Speaking of church, what ministry(s) do you serve in?

[ALAYMAN]

Just thought it would be nice to hear some braggin' on the Lord of how some of my brothers and sisters serve Him in their assembly.  Details like which is your favorite ministry.  What you think your gift(s) are.  Best memory from a ministry you've served in.  Etc, etc, etc. 

I'll get us started....


1) Treasurer
2) Special music
3) Teaching/preaching in 5 different capacities.
4) Deacon
5) Building and grounds crew
6) Bus/van driver
7) Family night activities coordinator

That's enough for now.  How bout you?

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

By all means, boast here, so you won't have your rewards in heaven. 

 

[Jim Jones]

You sure you didn't mean brag on yourself?

As for the Lord? He knows and that's all one should care about.

BTW, your other church members need to get involved.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Well, hopefully that's the end of the killjoy's thread downer comments.


Let me illustrate the OP in just one way how good God is and how He works in our lives....


I was a shy kid, not to the point of having phobias, but pretty painfully backwards.  Suffice it to say that mixing it up with folk, other than sports, wasn't my thang.  This shyness affected all the usual areas of life, including the fairer sex.  As my older brother would say....I had no game.   It isn't that uncommon for kids who are first trying to figure out dating to have jitters to one degree or other, but I was a bit slower than average on the uptake in this department (not by my inward desires, but by their outward manifestations).  Despite all that God brought a beautiful gal into my path despite my backward ways, and right under my nose, without me even noticing her intitial flirtation(s) for quite some time, and eventually the light went on and the rest is history.  This reluctance to be social extended through to college, and of course in order to receive my college diploma I had to go through Speech class.  When I was younger and got into stressful public situations I might even have a tendency to stutter.  The first time I signed up for Speech class I didn't even make it half way through the quarter and quit the class.  At that point I figured I was just not going to be able to meet the requirements for a college degree.  That's a pretty big deal.  What would I do for job preparation now?  I had already taken the required entry exams for the service and qualified for the Air Force, but I really wanted to stay away from that career path if at all possible, so I signed up for Speech class again.  With a whole lot of fear and trepidation, I got up in front of that entire room of people and rambled on incoherently about Population Explosion or some such jibberish, but I muddled through and got to the end and passed, barely.   Public speaking was the furtherst thing from my mind, and I was bound that would NEVER happen again.

Fast forward several years, and a Christian conversion later, and as I began to grow in the Lord after a long dry-spell of carnal Christian living, I was encouraged to teach a kids Sunday School class along with my wife (she was a public school teacher so I figured at the worst I could lean on her frequently ).  One thing led to another, and I was asked to speak to a mid-week congregation by my young pastor.  I was absolutely terrified!  It's one thing to teach little kids some basic lesson about David and Goliath, but an entire nuther deal to look out at a bunch of adults staring right back at ya, expectin' to hear something that would strengthen their faith in Him.  I wasn't eager to do this, not one bit, but something told me to try.  I'm sure that first lesson was pure tedium (not all that different than today .......stole some of the killjoy's thunder right there! ).  I memorized the ten page sermon, and regurgitated the entire thing almost verbatim.  I'm sure that was painful, for them, and me.

Skip ahead a few years.  God has taken that shy, reclusive (I still have that natural tendency) stammering anti-social kid and transformed him into somebody who regularly stands in front of not only varying age groups in my church to speak of God's grace, but to strangers in jails, on streets, at strangers houses.  Truly it can only be explained by the transforming power of a merciful and great God, who gets ALL the glory, amen.

 

[Ransom]

Since at this time, my church is not assembled together in one place, logically it cannot possibly exist, and therefore it is impossible for me to be involved in any of its ministries.

Ask me again this coming Sunday at 9 am. Assuming, that is, I haven't fallen ill or overslept, thereby denying the church existence again.

 

[Recovering IFB]

By all means, boast here, so you won't have your rewards in heaven.

That's how all these IFB meetings/fellowships start out; bragging which rolls into a mutual admiration club.


Oh yeah, then followed by a baptist pot luck

 

[Jim Jones]

Oh crap!

I am so talented and gifted in my secular field and all I get to do is teach 4&5 year olds.

What a waste.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Since at this time, my church is not assembled together in one place, logically it cannot possibly exist, and therefore it is impossible for me to be involved in any of its ministries.

Ask me again this coming Sunday at 9 am. Assuming, that is, I haven't fallen ill or overslept, thereby denying the church existence again.

Well, that post was pert nigh obtusity status, since I never claimed that a church is not in existence when it isn't assembled.  On the other hand, when you're gathered this Sunday at 9AM maybe you can channel ol Johnny Calvin and the host of heaven to commune with him/them in your universal church meeting.

 

[Jubal Sackett]

I'm in the security ministry. I yell at kids and if you attempt to kill us, I kill you.

Jubal Sackett

 

[Ransom]

Well, that post was pert nigh obtusity status, since I never claimed that a church is not in existence when it isn't assembled.

So why can't a universal church exist when it's not assembled?

 

[Ransom]

How bout you?

It's pretty much just a blessing for them when I show up.

 

[ALAYMAN]

There's a whole lot of good about the FFF, but this thread underscores what's wrong with it.  A whole lot of people that have had bad experiences in Christianity, particularly in their time with IFBs make them jaded and cynical, and maybe worst of all, judgmental.  As the saying goes, "you can take the boy out of the fundy, but not the fundy out of the boy".  I was hoping to hear of transformed lives to the glory of God, but instead I received a bunch of dung from malcontents who'd rather fight than praise the Lord.  I've been around the FFF a long time, and it didn't used to be this way.  Don't get me wrong, there were buttheads who always took every chance to turn something wholesome and good into a grudgematch, but the proportion is much higher now. 

At work there is such a thing as "the chilling effect".  It's when an employer puts practices in place that suppresses employee feedback for fear of retaliation or job loss.  Good people with legitimate concerns will clam up in order to toe the line and keep their employment.  A similar thing seems to have happened on the FFF.  The people who often want to be divisive speak the loudest and their prevailing culture of negativity drowns out those who don't want to be used for nothing more than a quick shallow one-liner.  I'm not saying that the type of sarcastic humor and (counter)criticism has no place on the forum, but what I am saying is that the fellowship that was more abundant (even of this "fighting" forum) is clearly less robust than in days past, and that's is sad.

Carry on with your judging my intent now.

 

[Tim]

At the moment ...

Beginner Sunday School Teacher (My wife and I do this together)
Usher (Just myself)
Special Music (Sometimes alone, mostly together with my family)
Cleaning Crew (my oldest kids, my wife, myself)

My son helps with the Food Pantry

 

[Recovering IFB]

  I'm not saying that the type of sarcastic humor and (counter)criticism has no place on the forum, but what I am saying is that the fellowship that was more abundant (even of this "fighting" forum) is clearly less robust than in days past, and that's is sad.

I bet you, that had rsc had posted something he did for his ministry, that you didn't agree with, you and him would fill up 5 pages of going back and forth,..... please!!!!!  anybody says one thing that you don't agree with and it's 'go time" with you.  I actually see most of your posts as looking for fights, just waiting to goad a 'freebird' into a brawl.

But anybody else have a bragimony before we continue?

 

[Recovering IFB]

At the moment ...

Beginner Sunday School Teacher (My wife and I do this together)
Usher (Just myself)
Special Music (Sometimes alone, mostly together with my family)
Cleaning Crew (my oldest kids, my wife, myself)

haymen brother, thank you for your service!!! good ol' Tim, people couldn't find their seats without him
My son helps with the Food Pantry

 

[ALAYMAN]

At the moment ...

Beginner Sunday School Teacher (My wife and I do this together)
Usher (Just myself)
Special Music (Sometimes alone, mostly together with my family)
Cleaning Crew (my oldest kids, my wife, myself)

My son helps with the Food Pantry

Thanks for answering the OP bro.

Cleaning crew, now there's a real thankless ministry.  God bless you for that. 

How old is your son?  And how does he help?

 

[banjoplucker]

Well Alayman,  you stole my rant.  This site has many great people, but it seems to attract the ignorant who have nothing better to do than to "State the Stupid".  These people probably live in their Mom's basement and giggle when a girl looks at them.  Don't let them blame their stupidity on past abuse under IFB,  for people that "State the Stupid", you have to put the blame on them.  I am glad you posted to claim bragging is saying that Paul bragged when he stated he Kept the Faith, Finished the Course etc.  David should be shamed for saying to all those men "Is there not a cause", And OH MY GOSH How David Bragged stating he will kill that loud mouth giant. 

When God uses you, be proud, I did not see one time where you took the glory, if anything you were showing that God can use anybody.  Stand Tall Alayman, as the FFF  people that love to "State the Stupid" will always be there and try to goad you.  They are no different than the 3rd Grade Bullies, except the 3rd grade bullies did not hide.

Now my story.  I was, like you, very shy, I only meant my wife because the Deacon sat her next to me and said I would talk to her.  I remember being asked when I was 16 to help on the Church Van.  When I was told I would be leading Singing I said right away NOPE.

Fast forward:  I have been a Bus Captain for over 10 years multiple high days over 100, Taught 4 and 5 year old Sunday School (very very important time in kids lives), Taught 1-3rd Grade Sunday School.  My Wife and Ran the Bus Teen Church that averaged 50+ teens every week. Ran a Nursing home service, Church Treasurer.  It is ironic that you posted this topic as I have Bus teen that came from the streets of Chicago, got saved in my Teen church (both Her and Her sister) and all these years later she is married, with 4 kids and is an active member (even goes Soulwinning), and every Thanksgiving I get a letter of her thanking God that She came to my Teen Church.  Her sister was active and FBCH for years until she died of Cancer.  And all this from a guy who would not lead singing on a Van.  Why because GOD is STILL GREAT

Brag away for what Jesus did for you.  And let the "State the Stupid" have their fun.

 

[ALAYMAN]

  I'm not saying that the type of sarcastic humor and (counter)criticism has no place on the forum, but what I am saying is that the fellowship that was more abundant (even of this "fighting" forum) is clearly less robust than in days past, and that's is sad.

I bet you, that had rsc had posted something he did for his ministry, that you didn't agree with, you and him would fill up 5 pages of going back and forth,..... please!!!!!  anybody says one thing that you don't agree with and it's 'go time" with you.  I actually see most of your posts as looking for fights, just waiting to goad a 'freebird' into a brawl.

Go look up the psychological concept of "projection".

 

[ALAYMAN]

sometimes it;s easier to just keep something that brings you joy to yourself......even if you know all the work was done by God and you were just there to serve as the means by which He did it........ rather than giving that which you hold precious to the dogs..... coz you already know all they;re going to do is chew it up........ .......

and you are right.... it happens here all the time............. but unfortunately the negativity doesn;t always come from ex-fundies soured on futile service to the man-o-god .........sometimes it comes from those at the other end of that scale who claim they believe in things they call soul winning and evangelizing and being involved in a ministry.....but who hear of something they wouldn;t do themselves or spend money on, claiming they think it;s a waste of time.... and they write it off as spreading a social gospel....... or even criticize an effort to help the homeless condemning it as enabling losers who are too lazy to work......

in my experience here.... and especially now since i;ve moved even further away from anything resembling a baptist church......i;ve discovered the negative criticism comes from both sides.....  ... it;s probably not the right context for this piece of scripture but what comes to my mind is romans 14;16....let not then your good be evil spoken of...... .......

You illustrate my point perfectly, for what is good about the forum.  But without getting wordy, the counter-perspective and balance you bring is a beautiful thing.  You're right, in my condemnation of the negative folk it did appear that I was singling out only those who've left to join the Freebird camp, but there are plenty of IFBxers that also act as killjoys and mudslingers.

By the by, I'd love for you to chime in on the OP because I know you've shared your experiences with feeding the homeless and street people before, which has really blessed my heart.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Now my story.  I was, like you, very shy, I only meant my wife because the Deacon sat her next to me and said I would talk to her.  I remember being asked when I was 16 to help on the Church Van.  When I was told I would be leading Singing I said right away NOPE.

Fast forward:  I have been a Bus Captain for over 10 years multiple high days over 100, Taught 4 and 5 year old Sunday School (very very important time in kids lives), Taught 1-3rd Grade Sunday School.  My Wife and Ran the Bus Teen Church that averaged 50+ teens every week. Ran a Nursing home service, Church Treasurer.  It is ironic that you posted this topic as I have Bus teen that came from the streets of Chicago, got saved in my Teen church (both Her and Her sister) and all these years later she is married, with 4 kids and is an active member (even goes Soulwinning), and every Thanksgiving I get a letter of her thanking God that She came to my Teen Church.  Her sister was active and FBCH for years until she died of Cancer.

Thanks bandjo guy.  That blessed me real good, lumps in the throat good, especially the bolded part above.  I long to be used of God in that way.  Praise His name!