Know The Right Time
As a minister of Christ without a place to serve right now, sometimes people ask me, “Why aren’t you starting a church? Don’t you want to be a leader anymore?” Well, my answer often puzzles some, but it’s really quite simple. More on that later, but let me give you some background.
First, let me begin by stating that there was a time in my life when God told me to start a church. I was the Assistant Pastor at a church in Glenville, NY and the pastor I served there believed God wanted a church in nearby Amsterdam to serve people attending our church who lived there. God confirmed it in numerous ways and He made it happen.
That all took place way back in 1979. I was only 27 years old at the time and felt quite inadequate to attempt such a task, but I was willing to obey God and my Pastor. My close friend Paul Vidulich was also made part of the team and together we went to Amsterdam, rented a building, and started teaching people the Word of God and worshiping Him there.
The point is this when God told me to start a church, I did. He hasn’t told me to do that since. At least not yet anyway! Am I open? Sure, under the right circumstances. But I won’t do it alone. I believe in TEAM ministry. God would also have to put a vision in my heart for an area or a ministry, something that would answer a need, a prayer, or a tangible purpose.
Does God Want It?
With my experience, education, and spiritual gifts, I could go anywhere and rent a building and advertise, “Come to my new church!” I could provide music and preaching that would interest any sincere Christian, but just because I can does not mean I should. If God doesn’t call it into being, I’m wasting my time doing it. God has no obligation to bless anything HE doesn’t ask for. I want His blessing, not just a place to do something.
I also don’t believe that starting a church is like deciding to open a pizza restaurant. People in town may eat lots of pizza and somebody may have a tremendous ability to make great pizza, but that doesn’t mean it will succeed if you open up a new one. I took a small business management course in college (1992) and many of the other students wanted to open pizza restaurants. There were already (and still are) many good places to get pizza in my area. We didn’t need more! Most of them just didn’t want to work for somebody else anymore so they decided to start their own pizza place. In the same way, you don’t start a church just so you can work for yourself and be the boss!
I learned a long time ago that my gifts from God are not mine to do with whatever I please. I am to serve Him, not try to start something and get Him to do what I want.
It’s Not for Me, but for HIM
Here is what Peter told the early church leaders:
1 Peter 5:2 NLT Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
So GOD puts leaders in a flock and trusts the leaders to care for it. Notice that the flock doesn’t belong to the leaders. God puts leaders in a flock to watch over it willingly, not for what they get out of it. And all ministers are eager to serve GOD, not themselves.
So right now, where I am in my life, I’m not going to start a church because He hasn’t asked me, too! I am perfectly content to serve where I can. Starting a church doesn’t make me a whole person. Being in a leadership position somewhere doesn’t make me valuable to God or give me a sense of purpose. I don’t need a title or a paycheck. All I truly need is for God to put me where He wants me. I’m not about to go out and “make something happen” on my own.
So since 1991, I have tried to follow God’s leading and make myself available to existing churches, assisting, supporting, participating where asked, and using the gifts God has given me as the opportunity is made available. There are so many little churches (30, 40, 50 people) in every population center in this part of New York. We don’t need more churches unless God calls them into existence to meet a need or purpose. I‘m not going to start one without Him. However, I will certainly say, “Yes, Lord!” if He ever asks me to help start a church again.
The Difficulty of Serving with Another Leader
Here’s something you may find interesting. As a long time church leader, I know getting involved in a church led by someone else may be difficult, especially if we have different standards and desires. But I have learned that God often allows me to be in various situations that I can learn from. I have experienced many things that I have been able to pass on to others because of where I have been and what I have done.
I can also tell you that it is difficult to serve in a situation where I cannot exercise the spiritual gifts God gave me because the existing leader wrongly believes that he/she is the only one with the gifting to lead. Jesus did not design the New Testament Church to work that way. Unfortunately, most leaders still embrace Old Testament leadership concepts or denominational traditions passed on to them from their previous leaders.
Rather than end this practice of one minister who runs “the show”, this defective tradition infects the church from generation to generation. Why? Because many humans just love to be in charge of things. (See 3 John 1:9-10) They find fulfillment and importance in their command, position, and authority. But Jesus called us to humble ourselves, give up our privileges, and be servants (Philippians 2:3-11).
Jesus Must be the Head
It is important for all believers to understand that after Jesus left the earth He poured out His Spirit on everyone who would receive, not just one person. He empowered singular leaders in the OLD Testament era because Jesus hadn’t died on the cross to pay for sin. For this reason, the Holy Spirit was not freely given to all believers. When you read the New Testament, written by the men actually trained by Jesus, they always spoke of church leaders in the plural, NOT singular. He didn’t call His church to have only one leader. Only Christ is truly the head of the church (Ephesians 1:22, 4:15, 5:23, and Colossians 1:18). There is no verse giving that headship to any man or woman.
Many leaders are so quick to declare “Anything with two heads is a monster!” They quote it from pulpits all across the globe like it is a Scripture. But it is not. It is a religious saying passed down from generation to generation by leaders who like to rule alone. Actually I agree with it. Since the Bible declares that Jesus is the head of the church when anyone else tries to be the head of the church they turn it into a monster.
There is a Time to Leave
So when I find myself in a place where I can’t function there will eventually be a time when I will move on because I know from experience, if I don’t use what God put in me, I get stale, I get stagnant, like the Dead Sea in Israel. Water flows into that sea, but not out of it, so nothing lives in it. There has to be an outflow for there to be life. When God sends me to an existing church (rather than starting my own), I expect that over time He will use what He put in me. If not, then it is proper and wise to start seeking Him for a place where I can truly serve as part of a New Testament leadership team.
Right now, I know God has called me to the internet! He has called me to write. He has called me to teach. I can do these things through a medium that has the potential to reach almost any place on the earth. So that is what I am giving myself to. I will also be open to any other opportunities He opens up along the way. God has been leading me since 1971. I am fully confident that He will put me in the right place at the right time. He always has. This journey has had detours, breakdowns, holes in the road, and traffic jams along the way. But there have also been many stretches of great road and easy travel.
I’m ready for a change. How about you? Do you want God’s best for your life? Do you want to serve Him His way in His time in the place of His choosing? If not, ask Him to change your heart. If you do, ask Him to lead you every step of the way.
