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.
The jail-prison ministry opened up, very slowly but it opened, I have been in jails to minister in 5 states. I never missed a week for 5 years.
But it all started in the local county jail. I didn’t look for churches I looked for ministry. Jail stinks, I would often come home and take a shower, jail made me stink. Of course, I saw the mean, bad, and ulgy, but I tried to stay sweet before Jesus.
I learned very quickly in jail I was there for the spiritual and I gave no one money, stamps, I never carried letteres, or talked to the judge or lawyers, I was there for one reason, to talk of Jesus.
This was a costly lesson, as some in the jail know how to take advantage of preachers. I would go when others would go, I would go if it was just me. All I gave was Bibles, if I could afford them I asked Gideons for help.
I started door to door work. I hated this, but it was a real teacher. I never invited people to just our church, I invited them to church. This would often amaze some.
Still, when I go by the cementary in Pineville, I stop at the the cementary and visit the grave of John Evans, the first minister to let me preach a week’s revival.
I took every class I could take. I went to every seminar I could. I went to every District function possible.
I have been writing a book for 20 years, and still no book published. I have had some of my writings published, but no book.
For years I would say, one of these days I will write a book, but never penned a word, the Holy Spirit convicted me, just do it, the door will open.
I have stood and looked out the door and cried, God I know there is more than this.
God says: The backside of the desert is mine, I grow you!
When Brother Biriam called me to speak to the Pastors in January, I was amazed.
I told him, you called the wrong number, yet my heart knew. I will be forever remembered for that sermon, but it was years in the making.
Do what you can! Where you can! When you can!
How many times have I heard a person get up and sing a song one time and bless many. And then they never sing again.
They never get another song. I think you have to wear that song out, sing it in the shower, sing it at the rest home, sing it in a widow’s home, sing it to kids, sing it to Jesus --- and about the time you are sick of the song, you start see God using the song.
I have stood and played the guitar before several thousand. I have had standing ovations and played on the stage and played before some big names, Thhe Rambo’s, The Goodman’s, The Cookes, but it all came about in practicing IN THE SWEET BY AND BY, until my fingers hurt.
I played Sweet By and By in the rest homes, and I played backing up Dad and many others. I finally was allowed by Dad to play Sweet By and By at church, I messed up so bad, we had to stop and start again.
Sure, some laughed, but today I could in front of Chet Atkins. Why, because of playing in practice and Dad’s persistence. I was blessed, I had a mean Dad that made me play. When others were playing ball in the field we were playing music.
I have traveled and picked in 17 states and 3 countries, but it started with In the Sweet By and By, until Dad said, it would never be sweet again.
I still play in the rest homes faithfully. I have sold the stage and the applause, to go back to roots. I could go on the road tomorrow picking for a group on a Silver Eagle bus, but the heart of Jesus for me is faithfulness in the little.
Sure, I remember the pain of endless close doors. I taught school six years and travelled 6 years playing music, waiting and dreaming. These 12 years taught me, don’t ring your bell, wait and preapre and prepare and wait. I taught Sunday School for years, training me.
I don’t go to the rest homes now because that is my only avenue, I go now because I have found the heart of Jesus in touching little people where the offering is a hug and a kiss.
Well, I have ramble enough, I just say --- Stay rooted faithfully in one local body, and prepare, pray, and study.
There is a loud, WOE, before a silent Go!
His
Kyfingers
