Dorcas and InTheLight answered you well.What I see in this second post is a bit more than what you shared in the first.We've been in your predicament. The thing I wonder most is ... How bad 'is' this Pastor's teachings ?The key in this 2nd post is the saying ""I desire to serve more in the pastoral role and I just want to jump out of my seat and declare .....""They say it's wrong to covet another man's position. You'd have to discern if that is what you are doing.2nd, Do you want to have a pastoral position in any specific area or "just" with those in your church ?That's important for you to know. Because we must make every attempt to examine our own motives with such scrutinizing, "with" God's help. All of our hearts are deceptively wicked, and to discern our own "motives" tops the list on being "honest with God" and allow Him to shine light on this. Sometimes, if we just "examine ourselves", we can actually see the truth without some big revelation and see when we're acting for self-glory or whatever.If this is just leading to a sort of mutiny on the bounty, then it would be wrong. If there are backstabbing sessions about the Pastor, this is wrong.We were taught, that if a Pastor preaches heresy, you go to him (Matt 18 style), loving him as much as anyone else who has gone astray ... but if that doesn't work,,, you just quietly and peacefully leave, because he only stands before God after that, and so do his sheep, who choose for themselves to hear God's Voice for themselves, whether they should stay or go, etc.If you wouldn't mind being offered a Pastoral position 40 minutes away, then I'd say, leave your Church, because it is not your love for these particular people that is your motivator.If you want to truly stay, because you truly do want to be broken and yet help those people, just ask the Pastor would he mind if you had a once a week prayer and devotional time in the Church, or at someone's home.The "breaking" will come, in that you will commit to not speak against him to another of the members there. And be cognizant if you are trying to "out-do" him, at these meetings.God holds us responsible for every thought, so that means, even a flash of a thought, we can be cognizant of ... so even if a camera flash of a thought, such as, "this ought to show them who the better man is", pops into mind, then you know your motives and know you are not broken yet in this.The ministry of "encouragement" that you say you want to give, can be done at that once a week meeting.If more than one of you have requested corporate prayer meetings and it's been "put off", then you just ask him again and if the Church isn't available,say, we can find a home to meet in or if these folks are serious about praying and all, do it in "home groups" you already are a part of. If someone of you has the keys to the Church, I doubt your Pastor would mind if you guys open the door to just pray.Our motives come in background-type-camera-flash-speed 'thoughts', and we need to learn that "other voice" within. It's there (secular folks call it the 'sub-conscience' thoughts - but that's not God's Words) and we don't normally know that we are accountable to know our every thought... else-wise, how could God judge and hold us accountable for every thought & motive.David also prayed that God would show him his secret heart or hidden within sin/motives.A chapter of Proverbs a day is good too.I think the whole of both your posts have to center on "motives" ... then all else will go well for you.I hope I haven't sounded too hard. I scrutinize myself this way too, as much as I can remember to take the time to do it. Examine our own thoughts, takes that "moment pause" before speaking or acting and it can be rough to "take the moment pause" first and be painfully honest with or to ourselves of why we want to say or do things. :-? We're tricky critters inside, ya know ?Anyhow, let's end this on a happy note. Seeing how you're a Texan and into Music, here's one for ya to help ya through these tough decisions ;-) .http://tinyurl.com/bstxzWith our prayers.
