01/26/26 NO EXCUSES

01/26/26 NO EXCUSES

NO EXCUSE FOR EMPTY MINISTRY POSITIONS IN THE LOCAL CHURCH

I have had pastoral situations in which there were numbers of young men who were called to the ministry and pursued their calling through pastoral discipleship and ministry training programs in our own church, or studies in our own Bible and Ministry Institute. Some of those men followed their local training by attending Bible colleges or Theological Seminaries, and some continued their personal studies as they entered active pastoral or missionary service. This does not include the number of men and women who were also trained (aside from pastoral positions), in Biblical studies, Theology, Doctrine, Ecclesiology, Missiology, Soteriology, Eschatology, Churchmanship, Church History, Lay Ministry skills, World Religions, and the Cults. They were able to use their training in our own local church, and they were readily accepted as lay ministers in other churches.

Every local church should provide the depth of training equal to four years of Bible college training. Local churches should be able to fill their own pulpits (and lay ministry positions) and also provide Christian workers who will go into all the world.

Don't depend on Associations, Conferences, Bible Colleges, Seminaries, or Denominations. God gifts men to lead and feed local churches. This includes teaching men for pastoring and the rest of the congregation for Christian service and spiritual warfare.

If you are a layperson, don't wait for someone to do the work God wants you to do. Lack of training should never be an excuse for failure to serve God.

The pastor/teacher should be equipping leadership for present needs and for future service.

It takes committed, obedient, called, gifted, trained leadership and fellowship to be the church and do the work of the church.