cricket Posted June 23, 2011 Author Posted June 23, 2011 And still, this is an unOfficial SDA forum where people are seeking SDA pastors and SDA opinions--not a forum without denominational "flavor". Quote
skyblue888 Posted June 23, 2011 Posted June 23, 2011 What exactly is in the job description for a SDA pastor? Maybe I've assumed something I shouldn't have. Can anyone who wants to be a SDA pastor just say they want to be? Here is God's job description for the ministers of Christ: "The work of the ministers of Christ is to hang their helpless souls upon His merits." Testimonies to Ministers, p.247. Not exactly what you would expect as a job description for a pastor, or is it? If they did hang their helpless souls upon the merits of Christ, the Lord could finish the work and cut it short in righteousness but as Gordon1 said, this is not going to happen. The work will be finished through the laity. "Christ looked forward to the time when the Holy Spirit, as His representative, should come to do a wonderful work in and through His merits." T.M.402. In other words, Jesus was looking down the ages with His eyes fixed upon our time, and saw a "little flock" who had made it their libebusiness to look to Him while trusting in His merits alone in order to bring His righteousness (right doing) into their lives so that He could finish the work in and through them, working in them both to will and to do His good pleasure. sky Quote "The merits of His sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf." S.C.36.
Moderators lazarus Posted June 23, 2011 Moderators Posted June 23, 2011 Sky, that first quote comes under the heading "work for all". EGW is talking about ministers (all Christians) not just Pastors. Nothing to do with a Pastor's job description. Ellen White uses the same phrase numerous times to refer to the work of church members. By the way, Pastors are part of the laity. They will be part of the "finishing of the work". Quote Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence. Einstein
skyblue888 Posted June 23, 2011 Posted June 23, 2011 Of course. I agree. You are not a minister of Christ unless you know what it means to hang your helpless soul upon His merits. I believe in the priesthood of all believers. The point is that those who have "credentials" from the church are not necessarily the ministers of Christ. sky Quote "The merits of His sacrifice are sufficient to present to the Father in our behalf." S.C.36.
Moderators lazarus Posted June 23, 2011 Moderators Posted June 23, 2011 That has always been so. There were priests in the temple from the earliest days who were not true ministers. Quote Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence. Einstein
cricket Posted June 23, 2011 Author Posted June 23, 2011 The last 4 posts in this thread are not on topic. They are on the topic of what constitutes a minister of Christ. I am specifically interested in making a distinction on this website between SDA pastors and pastors of other denominations. This has NOTHING to do with what constitutes a minister of Christ. Please, start another thread if you wish to continue the discussion concerning that topic. This thread focuses on the use of the title "Pastor" as part of the online name while posting on this unOfficial SDA website. Quote
Moderators lazarus Posted June 23, 2011 Moderators Posted June 23, 2011 I think Sky was trying to answer your question about job descriptions. You might not agree with the response but think you may have inadvertently opened the road for the diversion. Quote Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence. Einstein
cricket Posted June 23, 2011 Author Posted June 23, 2011 I did ask about a job description for SDA pastors. I asked because I wanted to know if the understanding I had was wrong. So, far, I've seen no evidence that it was. SDA pastors are supposed to teach the fundamental 28 beliefs. I did not ask for a job description for ministers of Christ. That is another discussion. Quote
jasd Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 >>Pasteurized, Shirley,<< Indeed, however..., though not officiable – I was (having forgotten to take my Celestial Seasonings ‘Down Time for Hob’) defaulting to my [more] oft-occurring idiot double-dummy spasticity – with an attempted ‘play’ on the Old French Pastur. It occurred as this thought... Quote: Quote:cricketCan anyone who wants to be a [...] pastor just say they want to be? [ed.jasd] passed my mind That said, I appreciate the seeming entendre... Quote: Quote:lazarus...as some whose job is to pasteurize! Anyway, however I’ve contributed to this thread it pleases me, as I think that "cricket" is a smart cookie (is this sexist? :-) – and I enjoy seeing her(?) more engaged than usual. Quote
cricket Posted June 24, 2011 Author Posted June 24, 2011 Thanks, jasd. I appreciate the sentiment greatly! Quote
Flyboy Posted June 24, 2011 Posted June 24, 2011 Part of the beauty of the Internet is that people can be anonymous. It's part of the reason I came here. I have not insulted or denigrated. But I do work in an environment where, if I share some of my questions and views on the church there may be repercussions. I've worked for the church long enough to know that the politics in the SDA church is just about worse than in the US Congress. Don't believe it? Do a little digging into the most recent goings-on of ADRA. Nasty. It is just kept more quiet because we don't have an army of journalists following our leaders around and because our leaders control the flow of information. In the union and divisions in Asia, Australia and Guam-Micronesia excepted perhaps, the back-biting is beyond description. I also know, as do all of you, that the SDA world is small. I have already, through absolutely zero effort of my own, and after being a member of this forum for less than three months identified family members of a few of the posters on this forum. Just reinforces to me that sometimes anonymity isn't necessarily a bad thing. As long as it's not abused. But people who identify themselves as pastors should be equally open about which denomination they represent. People should not misrepresent, but you can be honest and anonymous at the same time. Quote
Moderators John317 Posted June 24, 2011 Moderators Posted June 24, 2011 ....But people who identify themselves as pastors should be equally open about which denomination they represent. People should not misrepresent, but you can be honest and anonymous at the same time. I agree. Thanks for posting that. Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Moderators John317 Posted June 24, 2011 Moderators Posted June 24, 2011 That is why I wish everyone would post in their own real name and not use nick-names, screen names, pseudonyms, aliases or whatever. Sometimes there are good, valid reasons that someone here may not choose to identify himself by his actual name. Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
olger Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 That is why I wish everyone would post in their own real name and not use nick-names, screen names, pseudonyms, aliases or whatever. Amen !! Gerry Wagoner Quote "Please don't feed the drama queens.."
BobRyan Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 Part of the beauty of the Internet is that people can be anonymous. It's part of the reason I came here. I have not insulted or denigrated. But I do work in an environment where, if I share some of my questions and views on the church there may be repercussions. I've worked for the church long enough to know that the politics in the SDA church is just about worse than in the US Congress. Another reason not to share as fully as you might otherwise - would be if you had a job working for a company that had many religious oriented clients and you are a member of the board - possibly someone on the "About our company" page of the website for example. Or at the very least - someone who gets up and speaks at user conferences for that company. in any case that would be a problem. Another way it can be a problem is that now-days prospective employers will sometimes do a web search on your name to see if you show up on any discussion boards expressing views that might offend their customer base. Atheists won't want you saying anything negative about atheism or a number of civil rights issues that may not agree with Christianity etc etc. Science oriented groups might be offended if you support creationism or talk about the historic blinders of evolutionists. in Christ, Bob Quote John 8:32 - The Truth will make you free“The righteousness of Christ will not cover one cherished sin." COL 316.
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