called tax exempt status just like the rest of the worldly c.o.r.p.o.r.a.t.i.o.n.s
They'll zip their lips and run for cover when dealing with exposing political figures and political subjects like sodomy, abortion (MURDER), sins of the flesh, etc.. Shucking their so called authority of the bible for a wicked government tax break or faith based fund. Cowards - spineless - yella, comprimising, mammon serving devils.

All the while the church( the real ones) coming under scrutiny - persecution, and the goal of society to silence the preaching and free speech that condemns the actions of our president, congress, and world as being the sin against God that it is.

Yes, the earth that God created is groaning, severely......


and yet...



On my front porch there at the top of a pillar, tucked up tight against the corner, sits a Gray Flycatcher brooding 5 little eggs. With all the traffic in and out of our door, four dogs, and the need to eat herself; the eggs seem to me to get very little incubation during the day. This same thing has been happening on our front porch for years now, and in spite of all the leaving the mother has to do, God, in His loving care- always - always gives those baby chicks life, and they'll hatch out - in spite of it all.


What a blessing to know that if God cares so much for these little birds, how much the more He cares for me, and all of the born again........







DB
;D

[Murph]

Amen to that DB...

[Caretaker]

God bless you;

The darkness of evil is spreading like a cancer, all across our world.

But there is a new day coming.

Evil sits in every hall of government manipulating and leading to destruction.

But there is a new day coming.

There is a Believer who has changed from the pre-wrath to pre-trib position, and says the Lord might come by the first of June.

www.lookupfellowship.com/2009/05/pentecost-rapture-yes-look-up.html

For this old codger it makes not one iota of difference when the Lord comes as I am ready right now, or when this old body dies.

Praise the LORD for He IS coming for us!!!!!

If He gets here early Praise the Lord!!!!

If He tarries till later Praise the Lord!!!!!

The gathering-up will be in the twinkling of an eye so just focus on the Word, and open your hearts more and more to His grace.

For there is a new day coming.




Saints of God! the dawn is brightening,
Token of our coming Lord:
O’er the earth the field is whitening;
Louder rings the Master’s Word;
Pray for reapers, pray for reapers
In the harvest of the Lord!

Now, O Lord, fulfill Thy pleasure,
Breathe upon Thy chosen band,
And, with Pentecostal measure,
Send forth reapers o’er our land;
Faithful reapers, faithful reapers,
Gathering sheaves for Thy right hand.

Broad the shadow of our nation,
Eager millions hither roam;
Lo! they wait for Thy salvation;
Come, Lord Jesus! quickly come!
By Thy Spirit, by Thy Spirit,
Bring Thy ransomed people home.

Soon shall end the time of weeping,
Soon the reaping time will come;
Heaven and earth together keeping
God’s eternal harvest home.
Saints and angels, saints and angels,
Shout the world’s great harvest home.

[veterinarian]

Saints and angels, saints and angels,
Shout the world’s great harvest home

[Murph]

This morning walking the dogs early before the earth was up and moving good...I was wondering what the last day would be like. Maybe like this morning, a beautiful spring day...a breeze started to blow and I thought , "the last day is so close maybe that was the breath of the Lord I felt so fresh and cool on my face."

[Keith]

May 29, 2009 5:57:13 GMT -6 Caretaker said:

There is a Believer who has changed from the pre-wrath to pre-trib position, and says the Lord might come by the first of June.

Praise the Lord that this brother will receive the 'watchers crown':

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:8)

But, after reading his article, I pray he doesn't get discouraged if Pentecost comes and goes and we're still here because the Lord has chosen the Church to remain awhile longer to Spread the Gospel.

I would advise him, as I do all the brethren, YES! We are NOT appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9), and the Rapture is our means of escape (Luke 21:36). So though we will see terrible things come to pass while still here, but let no one discourage you about the Rapture (Revelation 3:11)!

[veterinarian]

May 29, 2009 9:19:20 GMT -6 Keith said:

But, after reading his article, I pray he doesn't get discouraged if Pentecost comes and goes and we're still here because the Lord has chosen the Church to remain awhile longer to Spread the Gospel.

Amen, and I would add never give up on Jesus, because He certainly never gave up on us that day He was crucified!

[Murph]

Another thread that needed bumpin'

Come on DB and give us some wit and wisdom from over 'cross the creek...some knee slappin' , jaw droppin' Gospel preachin...love it when you cut loose! Puts me in a mind of Billy Sunday!

;D

[DB]

Been very busy, schedule all outof whack... puter got sick also....


hope to have some time next week to catch up on some reading............



Db

[Murph]

Even your typing sounds tired...

[veterinarian]

When my computers get sick, I do too!

Get some rest, God be with you!

[DB]

third time I will try to make this post.


Define "rest".



I always thought it meant like - "... you can have the 'rest' of the bacon" or "... no, I don't need all that strawberry jelly, you can have the 'rest' of it..."

[Murph]

That is rest as in remainder...

I think Donna meant for you to "rest" as in sit back, put your feet up and chill.

;D