Finding A Role That Works – Part 15

Because of the predominantly youth/student status of the core group that would make up our new church, it was impossible to guarantee a secure financial salary. Some of us had been saving our tithes for several months, but the “pot” was not very large. Still, since God had led completely in every other area, I decided to trust Him for our livelihood.

Karen, however, who at that time seemed less inclined toward the mystical, agreed to provide day-care for Bruce, a three-month-old infant. Her explanation for this extra responsibility was that it was a ministry to the struggling grad student and his wife who had been hard pressed to find trustworthy care. We both knew, though, that she was taking practical measures to insure our continued eating. When our needs were faithfully met month after month, the extra funds were used for hospitality purposes.

A new congregation was ready to begin. Our purpose was to test ideas related to how a local church functions. What unfolded was not only the story of an urban ministry, although many of the related circumstances are uniquely inner-city. It is a story of church renewal.

I maintain that the death of the city church has resulted from the same problems now being faced by most suburban churches. It has been apparent that the growth of many of these outlying churches can be attributed not to great numbers of conversions, but to the mobility of our society, as Christians move from place to place or exit from changing urban areas.

We felt that if the theories we wished to test would work in the city with its obvious disadvantages—the great cultural diversities, the prohibitive costs of property, the changing neighborhoods, the shortage of Christians, and the consequent economic deficiencies—they would work anywhere! On the human level, we did not have a ready-made situation, but God had obviously prepared the way.

Our new work was about to begin. Over the course of many months, God had led in a very deliberate and purposeful way. I did not always see through the “mist of the present” what God was opening before me. But, I learned through this experience, and many to come, that He is always faithful.

Of course, there’s much more to the story. So, I urge you to return to my blog as I continue to narrate the early days of my ministry in order to help answer the question: “How does a pastor go about finding a role that works?”

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Looking forward to Christmas? Looking for key Sermon Ideas? Wondering what to preach throughout the Christmas Season? Searching for help in preparing for your Sermons on Christmas Day? Mainstay Ministries has many valuable resources filled with Christmas Sermon Ideas to help you plan for your Christmas preaching and for such Sunday Sermons, including resources for the following: Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermon, Advent Sermon Series, Advent Sunday Sermons, Christmas Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermon, and Christmas Sermon Series. Click here to see a list of special Christmas Sermon Packages available.

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