advice solicited

Full Quiver · Postby **Full Quiver** » September 23rd, 2009, 10:23 am

Like I mentioned originally I just want them to be happy in a church of their choice. That's what's important.

My prob is the empty promises, commitments, and saying you want to learn and yet they don't go anywhere. Maybe I care too much!

MacUser · Postby **MacUser** » September 24th, 2009, 4:27 am

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.

****

We just don't know how. Our best arguments are just that. So stop struggling. Love them.

Pastor Bill · Postby **Pastor Bill** » September 24th, 2009, 6:21 am

Full Quiver wrote:My prob is the empty promises, commitments, and saying you want to learn and yet they don't go anywhere. Maybe I care too much!

Welcome to ministry!

This is very common, and it can be extremely discouraging, but you're not alone in this, Christ gave even his life and receives much less from many.

2 things that stand out most to me

First, don't change your ministry for people, let God lead, people will say they want one thing only to leave when they find the grass isn't any greener the new way, but God knows what is needed and effective even when we don't see it. If God lead you in these changes, then go with it, it wasn't about the people anyway, if He didn't and the change was to keep people happy, don't be surprised if things don't go well.

Second, don't be discouraged by people, you serve God, and in that service at times you will pour much more out than you see results for, but you are not responsible for the results, you are responsible to the God you are serving, you may never see the reasoning or results behind something he leads you in, but you can trust that if you are doing all to follow Him, it'll all be great in the end. Your seeds of ministry to them may be something that doesn't come to harvest till later, and you may never see it personally, but God does have a plan, and He knows what He's doing.

Jude 2