Mail Order Ministry

Over the past few years our society has been infiltrated with "Ordained Online Ministers." This practice should be a major concern for the church today.

Listen to me... you don't need to be ordained to share the Good News and if you're not sharing the Good News where you're at... maybe you should check your heart and your walk. You don't even need to be ordained to help do the work of ministry at your church.

Ordination is a special recognition for someone who has been recognized for the calling that has been placed on their life. They have proved that they are doing the work of the ministry. That means that you have to be connected to a body of believers for others to recognize you. People like your pastor or the elders of the church.

When someone goes "ONLINE" and purchases one of these certificates... most of them are not even connected with a church. They don't want to be connected because they're not submissive to any form of leadership. They just want to do their own thing. That piece of paper does not mean that you have a calling on your life.

Over the past several years as a Pastor at a local church, I have had many people with these certificates approach me and ask if they can preach at the church... or they come in and want some position in leadership. The first question I usually have for them is; "WHO IS YOUR PASTOR?" If there's no pastor that can be contacted, that should be a warning for any church who let's these mail order ministers behind their pulpit. Pastor's... protect your flock from these people. Most of them are not even grounded in the Word!

If you're out there today and really want someone to recognize that God has called you into ministry... if you want the world to know that you love Jesus and are willing to be a servant... then first show that to your church... roll up your sleeves and stand beside your pastor. Get involved even if it's behind the scenes.

Don't fall for these ONLINE ORDINATIONS

Breaking the Yoke

As a Christian, and as Pastor, I have often wondered where is the power that changed those 3,000 people at Pentecost! Think about it... something happened to Peter and the others as they were tucked away in that upper room. When they came down, not only were they different, but most of the people who were outside had a change of heart after hearing Peter's message.

In a lot of churches today, that power seems to be just a story that we talk about during our services. We share about it, but there seems to be very little changing going on. I mean, when was the last time you witnessed that type of revival?

I will admit that some church's today have weakened the Good News, while others seem to use it to condemn everybody and anything that doesn't walk just like they do!

I know that there is a lot of different ways to minister God's word, yet I have discovered that the best way is through the power of love. That's the power that breaks the yoke of sin. That's the power that rescues souls from eternal damnation. That's the power that set me free in 1984.

We have churches who just want a large attendance, so they allow anything to go on in the body, and we have church's that go over board and tell people there going to go to hell if they have tattoos and were screwed up last night.

Listen to me... God loves, and that's what we're supposed to show this world. When we walk with the same kind of love that Jesus walked, others develop a change from within that breaks them away from the way they were.

I am not saying that we should just allow sin to flow through the body of Christ, but I am saying that when you reach out and love others, you've accepting them just as they are just like Christ accepts us. Acceptance and approval are two different things.

As a parent, I accept my children because their a part of me. That doesn't mean that I approve of everything they choose to do, and I don't kick them to the curb or turn my back on them when they make bad decisions. I love then through because that's what I believe that Jesus does for me.

26 years of walking with God and He is still being patient and correcting me when I screw up. Since that is what God does, accepts me where I am, why should I condemn others who are still searching for this love and truth?

When the lady who was caught in the act of adultery got busted and was thrown at the feet of Jesus... Jesus spoke first to the stoner's who were very "devote religious people" and when He finished His question, they all dropped their rocks and left. Then He asked the "sinner" where are your accusers and she said they are all gone. Jesus said "neither do I accuse you, go and sin no more".

You see Jesus accepted her, forgave her, loved her right where she was and that was the power that broke the yoke of sin in her life.

If you can follow this principle... changing the hearts and lives of people is still a possibility.

If you're a "Born Again Believer'... my closing question to you is are you accepting people as they are or do they have to be just like you before you can accept them?

You're comments are always welcome.

In His Service
Jim "DoughBoy" Brady
Sr. Pastor Harbor Light Family Church

Tis the Season

Happy Holidays... from my house to yours.

This small blog this week is being written to encourage you to keep an open heart towards others around you this Holiday Season.

This time of year can cause people to go through a wide range of emotions... it's also a time of the year where we can become very selfish and self-centered. If you would start this practice of keeping an open heart right now... who knows it might just carry over as a new habit in 2009. What a great concept that would be.

As I look out into our society, I see people who have become hard hearted and have no joy during this time of year, but if you've read any of my blogs, you'd know me well enough to know I'm not just talking about the people who haven't reached out to Christ... I'm also talking about us Christians who do know and have accepted Christ.

People are getting so wrapped up in their own little world that they no longer see what's going on in the lives of others... not to mention the fact that we don't have the time to see the hearts or hurts of others. WHY? Because we've got to much to do and don't have enough time to get it done.

One of the facts that I've discovered in the Bible is that Jesus was a busy man... but He made the time, and if you read about His life you'd discover that there we're times when He would just change His busy schedule to reach out towards others. To me that's what a true disciple should do, follow the teachings and steps of the Teacher.

What most people need in our life time are not more presents... they need more presence... Not just Gods... they need ours too. When people are talking, do we listen? When their sharing pain, do we feel it? When they hurt, do we care?

We're so busy getting ready to do our own things, that we are failing miserably at what we're supposed to be doing. LOVING OTHERS.

I write this post not for the purpose of making you mad, but if I do...OH WELL. If what I'm sharing with you hits a nerve, then maybe... just maybe God is trying to show you something.

All I want for Christmas is for people to see that Jesus not only died for our sins, He also lived as an example of how we should live. He gave His all and this Holiday... maybe we should do the same. Give our all.


We have so much in this country and yet we still lack the gift of love. Maybe this year, you'll give something to somebody you don't even know, give them your love and undivided attention.

God bless you, and I pray that this post helps you with the gift that keeps on giving this year.

In His service
Pastor Dough