Church and Ministry Part 1
We were newly weds when my dh entered into Bible college and I began my first teaching job in a Christian school in the country. It was an exciting time for us, relatively carefree (esp in comparison to later years) and our new church home was a good place to learn about being in ministry full time.
The church I grew up in was evangelical and believed that all are ministers. It encouraged people to use their gifts and talents for the Lord and gave opportunities for even young people to get involved. So, in my teen years, having a heart for Jesus, I began teaching Sunday school. I was involved in youth group and as I got towards my later teens, I became part of the leadership team. My involvement in teaching at church was part of the reason I believed I was called to teaching as a career. My boyfriend (who later became my husband) was involved in leading Sunday school and he also had opportunities to preach.
At our new church, while dh was at Bible college, we again became youth group leaders and teachers for Sunday school. We ran a Bible study together and were also involved in social events with others our age. It was a busy time but we enjoyed it. We were at that church for five years and the main lesson I learnt from the senior pw was that as a pw I was to be the person God created me to be. I didn't have to try and fit into some sterotype of what others thought a pw should be. God gave me unique gifts and abilities to bring glory to Him and He made me as me for His purpose, in whatever role or place He called me to go.
With a bachelor of theology and a post-grad diploma in pastoral counselling, my dh and I moved interstate (two and half thousand kilometres away) to our "new" home and church. It was a coal mining town and although my ideal was that you make your home where you live, others who lived in the town would go home on the weekends and holidays. Not many called that town their home and the average age was 12. Although we were in our late 20's (we both turned 30 while there) we were one of the older couples in the church.
Towards the end of our time there, (we were there for 5 years) some people got political, some chose to be downright spiteful and some took the line of "control". One week, I was considered too extrovert, the next week I was considered too introvert. Our son, who was born at the end of our first year there, was only loved by a few people and it wasn't a healthy place for any of us to be. We were isolated from the denomination heads and those they sent to deal with it, were not particularly constructive or helpful. In fact, upon their departure they admitted that people were lying and would have to be dealt with but that was the end of their "trip". We moved back home.
My parents took us in and we were without a job for a couple of months, although my dh did try some door-to-door sales of an educational program. We were offered an interim senior position and then some kind church folk also gave us a house to live in for that period.
As you can imagine, when we first came home, I was quite angry and hurt. I blamed my husband, the denomination heads and perhaps God, for allowing us to be in that unhealthy place for too long. I deliberately choose not to think about that church and if anything good did come out of it, I still wouldn't recognise it. The interim ministry and Emmaus weekend was used by God to bring healing to my heart and to my soul. The one thread that kept me hanging in there (literally) was worship. I loved worshipping God and I loved music. When I sang worship songs, I knew that God was holding on to me and that He really did love me.
The church I grew up in was evangelical and believed that all are ministers. It encouraged people to use their gifts and talents for the Lord and gave opportunities for even young people to get involved. So, in my teen years, having a heart for Jesus, I began teaching Sunday school. I was involved in youth group and as I got towards my later teens, I became part of the leadership team. My involvement in teaching at church was part of the reason I believed I was called to teaching as a career. My boyfriend (who later became my husband) was involved in leading Sunday school and he also had opportunities to preach.
At our new church, while dh was at Bible college, we again became youth group leaders and teachers for Sunday school. We ran a Bible study together and were also involved in social events with others our age. It was a busy time but we enjoyed it. We were at that church for five years and the main lesson I learnt from the senior pw was that as a pw I was to be the person God created me to be. I didn't have to try and fit into some sterotype of what others thought a pw should be. God gave me unique gifts and abilities to bring glory to Him and He made me as me for His purpose, in whatever role or place He called me to go.
With a bachelor of theology and a post-grad diploma in pastoral counselling, my dh and I moved interstate (two and half thousand kilometres away) to our "new" home and church. It was a coal mining town and although my ideal was that you make your home where you live, others who lived in the town would go home on the weekends and holidays. Not many called that town their home and the average age was 12. Although we were in our late 20's (we both turned 30 while there) we were one of the older couples in the church.
Towards the end of our time there, (we were there for 5 years) some people got political, some chose to be downright spiteful and some took the line of "control". One week, I was considered too extrovert, the next week I was considered too introvert. Our son, who was born at the end of our first year there, was only loved by a few people and it wasn't a healthy place for any of us to be. We were isolated from the denomination heads and those they sent to deal with it, were not particularly constructive or helpful. In fact, upon their departure they admitted that people were lying and would have to be dealt with but that was the end of their "trip". We moved back home.
My parents took us in and we were without a job for a couple of months, although my dh did try some door-to-door sales of an educational program. We were offered an interim senior position and then some kind church folk also gave us a house to live in for that period.
As you can imagine, when we first came home, I was quite angry and hurt. I blamed my husband, the denomination heads and perhaps God, for allowing us to be in that unhealthy place for too long. I deliberately choose not to think about that church and if anything good did come out of it, I still wouldn't recognise it. The interim ministry and Emmaus weekend was used by God to bring healing to my heart and to my soul. The one thread that kept me hanging in there (literally) was worship. I loved worshipping God and I loved music. When I sang worship songs, I knew that God was holding on to me and that He really did love me.
posted by Carolanne @ 9:23 pm
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