It seems that no matter where we turn some are self-appointing themselves to ministry. Some are calling themselves prophets despite the fact that what they say does not come to pass and often is not predicated upon the Word of God. Others call themselves apostles even while they have no church homes and have planted no churches. Even more are simplistic in their self-anointing referring to themselves as ministers, evangelist or missionaries yet there are no signs following them, no one is brought into the Kingdom and the only missions fulfilled is the pulling together of the evening meal. Even more, many of these “ministers” are married and neglect to tend to the most important ministries of all, their spouses.
The reason the above groups are hypocritical at best is because they tend to ignore not only the Word of God but also the vows they have taken. If a minister is married, be that minister male or female, his first and primary ministry is to his spouse. There is no more important relationship other than that between Christ and the Church. As such the relationship between Christ and the Church as the example ministers need to follow in marriages. Too many marriages are falling apart in the Church because one spouse spends more time in “ministry” than actually ministering to the spouse. God is not pleased with this. In fact He is angered by those that choose not to honor His Word. Consider the words of Ephesians chapter five as it relates to marital relationships.
With this in mind consider just a few things the “minister” can do which are actually ministry. If you are on the phone with your best friend and your spouse has need of your attention the friend can wait. Hang up the phone and listen to the heart of your spouse. If the friend does not understand then the friend is not really a friend. And, do you have to go out with your friends every Friday night. What if that spouse wants to have a candlelight dinner with you? Will the answer be no? I should hope not. Wives need to understand what it means to be submitted to their husbands. Submission is a choice to honor and obey with all respect. It means not going behind his back when he has clearly made opposition to a matter rather it is giving him due as head of the house.
Now, it is certain that these words seem archaic in this modern society but much of the reason there are problems in households is because the wife often does not understand submission. It is not being a doormat but it is the intentional surrendering of selfishness in order to please the husband. It is the same thing that is required of the Christian in respect to Christ. It is not that the Christian is forced to serve Jesus rather he chooses to follow Jesus because of the love he has for his Deliverer. With this the husband is not excused from doing what is right. He is commanded to love his wife as Christ loved the church. This means that he will not ignore her needs rather will do all to meet those needs. He will not be her commander-in-chief but will be her leader and protector. His wife is not his servant rather she is his lover so that she walks with him and not behind him.
The point of this brief missive is simple: if you count yourself a minister and neglect your spouse in any way you are not a minister. You are a fraud because there is no greater ministry than ministry to your spouse.
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Nicely stated preacher Carter. Keep up the good work fighting the good fight, and stay strong as you run the race. Your brother in Christ and fellow preacher. . .
Raymond Luyk
Thank you very much Sir.
Very true, good point about the reason why marriages seem to be breaking down so much these days as well. I’ve just started my own blog up recently, any chance you could give it a look and maybe a ‘follow’ when you have the chance? We don’t have so many people calling themselves ministers in my neck of the woods but plenty of religious hypocrites!
Thank you and yes I will look at your blog. As to those hypocrites, there are many masks for many people.
1 Timothy 3:1-7 (ESV) states: “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”
Adding to the original article, it has become common for a lot of people to refer to themselves as “pastor” who aren’t (a pastor is an overseeing elder of the kind referred to in the above text). We now have “children’s pastor,” “music pastor” and even “administrative pastor” (the last one being the new title for the church secretary).
You have ventured into what some might call “muddled waters” even while what you say is true. There are way too many “pastors’ in churches today. Somehow it seems that there should be one pastor to one local body.
I believe in a plurality of elders and that deacons are servants, not leaders. (http://bible.org/article/who-should-run-church-case-plurality-elders and http://www.9marks.org/journal/biblical-qualifications-and-responsibilities-deacons).