Dear readers, please read this with an open mind.
I was once asked who called me to Ministry, at that time I could not answer this question. Why, because I am a teacher by vocation, so I don’t consider myself a preacher, Ephesians 4: 11, And he gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, Evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. For years people have said to me that God has a calling on my life. Now, if the question is what the will of God for my life is, I would answer like Paul, I am a servant of God and that this Ministry I have been called to is to serve the people who Jesus dedicated his short ministry too; the sick, poor, the outcast, the broken in heart and spirit, and those who have given up hope. As believers, some of us have lost sight of the original mission for following the life of Jesus, turning the House of God into a building for fund-raising, “and he said unto them, it is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves” Matthew 21:13 KJV. What I am observing is that many of the House of Worship rarely distribute money into the community to provide support for the needy. Many others and I have become dissatisfied with Preachers who run from church to church collecting offerings for delivering the word of GOD. The teaching of God’s word should be given freely to whosoever will listen. Jesus took nothing, but he gave much. This world is filled with millions of Houses of Worship, yet the spirits in dark places seem to be winning. Houses of Worships are empty and closing not because people don’t believe, it’s because our spiritual leaders have forsaken their calling because they desire MEGA churches, with a MEGA choir and a MEGA congregation, which in turn will mean MEGA BUCKS.
Some Pastors do not honor the role that they have been chosen to serve, they forsake spending intimate time with their congregation, they don’t reach out to the sick, rarely show up for bible study or Sunday school, charge a fee for performing marriages, baptism and counselling. Some Pastors arrive at service just in time to perform their fifteen minutes of reading their sermons from paper or the lasts technology; while stumbling through the scriptures, quoting lines from songs to embellish and fill in between thinking what to say next. Once they have successfully solicited the correct emotionally responds their performance heightens by stomping and whomping. After is all said and done what have anyone learnt that can be used in their daily struggles of life. What have the congregation been taught? As I mentioned previously, I am a teacher by trade and talent, and as an educator my duty to my students is to impart skills and knowledge to help shape and prepare them to accomplish their dreams and goals.
Lastly, Pastors are referred to as shepherds, Jesus was the example of the good shepherd, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” John 10:11 KJV. A shepherd’s prize possesses is his SHEEP. A good shepherd knows his sheep, he nurtures them, the shepherd understands that his sheep are dependent on him. A good shepherd makes provision for his flock, he walks among his sheep, he talks to them, he connects to them, they are all precious to him; “He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes” Isaiah 40:11 KJV. I am not preaching religion nor is my purpose is to convert my readers. What I have spoken here is what I have observed and here other believers voicing their concerns about the lost sheep crying out in the wilderness and the shepherds who are ignoring their cry.
What Say you?
J. R. Floyd ( Dragthepen)
dragthepen 