What is up with this “Minister in Training” thing?
First, let me tell you. I do not like the term “Minister in Training.” Each one of us will always be in “training” until we die. We should always be learning something – growing somewhere within ourselves. I feel that no other faith leader, pastor, elder, or whoever, in a religious capacity, has a right to determine the level of “training” within the Body of Christ. It is THE HOLY SPIRIT’S JOB and not theirs. Now, if the “leaders” are speaking solely of the work within their church walls, I can get with it, but not when it comes to the entire Body of Christ – The Church.
Secondly, please tell me where in the Word of God did God or Jesus ever tell any Servant that He was “Called and Chosen” or was in “training?” IT IS NOT SCRIPTUAL – PEOPLE! This is just another religious thing.
Finally, God and/or Jesus may reveal to the “leader” the calling or anointing of the servant. However, it is and will always be the servant’s responsibility to be obedient to the Holy Spirit – Almighty God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I have learned that many “leaders” may become jealous of the anointing of one of God’s servants. In addition, most male religious leaders DO NOT agree that women have been chosen to teach and preach God’s Word even if he says he does (He is lying or in denial.). I based this statement on what I have experienced. Give it time; you will notice how a male leader will begin to treat a female servant of God. You may have experienced something different – good for you. I can only testify of what I have gone through.
As a result, I am no longer under any “leader” when it comes to the ministry of what God has chosen me to do. I know what my anointing is and I know most men have a problem with it, so I do my ministry in silence and the Church reaps the harvest. I do obey leadership because I will become involved with other activities of the church. I will not reveal that I am an anointed minister, teacher, preacher, evangelist, and prophet. My ministry is NOT within church walls. My ministry is in the field.
Most think that I, simply, have a youth and family outreach organization (OverComers-SAFE Haven Ministries). I have learned to let folks think what they want because I know the truth – God knows – and that is all that matters. My obedience to God and what the Holy Spirit tells me to do is what matters. I care less about all the religious crap. IT IS ABOUT GOD’S GLORY IN SAVING AND HELPING LIVES AND SOULS.
In the beginning of my ministry, I had a hard time with the men of my previous church. This is when there were hundreds of youth and young adult murders in the Chicago Housing Authority – Robert Taylor Homes and Greater Grand Boulevard Community. Heck, I did not know God was calling me into the ministry. I sure did not know that I would be helping gang members, drug dealers, violent, troubled youth, young adults, and families. I had no idea – me (Laugh!). Yeah right! I was not of their world – definitely not! I was as naïve as naïve could be, and I was not a street-smart person.
I have learned everything by and through the Holy Spirit including the trials and tribulations that never cease. For anyone who been called and chosen into the ministry has literally stepped into the boxing ring with the devil and his crew. The good thing is the battle is the Lords, so I step out of the way and focus on what God has told me to do. If God says take a punch – I will take the punch. If God says swing to left or to the right – then that is what I do. It must be God’s voice I listen to and not my flesh or someone else, or I will be in big trouble.
In 1992, I was still heavily involved in a church. There was also an Elder there who was over the youth ministry. She knew I was troubled that the church had events that did include the youth in the community who were considered “questionable.” These were the children and young adults who needed help the most. This Elder received an invitation for our church to become involved with a newly funded violence prevention community program, and she asked me to coordinate the program. I did. At first, I only included the youth and young adults who were members of the church because that is what the leaders felt that I should do. However, one Sunday while I was alone and waiting for Bible study to begin, I heard the voice of the Lord tell me “you have been chosen to minister to a people that no one wants to be bothered with.” Okay, you know I was trippin”! God told me “you must see Me in each on.” It takes the Holy Spirit to see God in each person I was led to minister. Because I began to minister to youth in the community, some of the members of the church no longer wanted their children to participate in the program.
Through the anointing, I was reaching young men that the men of the church could not reach. It was not until a huge fight broke out among those I was ministering that the church leaders were forced to listen. It was the youth in the community that spoke up for me and told the church that I was the only one who was effectively reaching out to them. The pastor started to respect me, and he no longer followed some of the other men’s opinions about me.
After God used me to plant the seed, I was able to lead most to salvation and ultimately to attend church. Because of my obedience to the Holy Spirit, our church had their first young adult deacon board, and they reached out to their friends and associates. Our pastor began to form a “boys-to-men” mentor ministry, and it grew to reach more young men in the community.
Most male leaders of the church did not welcome me because of their religious arrogance. However, I realized that if I submitted to their “leadership,” then I couldn’t have impacted the Church Body with the anointing God has given me.
Now, I will admit that I have learned much about the history of the church, church doctrines, church rituals, various religions, church etiquette, church politics, etc. However, what God has called and chosen me to do is NOT standing in the pulpit in a fabulous robe being religious. The church leaders do not have a clue, so they are incapable of training me.
Now, I AM NOT telling you to be disobedient to your leader, for he or she is responsible for you and you are to be obedient to your leaders. For Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
Just do not let anyone, church leader or others, discourage you from becoming what you know God has chosen you to be. Also, be certain God has called and chosen you. Make certain the Holy Spirit is doing the teaching and not your flesh – not you. After all, God says in St. John 10:27:” My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Wait on God. Do not bust a move out of zealousness or some self-serving reason. If you are solely preaching and teaching within the church, then you are in their training. If you have been called and chosen to minister outside of the church walls, the Holy Spirit does the training and the training is unlimited.