Stevo's Blog

7 Minimum Requirements Before Independent Ministry, By Billy Cole

2011-06-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

There are certain minimum requirements one should have before going out to do the work of God.

1. You must have a stable/consistent experience with God.

2. Proof of being a real soul winner. It is possible to learn how to preach before becoming a soul winner. Anytime a person learns to preach or teach before becoming a soul winner, they become content in preaching and do not win souls.

3. A good knowledge of the Word of God is needed. The Holy Ghost will quicken the Word of God to us and convict us.

4. An experience of working with other men is needed. Submission to leadership (Pastor) is a must. It is also important to learn discipline.

5. Proven leadership experience, it means that one has been in charge of something. Head of a Sunday school class, youth department leader, ladies ministry, etc.

6. You must love your family. Missionaries who have failed had a lack of welfare and love for their families.

7. You must set priorities. Is it worth doing? Does it get the job done? Is it fulfilling the great commission?

In the linked videos below, Rev. Billy Cole goes into more detail on the above stated principles.

Spiritual Preparation Part 9 Spiritual Preparation Part 10

Click here if you're interested in learning more about Rev. Billy Cole and listening to his preaching.

Three Types of Apostolic Pastors

2011-06-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

This is a paper I wrote for my college English class. It is written in the "Division and Classification" method.

The Apostolics are those who claim to be a continuation of the church from the book of Acts. They follow all the teachings of the Bible and regularly experience the same miracles as recorded in scripture. Among the Apostolic Christian movement, there are three main categories of pastors. There is the “Charismatic,” who is reminiscent of a politician. The “Bible Thumper,” who is most similar to an army drill sergeant. And lastly, the “Father,” who closely resembles a loving and caring earthly father, not caving to popular demand, but neither asserting his position with an iron fist.

Charismatic

The “Charismatic” pastor is the politician. His concerns are that his image is held in high esteem and that the congregation is content and quiet. The "Charismatic" does nothing radical, or world-changing. If anything, it could be said that he follows current trends and does exactly what the congregation dictates. He is a push over and cares more about a member’s opinion or preference than what the Bible says. Much like a member in congress, he says what he needs to say in order to keep his position, perhaps he even makes a few promises, but he provides little. These pastors are popular with the general populace, they have large followers and churches, but they lack in substance and changed lives. Their services are nothing more than concerts and motivational speech seminars.

Bible Thumper

The next pastor type is the “Bible Thumper.” The Bible Thumper knows what he believes, and wants to make sure his congregation is living up to his understanding. He is not concerned about one’s personal relationship with God, but rather that he/she obeys modern applications of principles as exhorted by him. Generally, the churches that these drill sergeants pastor are not large. They tend to appeal toward legalistic followers, who are more interested in obeying rules than taking time to share the gospel with others. The services are dry and berating.

Fatherly

Last, there is the “Father.” The fatherly type of pastor loves people. He is willing to spend and be spent for his congregation. This pastor knows the scriptures; they have taught him how people should live. He is confident in what God has shown him and is wise in showing others how to apply Biblical principles to their lives. He does not cater to popular opinion at the expense of what The Bible says is true, nor pounds scriptural authority in a disrespectful manner. To be in a service with a fatherly pastor is a joyous experience. It will remind the church goer of the accounts from The Bible, healings, miracles, and changed lives.

If one is religious and is looking for a social club, look for a "Charismatic" preacher. If one thinks he/she is better than everyone else, he/she may feel most comfortable at the Bible Thumper's church. If one is looking for someone who will help him/her in his/her journey to know God, pray for a fatherly pastor.

-A Whole New Blog-

2011-05-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

I am starting a new blog. This one (Stevo's Blog) will be different, in comparison to my previous blog, -allfor4Him.blogspot.com-. This blog will be more like a collection of my thoughts and ideas on current events, differing views on Christian values, and "Apostolic culture." I will also write posts about recent happenings in my life that I think others might find interesting (we'll see how that goes...). I hope you enjoy reading the things I write and will share your thoughts and opinions on the posts.

God bless,

Steven Russell