Im pondering myabe getting some schooling I know that im called to ministry and to preach Gods word. I know I dont need schooling neccesarily. But would it be bad to get more training and more discipling? What schools or maybe not even schools programs would any of you advise or recommend to me? Please keep me in deep prayer about this. Im open to anyones opinion and would like some advice.
Your brother Daniel
Im pondering myabe getting some schooling I know that im called to ministry and to preach Gods word. I know I dont need schooling neccesarily. But would it be bad to get more training and more discipling?
You might want to consider getting around a good community of believers and growing that way. If that requires you to move then that would be money well spent. If you private message me I can offer you some phone numbers so that you can prayerfully search in that direction if so desired.
As one who is called to preach the Gospel, who once sought to obtain theological training at a Bible college, but unmistakably was stopped by the Lord and led otherwise, I trust I have some sound advice.
Most of the Bible colleges and Christian universities are either apostate or seriously lacking in true godliness, holiness and the power of the Holy Ghost, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away". As a general rule, they tend to indoctrinate against the true Gospel rather than teach it.
As Leonard Ravenhill said (paraphrased), "Somebody once asked me what Bible school I attended. I said, 'Bush University'. They said, 'Really? Where is that?' I said 'on the backside of the wilderness. I believe Moses was the first graduate...They replied, 'well the Roman Catholic church doesn't recognize your ordination'. I said, "well, God doesn't recognize the Roman Catholic church's ordination."
The school of the prophets is the school you should go to my friend. It's a school where you learn to know God first hand and not through a text book. It's located in the prayer closet and the Bible is the text book. The Holy Ghost is the teacher and He's never wrong and never teaches bad theology!
I can testify first hand that God has taught me more in the couple years since He turned me away from Bible college than I could have ever hoped to learn in a lifetime otherwise if He hadn't shown me. He's turned my whole world upside down. He's anointed my ministry in a way I never thought, and He's continually revealing Himself to me in greater measures. [i]"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."
I suggest you fast regularly, pray desperately, and seek God in holy violence to take the Kingdom by force. Read the Bible diligently, and read the biographies of past revivalists and apply them to your own life. And make it one of your cheif subjects of study to read the sermons of John Wesley, George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, Smith Wigglesworth, and John Lake. God will teach you more than any school will. Learn from those who already spent their lifetimes seeking God and had to learn the hard way.
There was once an African preacher that needed the blessing of God on his ministry. He decided to take a bunch of water and a Bible and to go into a cave and stay there until God gave Him the power of the Holy Ghost. He came out of that cave 21 days later filled with God and with powerful gifts of healing. He saw many amazing healings take place, the power of God prevail regularly in the most miraculous ways, and many souls saved. THAT is the school I recommend!
And don't worry about needing doors opened to minister places. God is able to open all the doors you need. But first He will put you through the fire and purge you, kill every bit of self, and fill you with Christ. Then, He will open the doors. Don't worry about having official schooling to open doors, God will if you seek His will with all your heart.
Have you considered mission work? If you're really serious about going into the ministry, there isn't a two level system... missionaries aren't flunky preachers.
If you're college aged you might want to check out YWAM or Operation Mobilization, there are plenty of other oppertunities to get involved in Christian Missions and ministries around the web, you might want to also check out intercristo.com, they have plenty of missions positions as well.
Daniel: Contact Greg if you have not done so already.
I would tend to agree with all here so far.
You need to learn to be alone with God in the Word and in prayer in whatever wilderness He has prepared.
You need to be mentored to some degree.
You need to be amongst God's people as well.
God will speak to you, shape you in character and strengthen you in your anointing in different ways in each one of these areas.
Even Tozer was a Pastor at a local church, week in and week out.
Tozer's mind and heart may have been in heaven but his hands and feet were on the ground.
Blessings,
Doug
If one felt called into the ministry, would it be helpful to do something like a theology degree at Bible college? Not so that it would make you a perfect preacher or Christian, but it might help you to understand the Bible more?
Hi brother Daniel. I think what Joseph said, especially about God dealing with us, is true, at least I believe it has and is being true in my own life.
I read something today here which seems appropriate, from Samuel Logan Brengle, who, I believe, was an officer in the Salvation Army. He writes,
"A cadet or humble soldier who is full of the Holy Ghost can tell more about the real, deep, spiritual meaning of the Bible than all the doctors of divinity and theological professors in the world who are not baptized with the Holy Ghost."
and before this he says,
"The Holy Spirit will not call your attention to Himself; but will point to Jesus."
"Nor does He come to reveal to us any new truth, but rather to make us understand the old truth that Jesus spoke, and which the Prophets and Apostles, whom He inspired, spoke. "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John xiv. 26). He will make your Bible a new book to you. He will make you remember it. He will teach you how to apply it to your everyday life, so that you will be safely guided by it."
I had a friend, and brother in the Lord back in Baltimore who was powerfully converted in a Salvation Army Chapel, all alone. He was homeless and, if I recall correctly, drug addicted. He went in the chapel one day and sat there alone. Then he said after a while, he felt to go up to the altar and pray. He said for a long time he tried to speak and couldn't; he just wept. Then after some time, I think it may have been days later, he was at the altar again and this time all he could do is say
holy
holy
holy.
After his conversion he said all he would do in every spare moment was read the Bible(I think he was staying at the shelter during this time). He said later he would spend upwards of 15 hours a day in the Bible when he could. By the time I knew him his Bible was in taters, if that was even the same one.
The Lord bless him wherever he is, but even though he was constantly going through one trial after another, sometimes living in a hotel with his family, he was always faithfull. And always in the Word.
Grace be with you Daniel in your descision.
Wouldn't consider this advice at all Daniel but think Josef_Urban's as well as all the others are noteworthy.
The question that comes up though is, what is your present understanding? How long have you been altered? ;-)
Seems this might be as much a help as anything to make any suggestions. I would encourage you to dive in right here even while you pray about what the Lord would have you do. There is enough schooling here to truly challenge any saint alive in my opinion. Just as well, David Wilkerson has a very good School of Ministry. Try here; www.mzsom.org
It could very well be both.
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