How Do Doors Open?

HOW DO I GET MINISTRY DOORS TO OPEN?

BY Wade Martin Hughes,Sr.

Kyfingers@aol.com

1 Cor. 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Subj: ministry

Date: 7/24/2002 2:14:06 PM Central Standard Time

From: XXXXXXXX

To: Kyfingers

Dear Friend,

How does a person make themselves available to preach, be a fill in or an interim pastor, to be supply help, and to minister in churches??

God has been speaking for a couple of months that he has more planned for us to do.

He has called me to be an encourager for churches that are going through the process of pastoral searches for this season in my life.

How do I become available for others and for speaking to churches and womens groups.

I know God is changing our area of ministry.

I have beee nin such turmoil for the past weeks and today this is what God spoke and I have a peace that I haven’t had for sometime.

He said, " eat the Word, come aside with Him, prepare, that He had called me to the church.

Now how do I go further?

XXXXXXXX

MY REPLY:

Wow, I wish I could answer that one.

How does one get started ministering?

I have heard my Dad talk about as a young man wanting to preach and no doors opened, yet how bad he wanted to preach. Been there, done that.

Doors open very slow. And as you get started, they open slower than slow.

I think my great lesson starting, was --- this is not time waiting for doors to open, this is time to prepare and dig deep wells.

I guess I had over 100 written sermons, before one door opened. How few learn this lesson?

My doors started opening as I started doing what no one else wanted to do. I would faithfully clean the rest rooms at church when no one would know. I also found great joy when I heard people discussing who it might be cleaning so well, many lady’s names were mentioned, never mine.

I started going to the rest home faithfully. I learned the people at the rest homes name, I might cut finger nails, I might read a story, I might sing. The rest home was a good teaching tool for me.

I also learned to keep the rest home lessons very short, they are not able of long or deep lessons, else they would not be there.

I started a Sunday School class of an age group untouched by the church. I started with a quarterly and an empty class room not used. I grew that class to be the biggest class in the church.

I gave one day a week to Pastor Tennyson, it might be prayer, visitation, hospital work, what ever I could do to help take his load. It might be mowing grass or digging a grave.

I learned to guard my words and my heart during this time. I learned to submit to a man with a third grade education and learn gleaning from his field was rich!

Nothing opened, and after that nothing opened again.

Brother Tennyson put the sander on me, he said ministry doors are created,

and no one could open a door for you.

He also told me time and time again, faithfulness to the little things and finding joy in helping do the little.

I kept a thumbnail resume before the District officals, and would call from time to time, with a brief talk so they could know me personally. I always kept this very brief, as I know they are busy. I also never called them on Monday or Friday as I know this is their busy days.

I also found attending all district and sectional functions to be a great tool. At first I felt so alone and knew very few, but with time my face was learned and I learned faces. There was times I borrowed money to do this, but this was an investment.

I can’t asked the fellowship to give to me, I asked how can I give to the fellowship.

Many expect others to open doors to strangers, this is not scriptural, you must know those that minister among us.

I have found the Bible to be very true, to have friends you must show yourself friendly. So I would just launch in and learn others and where they ministered.

I have never yet asked to minister anywhere, I just was a friend and later doors opened.

Many grumble that doors do not open, I made the doors.

The jail was a great place that helped me learn ministry skills. I would not visit the opposite sex unless I had a woman, Linda or some church ladies with me.