Insights on Being an Armor Bearer in Church Leadership

I first want to touch on Terry Nance's statement in his book God’s Armor Bearer: Volumes I & II  that whenever something is going on in the church, we are not to hide it from the pastor because it will eventually be brought to light. I’m all for this concept. When we allow the wool to be pulled over the pastor’s eyes, then we are opening a door for Satan to run God’s house.

 

Mr. Nance also talked about not making the pastor look unholy or like a dictator in the eyes of the congregants by playing mind games. He said that anyone would only do this to cause strife in the church and to look good in other people's eyes. 

 

Mr. Nance also discussed the leadership allowing God to send good people with their vision. The paragraph also discussed the leadership not trying to keep the ministry in the family if that was not God’s will. I recently asked the pastor if keeping the church in the family was okay, and he said yes. He asked if I had a problem, and I said no. I asked that question because I don’t like people playing with God, and I think too many people keep it in the family for the wrong reasons and don’t allow God’s will to be done in that church. I didn’t mean any disrespect with the question, but I had to ask it since it was on my mind.

 

I liked some of the questions listed for a loyal armor bearer: Are they tithers? Are you at ease in their presence? Do they avoid murmuring and complaining? Do they submit to authority? These are good questions to ask about the people in leadership yearly. 

 

I liked the self-examination the author provided to see if something was hindering our growth as armor-bearers.

 

I smiled when I read about how people open their gift from God and immediately run to see what someone else got, and then they want what they have. People do that a lot in churches. If they reject the gift that He gave them, they’ll reject the blessings He gives them; they’ll reject a godly man or woman that He has sent to be their spouse and a host of other things. They’ll just never be happy.

 

Mr. Nance talked about people needing to be planted in one spot like a tree. He said, “If a tree is continually uprooted and replanted, eventually the roots will die. Many Christians have experienced this. Because of rebellion and sin in their hearts, they constantly jump from one church to another. They refuse to submit to authority or feel they have special gifts for the church which the pastor is unwilling to recognize.”

 

Mr. Nance talked about people who volunteer for projects within the church, but when it gets a little tricky, they bail out. He said God is preparing us for leadership, but we must overcome pride, selfishness, and bitterness.

 

The author also discussed people receiving chastisement. He said we should not get our feelings hurt, get defensive, or hold grudges when rebuked. One scripture I have stood on for years is Hebrews 12:6, which says, “For whom the Lord loves He chastens.” 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was helpful and gave an excellent insight into the ministry of help.

The Ministry of Help: Lessons on Serving God & Others

 

While reading this book, I had to mark the first page of The Ministry of Helps Handbooks by Dr. Buddy Bell, asking, “Have you ever argued with God when He asked you to do something?”

 

And my answer…Yeah, and who hasn’t? Why do we always want to hear from the Lord when we make a petition, but when He comes to us with something, we have to question whether or not we have heard from the Lord.

 

The Lord asked me to give $100 to a particular lady in the ministry, but I didn’t. I was disobedient. Finally, two years later, I gave her that money and told her that God had told me to give it to her. She was so touched by that jester that she gave me a card. Not long after that, the Lord told me to give another person the same amount. I was obedient then. 

She got it within a week.

 

I also liked when Mr. Bell talked about how people get a “drip” of the anointing and raise their hands to volunteer in the ministry but then have second thoughts. 

I had to ponder some questions Mr. Bell asked regarding serving and ministering to sinners: Would you take food and clothing to a family that does not yet know Jesus? Yeah. We do it every day with relatives. Sometimes, it’s not always about bashing people over the head with Jesus; people listen to what you say and how you act. When situations arise that show the love of God in us, we are to show it. We are not to second-guess the Holy Spirit's probing. 

 

I also considered what Mr. Bell said regarding people placing higher honors on one ministry office over another. Like no one wants to work behind the scenes with the children, but they wouldn’t mind being upfront ushering. Churches sometimes have to beg people to help clean the church, but it would be stampeded if they said they needed someone to fill in for the pastor while he’s gone on vacation. Some people are just eye-pleasers and don’t even realize it (or maybe they do and don’t care).

 

I also thought about some people in ministry when Mr. Bell said, “There are some in leadership who are so good at hiding among the sheep that they could skip a service and the sheep not even know they were not there. And, often, even the shepherds don’t know the elders are not there!”

 

The last thing I want to talk about is Mr. Bell's talk about answering the call. He said that God will “honor your obedience by giving you the love, ability, and lack of fear to do it.” He said we would be uncertain at first, but then it seemed like we were always doing it.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was helpful and gave an excellent insight into the ministry of help.

The Power of Church Involvement For Spiritual Growth

While reading 12 Ways To Be A Blessing To Your Church, I jumped all over it. My subconscious told me what was more important and what I needed to work on, but I’ll start at the beginning.

When I come to church, the only thing I want the church to do for me is to be my spiritual family and help me grow in the Word. I come to church looking to fellowship with my spiritual family, grow in the Word, and be open to the Holy Spirit to see where I can be a blessing. I’m not looking for a handout, favoritism, etc. I’m there to be a blessing.

I remember talking to someone at my church in Florida who said that people always look up to you—whether you know it or not. I’m also a cheerful giver. I tend to only give monetary gifts or a birthday card, but I’ve never considered that I could bless the pastor on special occasions by doing other things.

When I decided to get involved in the church and stop being a bench warmer, I put my hands on whatever was needed. At first, I was overwhelmed by the number of openings and then saddened by the fact that there were so many openings. Why aren’t we, as Christians, willing to get more involved in the ministry? Why aren’t we willing to help hold up the pastor’s hands? One reason is that we don’t know how much help is needed. We know that help is needed, but we aren’t made aware of where it’s needed.

I remember one time recently when I came to the church early to clean, and when I finished, I went into the sanctuary and began to pray. And I was deep in prayer when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Someone told me that the pastor had set his garbage outside his door and needed to be emptied. Did I tell them to “Wait a minute, let me get this last prayer request in?” Of course not. I jumped up and emptied the garbage. As Kate McVeigh wrote in the book, we must “Be Part of the Solution” and not the problem. There was a problem, and it needed to be solved. And I did it.

One thing that McVeigh addressed that I’m trying hard not to do is to become too familiar with the pastor or anyone in leadership. The Holy Spirit has checked me on that recently. I want to be helpful and more talkative, but I’m realizing that I’m saying things that could be taken out of context or seen as disrespectful. That’s one thing that I do not want to do. I don’t want to give place to the devil and let strife or offense come into play.  

The last thing that the author touched on was being ready for people who are in need. There are times when more qualified people can help. I always hear people say, “Unless you’ve walked in someone else’s shoes, then you don’t know…” and that’s the reason why I always feel like I’m not the person to turn to because I don’t know what they have been through. I may not have personally been in that situation, but I know the word of God and that it can solve any problem. 

Choosing Godly Leaders & Finding Your Fit in Church

The passage tells us to choose our leaders (shepherds) based on their lifestyle. If they are living a godly lifestyle, we must follow and imitate it. In his book Help Me to Fit in My Own Church, T.D. Jakes tells us not to choose them for any other reasons—not due to their church size, charisma, or what they say. The fruit of their lives should be evident.

I remember when I lived in Florida, my former pastor said that if we heard, knew, or even saw that he was cheating on his wife (who was a stronghold in his life previously), we were to leave, not pray for him and stay, but to leave and pray for him. He said that if sin was in the camp, then Satan was also there.  As Mr. Jakes said, “Your pastor should have some positive results from his or her conduct. They might start struggling, but eventually, there should be some fruit.”

Too many people choose a pastor based on everything but their life. I’m fortunate enough to have had the wisdom to choose godly pastors as my shepherds. I have been in churches where I immediately knew I would not fit in. Others took me time to realize that. When I first moved to Memphis, I visited a few churches that I saw on television (some that I saw on television, I just totally ignored. I sometimes get uneasy feelings about those who are in the kingdom. I have a feeling that something is not right, but I can’t put my finger it). 

I was never one for church hopping; seeing the different types of atmospheres within the churches was an eye-opener. But I knew that I couldn’t connect to their vision. It wasn’t much about how the service was run but their vision and what they were doing to further it. One thing that I’ll keep repeating is that I “need the word.” I don’t (and the majority of the body of Christ doesn’t either) have time for playing. I know that God’s kingdom needs to be furthered.  

The second thing I want to touch is having a godly spiritual leader.

The third thing that I want to touch on is the passage in the book that says God must remove our rough edges to help us fit into the church that we are in. God placed me here for a reason, and that’s where I’m to stay and grow. 

I never agree with everything that a pastor says. Will I obey them if they are teaching the word? Yes. Will I follow them if they have a calling from God to do a particular thing and it is according to the word? Of course, I will. There are some things a pastor is doing that I don’t necessarily agree with or think will succeed, but I keep that to myself. But I understand it's not a big deal as long as it doesn’t cause me to compromise my walk with the Lord.

Another thing Mr. Jakes said that stuck with me was: “Get involved. Become contributors of your time, your energies, and your finances. When you serve, God gives you a special grace and anointing. It will never be attained through a tape or a book. It comes from yielding yourself to the work of the Lord.”

I remember when I started volunteering my time to clean up the church while I was looking for a new job. I needed something to occupy my time (there was no need to give the devil room to play), and the blessings started immediately. I don’t think many people realize that when they get busy with God’s business, God will get busy with their business. I was once one of those people, but I’m happy to know that now. My love for the Lord and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is shown through my work in the local church.

In closing, I really enjoyed the book, and Mr. Jakes provided much insight into how I need to fit into my church. 

Discover the True Purpose of Church

I understand the reluctance some people may feel towards joining a church. It can sometimes seem as if the church exists solely to satisfy our personal experiences without requiring much effort from us in return. 

However, the purpose of a church is much deeper than just individual enjoyment. It exists to create a community of believers, to share in worship and fellowship, and to serve others in a way that reflects the love of Christ. 

While it may require some sacrifice and commitment, the rewards of being a part of a church community are immeasurable. I'm the type of person who likes to be in the background helping, meaning I've volunteered to clean the church bathroom and sanctuary but wouldn't dare be in front of the church singing in the choir.

So, if you're hesitant, I encourage you to take a chance and see what a church experience can offer. 

How to Gain Humility In Christ (Video)

Most people understand that going to church is essential. Many don't realize how beneficial it can be to get involved in church activities and serve in various positions. Doing so not only helps instill humility but can also assist you in finding your purpose in the Lord. 

You learn to see beyond yourself and your needs by serving others. This can help develop greater empathy and compassion for others. 

In addition, serving in the church allows you to use your unique gifts and talents to benefit the community. As you do, you will inevitably grow closer to God and come to better understand His plan for your life. 

In short, serving in the church is a great way to develop humility and find your purpose in life.

What's Your Purpose? (Video)

There are many benefits to serving in the church. 

Perhaps the most crucial benefit is that it helps to create humility. When we serve others, we are reminded of our own shortcomings and weaknesses. We are also reminded of how much we need God's grace in our lives. 

In addition, serving in the church can also help us to find our purpose in the Lord. As we serve alongside other believers, we catch a glimpse of God's heart for the world. We see His love for people, and we begin to understand how He wants to use us to make a difference in the lives of others. 

As a result, serving in the church is an excellent way to grow in humility and discover our purpose in life.