Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Know of any churches looking for a pastor?

...especially when I'm screwed up, too!!!

Dan, as a fellow pastor, I'm grieved to hear about this - partly because you've had to endure it and partly because it happens over and over and over and over and over and over and over in the church. I'll keep you in prayer as you move through your transition and celebrate the Resurrection tomorrow!

May our Lord bless you, Pastor Dan. Rest peacefully tomorrow, and know He has the answer. You are needed elsewhere.

Mark

I am SO very sorry to hear of this, and especially now. I have been a part of a church that had a group of folks who were (Unfortunately) really good at running off pastors. The problem lies, partly I think, in congregation led churches where the power and decision making lies in the flock. Who ever heard of a flock of sheep firing the shepherd? Or telling the shepherd where to go? Who did Moses or Paul or any others of the church founders and early church leaders answer to? That would be God himself, and he alone.

You might want to look into starting a BBF, Calvary Chapel or Independant Fundamental Baptist Church. The ones I have been a part of ran wonderfully, did a great job at evangalizing and could move quickly and decisively via not having to run every little thing through some COMITTEE somewhere.

When my pastor decided to let me do my heavy metal Easter show "To Hell With the Devil" a couple of years ago, and give away an AR-15 rifle as a door prize, he got some push back from a couple of members. But, we did it and it was a huge success. If it had been run through a comittee or two and / or a presbiter council or other denominational stuff, it likely would have been watered down to a point of inneffectiveness.

Pastor Owen is often saying that the Denominational age is over, and that independant, seeker friendly, non traditional and non denominational churches are the current method God is using the most right now in this country. I agree fully.

On a separate note, we (a good sized church running two services each Sunday and adding to our building) need an associate pastor right now, and our founding Pastor, Owen Frost, has been battling Parkinsons disease for several years and is going to need to pass the mantle to another someday not so far down the road.

And, FWIW, we are in the middle of great hunting and fishing, and a very gun friendly church. On any given Sunday at least 4 or 5 of us are packing and I have bought and sold a few guns right there in the Foyer of the Church at different times. Not at all unusual during hunting season for a few fellows to show up in full camoflauge, having just been duck hunting or other hunting on the way to church. Pretty much a zero ties kinda place.

Am feeling sorry that you have to go through this - have seen it happen like that far too many times. Service as a Pastor is a wonderful calling but often far more difficult in the people department than most realize. My experience in observing these situations says that God has a better place for your work - and you are likely to be even better at it as well. You are in my prayers.

One more little factoid. According to Barna Research, fully EIGHTY PERCENT of the folks who come to know Christ as thier saviour at a church service, do so at a church that is 5 years or LESS in age! We at Stateline Church are just about ready to throw off a new start up church in Walla Walla, but will send enough of our current members and musicians etc. to make it a viable and working, soul winning church right from the get go. That will need a pastor as well. Best background would be a Bapticostal with a perfect Christian, of course, being one with a Baptist mind and theology, a Pentecostal heart, a Mormon Wallet and Jehovah's Witness feet!

PM sent, from one matted up nasty mess of pond scum covered by the blood, to another! I might be able to steer you to a couple of good avenues and directions. BUT, if I help you find another great job, I will need you to swear on a stack of reloading manuals that you will also help me spread the TRUE WORD of the superiority of controlled round feed actions, good wood for a handle, Barnes Bullets and hyperspeed uberfast cartridges as my 'payback!

MARK

Be faithful, and God provides. My brother wouldn't be walking today if the church in Bozeman hadn't decided as your former church has. Missoula simply had the doctors and hospitals he's needed to deal with erythromelalgia and an (almost) broken back. He serves at a great C&MS church and is back to an active lifestyle along with a great job fit. When we belong to Adonai (as Tony Evans has said) we become His responsibility. Love God always and trust Him to guide.

So happy to hear you lost that job to those that you were serving. They were back stabbers anyway. Good ridence!! You should be more worried if they'd have kept you! Now, go find the job God has for you. It will be better than what you have now. God needs you somewhere. A young church most likely like Safariman said. Our church went from 100 people 10 yrs ago when it started. This weekend we most likely will have 2,000 people including the sattellite churches we got going. You need a church like this. I will be praying for you ( not a cliche) .

Start a home church and get a job outside of the church. Cell groups have more (real) christians in them because they have to give when they go to church not just take take take. To many carrer christians these days and the church should opperate outside of the walls, we might see a change then. Sorry if I stepped on your toes but church is the people not the religious practice and the assembly that americans call church for the most part is a joke. They don't even call easter by its proper name pass over and how is friday evening to sunday morning 3 days? Blind leading the blind. Hope God leads you into something groundbreaking the church needs it! Godbless you and keep you, carry his glory on your shoulders.

whew, it's a good thing there is nothing in the bible about judging your fellow Christians. (sarcasm)

What's a worse sin, being a struggling christian, or being a judgmental christian?

Being a truthful Christian is far better than not pointing out things that are wrong. I'm all for pastors earning their living by holding down a job. It doesn't take a week to prepare a one hour sermon for Sunday. Even Paul was a tent maker and not a burden on other Christians. Playing "church" is BIG business now days and that is not at all the example set by the early church. Not talking about Catholics as that is a whole different situation and does not interest me at all.

Baptists, Methodists and a large mix of independent fundamentalists scattered all around in tiny churches in my area. They don't play well together.

Individuals worshiping under one roof are snippy or worse towards those of the same denomination worshiping in another physical structure.

Get a real job Dan.

Denny.

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Not a judgment, just an observation.

Already have!

Thank you for all encouraging words and prayers. I know I am better for having been there and been through this and we know God has a place for us. My wife and I are looking forward to where God will lead us next.

"Tent making" was ONE of the ways Paul supported himself for a short while in one location/situation. At other times he received support from other believers. Lotsa room for many ways to do church, a flexible entity.

The idea that sermon prep and delivery is the only time demand on a pastor is a fantasy perception. Real life, real people and their crushing demands will burn a man out soon if grace does not sustain him.

Dan,

I am off to church. I will poke around while I mingle with all the Christians this morning and see what I can find.


Travis

Cell churches are ONE of the ways church can work. They are on the rise in N America, maybe preparing an underground structure for the approaching bad times.

Biblical instructions for church are so minimal and so adaptable and flexible that one of the puzzling aspects of human nature is how so many of us insist that my way of doing church is the only way. I'm not talking theology but merely format of service, timing, etc.

Thank you for assuring us that you were not judging. I'd have misjudged you.

You are not seeing the whole picture. A Baptist pastor is expected to have a Sunday morning and Sunday evening service, and hold a Wednesday night "prayer meeting". In between he is expected to do weddings and funerals and visit sick members in the hospital or in their homes as well as counsel people who are having "problems". If it is done right and the church is of any size it is more than a full time job. If it is a large church, you need an assistant. I have buddy who quit an IT job to pastor a medium sized church. Said he had more free time with the IT job.