FEED YOUR SHEEP, NOT YOURSELVES
Men in business who hear a "calling" to enter the ministry of evangelism may be a noble thing to answer. But, when you are a man of God - a pastor, having attended Bible school and seminary, and then venture into business to make that extra cash, then something is definitely wrong with your faith, or whatever is left of it, especially if you are identified as a prosperity teacher. What I find so unfair in this situation is that you simply take advantage of your congregation when it comes to selling your wares. From a church member's standpoint, it would be quite difficult to turn away your pastor when he knocks on your door or rings your phone and tells you he has some items you may be interested to buy. Why so? Because that same congregation is his natural market and they would find it quite difficult to turn him down. And that is why networking companies and their leaders target pastors today to sell their business, for the simple reason that they already have the prospective buyers in the palms of their hands.
When a pastor is called to serve God, and then answers that call, he must not take lightly the task that comes with it as to get involved with other things outside the ministry. This cheapens the nobility of doing God's work here on Earth. Sadly so today, we hear of legions of men of God being lured into the networking business to earn fast money. This is all too bothersome as to openly show their flock that their faith isn't strong enough as to rely on God's unlimited supply of blessings to those who would obey His command to spread the Gospel unto the far reaches of the Earth. Proven fact: if you take care of God's business, He will take care of your needs. Joining a business venture with other pastors is simply a collective manner of "untrusting" God and cheapening the vocation. That is why the best solution really is - if you're a pastor, stay as one. Period. Your hands should be too full to get involved with other "worldly" matters.
I don't like to kick a man when he is down, and I believe in loyalty to friends. But when a man repeatedly commits horrendous sins and presents himself as a man of God (with all that implies), then I no longer consider him as a friend when he proves that he was not what was represented. He was a friend yesterday, but an enemy today. He betrayed his Savior, his ordination vows, his wife and friends who greatly respected him. He betrayed his church - God's church. And doing a great amount of good never negates the evil. My personal belief is simple: "transfering" an erring pastor from one church to another is simply allowing him to continue his lechery and treachery, because he had already lost his right to be in the pulpit. And if there is any shame left in him, he should just stop being a pastor and just be himself and join his money-faced networkers. Friends of his who put money above God. Ex-pastors like him who own black-colored Bibles that have now turned gray due to the accumulate dust. But I have since forgiven him, and it is my sincere prayer that he shall soon see the light, and this time, not walk away from it again. Instead, run towards it and come clean before the very same God we both call upon and who answers us in good times and in bad.
Men in business who hear a "calling" to enter the ministry of evangelism may be a noble thing to answer. But, when you are a man of God - a pastor, having attended Bible school and seminary, and then venture into business to make that extra cash, then something is definitely wrong with your faith, or whatever is left of it, especially if you are identified as a prosperity teacher. What I find so unfair in this situation is that you simply take advantage of your congregation when it comes to selling your wares. From a church member's standpoint, it would be quite difficult to turn away your pastor when he knocks on your door or rings your phone and tells you he has some items you may be interested to buy. Why so? Because that same congregation is his natural market and they would find it quite difficult to turn him down. And that is why networking companies and their leaders target pastors today to sell their business, for the simple reason that they already have the prospective buyers in the palms of their hands.
When a pastor is called to serve God, and then answers that call, he must not take lightly the task that comes with it as to get involved with other things outside the ministry. This cheapens the nobility of doing God's work here on Earth. Sadly so today, we hear of legions of men of God being lured into the networking business to earn fast money. This is all too bothersome as to openly show their flock that their faith isn't strong enough as to rely on God's unlimited supply of blessings to those who would obey His command to spread the Gospel unto the far reaches of the Earth. Proven fact: if you take care of God's business, He will take care of your needs. Joining a business venture with other pastors is simply a collective manner of "untrusting" God and cheapening the vocation. That is why the best solution really is - if you're a pastor, stay as one. Period. Your hands should be too full to get involved with other "worldly" matters.
I don't like to kick a man when he is down, and I believe in loyalty to friends. But when a man repeatedly commits horrendous sins and presents himself as a man of God (with all that implies), then I no longer consider him as a friend when he proves that he was not what was represented. He was a friend yesterday, but an enemy today. He betrayed his Savior, his ordination vows, his wife and friends who greatly respected him. He betrayed his church - God's church. And doing a great amount of good never negates the evil. My personal belief is simple: "transfering" an erring pastor from one church to another is simply allowing him to continue his lechery and treachery, because he had already lost his right to be in the pulpit. And if there is any shame left in him, he should just stop being a pastor and just be himself and join his money-faced networkers. Friends of his who put money above God. Ex-pastors like him who own black-colored Bibles that have now turned gray due to the accumulate dust. But I have since forgiven him, and it is my sincere prayer that he shall soon see the light, and this time, not walk away from it again. Instead, run towards it and come clean before the very same God we both call upon and who answers us in good times and in bad.
(Image from http://netministry.com/)
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