Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
This past week, I received a letter from a young pastor. He had apparently been a pastor along with his father. But his father (50 years old) died and he was left with the "work". His mother was grieving over the loss of her husband. The young man (28 years old) said he didn't know how they were going to be able to get food (physical food).
First, I sent following to his mother and family ...
Paul said to comfort one another with these words: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. I Thess. 4
Then I told the young man the following:
"You aren't going to want to hear what I say to you ... Get a secular paying job and provide for your family."
When a "minister" is doing a work and can't pay for that work, he is in trouble. When God authors the work, God provides. But so many works that ministers are doing are the ideas of those ministers. And this is especially true when that minister has to ask other people to pay for the work he is doing.
There is no place in the Bible where a minister asked other humans to pay for the work authored by God.
I have been receiving many emails from people identifying themselves as "ministers". But almost without exception these "ministers" are asking me for money. This is wrong to do this. Give up that work that you can't pay for and go out and get a job and provide for your family.
I knew the young man who just wrote me about his father dying and
wanted money didn't read the messages we write because he addressed me
as "Reverend". I was horrified at this.
There is no
place in the Bible where a minister calls himself "Reverend". When a minister
does this, he seeks his own glory. The ministers of Jesus Christ in the
Bible call themselves apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher.
These are the ministries ordained by God. Eph. 4. There is no such
thing in Bible as a "music minister" ... or a "youth minister"
... The only thing we have to go by in the church is the Bible. And
when it is not in Bible, is is a work of man and not of God.
There is so much evil in the church groups today.
The Bible is the key for us. When they add to the Bible, depart from them.
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