Ministerial students want to serve God, but not necessarily in local church
DALLAS -- College students who feel called to work in ministry want to make a difference for God’s kingdom. But a significant number don’t believe the local church is the place to do it, according to guidance directors for ministerial students at some Baptist schools.
Many students know little about their denomination, but they know firsthand about forced termination of church staff, conflict within congregations and a perceived lack of respect for church leaders, said Micheal Summers, director of church services at Wayland Baptist University. “I see a high level of disillusionment with the local church among students.”
At the graduate level, the desire to avoid the conflict that comes with accepting a pastoral role seems to be steering a growing number of students into other staff positions, as well as to institutional ministry roles such as chaplains, said Daniel Bagby, professor of pastoral...
Actually I was being sarcastic about the whole celibacy removes temptation comment. It's not funny if I have to explain it, but many would feel that being tempted by a young altar boy would be much worse than being tempted by a woman.Many priests have fallen from their position because of this behavior (or have kept their position but were hidden in a new locale hence all the lawsuits). See it's funny because it doesn't work and in cases leads to something worse.
Lynda Nuttal Excellent post Lynda. As an "ex" deacon and Lay preacher I've observed the barbed wire in the pews first hand. I was invited to be an elder but turned it down, left that congregation and moved church. I was naive in my "young" Christian life and volunteered for loads only to sadly find out I was "used." Satan works hard in the churches and all too many individuals prove therein that they haven't really come to Christ. Our experience is a tough one but then we are strangers and pilgrims in this evil world and can expect no less than our Master. Praise be to God.
Psalm 119:71 "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."
The trouble with these youngsters, they want the soft life, and when was a pastor called to the soft life?
"1Corinthians 9 23 And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them. 24. Know ye not that they who run in [the] race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain. 25 But every one that contends [for a prize] is temperate in all things: *they* then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but *we* an incorruptible. 26 *I* therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air. 27 But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest [after] having preached to others I should be myself rejected."
33K, Excellent Comment. I agree 100% that the conduct of some pastors gives Biblical grounds for dismissal. There are too many people in the pew who think, "But, we shouldn't touch the Lord's annointed." That is such an unbiblical concept and if a Pastor is not doing what he should be doing Biblically, the people should use God's Word to examine that and remove him if need be. Many people "feel" or don't "sense" the Lord's leading and really want the "Lord to just show us" what to do in certain situations. He already has shown us what to do in His Word, and if we ignore it, we ignore it to our own peril.
"Many students .... know firsthand about forced termination of church staff, conflict within congregations and a perceived lack of respect for church leaders"
Could it be that it is the conduct of some pastors gives biblical grounds for the erosion of respect once given, causes conflict in the church and gives biblical grounds for dismissal?
"Let's keep things in perspective. For so many to smell something rotten, something must be rotten."
Whilst agreeing with this comment, surely we can't just simply blame the congregations? Congregations need to be pastored biblically and taught to think and very importantly act and vote biblically. If the congregation do not act biblically we still have to examine the responsibility of the pastors who have sinfully omitted to pursue and instill conduct that in their congregation.
If a pastor, having done all things well, is still dismissed from a church, he should count that a blessing of providence from God's hand. And yes, he should have a trade or skill to take to the marketplace.
Mark M, Please explain to us how celibate clergymen have the threat of flirtatious and tempting women removed. I'm sure a few of your RCC clergy friends would have some information about that for you.
I agree with you on that. It is one of the reasons for my non-denominational stance. I have seen too many pastors fall in to scandal because of what the congregation does. It's also one of the few good reasons for having celebate clergymen. Removing the threat of flirtatious and tempting women. Of course worse things happen as many church scandals prove. For better or worse though, some good men have to step up and take the challenge or else we would be sheep without an earthly sheapherd. I think Christ's return is pending, just think of it: an aging/corrupt pastoral poole, congregations that don't attend and don't want to hear the Bible when they do, "feel-good"/"name it and claim it" ministries thriving, homos allowed as church leaders, and now few young men wanting to replace the aging. Something has to give God will not allow his church to disappear until...better start repenting now sinners! (me too)
Let's keep things in perspective. For so many to smell something rotten, something must be rotten. My son ran the youth ministry at our Independent Bible Church throughout his college years. He begged us to send him to Bible College but we refused. Why? Because after years of my husband serving as elder, deacon, trustee, Sunday school superintendent etc. at several churches, we knew first hand how perilous it is for ministers. We saw too many good men destroyed because of petty jealousy, moronic elders and deacons, liberal leaders, nosy women, flirtatious women, bossy women, and rich congregants who influenced the leadership in un-Godly ways while threatening to leave and take their money with them. We forced our son to get advanced degrees in education, promising him that when completed, if he wanted to go to seminary, we would send him, BUT we wanted him to have something more marketable to support himself in the event his ministry was torpedoed when he was fifty years old. Ministers like all Christians, don't want to be OF the world, but they sure do have to live IN the world until Christ calls them home.
Dr. Alan Cairns | 5/11/2009
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