WeWe get our own money by the swear of our brow!

[Born4Jesus]

Dear beloved,

As a male of 23 and living in the centre of Africa, I am writing to ask your advices and shiefly your prayers on myself.

Indeed, the apostle paul said to us in II Thessalonians chapter three and verses ten to twelve this :

" For even we are with you, we commanded you this; if anyone will not working ,neither shall eat.

For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.

Now those are such we command and exhort through Jesus Christ that they work quietness and eat their own bread"

II Thessalobnians 3 : 10-12

and after reading these biblical verses, I wonder how to serve the Lord GOD through Jesus Christ without working that means without getting one job.

Indeed, in our church , the Evangelical Church of the Congo as known as the "Eglise Evangelique du Congo"'E.E.C.) pastors and evangelist do not work and i don't appreciate this while their salaries could help our church to assist widows and orphans and non schooled children for an example.

For information, it is my second time to leave one message here and I always wonder how it is possible thati can serve and follow Jesus Christ without working0.And if so, why do I have to study?

By the way, i think of leaving my parents to abroad but I have no money.Not for geting married but to pursue there my studies for here in my home country I could not go in deep in that field.In fact, i study Compuetr networks and Telecommunications in B.T.S. which is the HND equivalent but there also, I have money matters.My cousre is in full-time and though it is boring and not giviong me much fre time for learning , I am fond of telecommunications and computers to such an extent that I would like to specialize their for manifying the Lord GOD through my work. Matthew 3: 13-16.

Eevn if the Lord GOD caled me to serve Hile as a missionnary how to understand that i can do it without getting my own job?I give all youer prayers and advices for I also worry for thr IB examination I should try again for the fourth year running.

I ask again the Holy in English version for I also need to improve my English.

Keep in touch and may GOD our father in Heaven richlybless you through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Thanks a lot to all those who replied to my first topic on the forum.

Yours heartily in Jesus Christ.

Chancelvy Ney Gautier LOUNGENGE

42,Rue Missakou,Moukondo

Brazaville

Republic of the Congo

E-mail adresses: gautchboy@excite.com

loungenge@hotmail.com

loung_chang@yahoo.co.uk

[Micah68]

I hope I can say a few words that can help you. Why can't you work and serve the Lord at the same time? I don't understand that question. Whatever you do, do it with all your heart and do it as unto the Lord. The Lord needs Christian people in education, in business and in any other godly kind of work so that they can be witnesses as to how a person should live righteously. It all depends on whether or not you are living your faith. Many ministers are not living their faith and therefore are not good examples for people to find out how to live right. Many people who are living simply and righteously are better examples of how to live. But your true example should be Jesus. What did he do? What did he say? How did he live? What kind of commandments did he give to his disciples? If he required those things of his disciples in those days, why would he not require the same of us? If you read the gospels, you can find all the commandments that he gave to his disciples. But how much do you want to live by his standards? He took the commandments one step higher and said not only should you not commit adultery, but you shouldn't even look on a woman with adultery in your eyes. It is possible because that's why he lived and died for us, to give us the power to live right by his Holy Spirit. I wish you all the best and hope that all is well with you.

[Guest Christian Counselor]

As I understand,your principal concern is that the pastors and evangelists in your church do not have non-church jobs.It is best that the church members pay them salaries so they can work full-time for the church.Certainly there is no shortage of ministry work waiting for them to do . If they had non-Christian jobs to support themselves,they would have very limited time to give to thei ministry.In fact,this was the principal reason the Apostle Paul repeated warned Christians not to get married.

Although the Bible does state that all should work,it does not mean non-Christian work.From God's point of view the most valuable work is done by those who make little money because they are involved in church or charity work.I noticed that someone else called your attention to Jesus and His conduct.When He started His ministry,He had no other job or source of income.He and His disciples survived only on food and money donations from others.

[nebula]

Hey, Chang!

I commend your desire!

Even the Apostle Paul utilized his tent-making skills to provide himself an income from time-to-time so as not to be a financial burden on those he ministered to (I forget the verse reference off-hand).

For what it's worth, not everyone is called to be a "full time minister," and not all ministries are those of pastors and missionaries.

I know of a lot of people who involve themselves in ministry as their chief outside-of-work activity.

A lot of it depends on what is on your heart. I mean, how do you want to minister? Where is your ministry passion? Is it to a certain group (i.e. youth, homeless, men's ministry, families, the poor) or are you inclined towards a certain type of ministry (counselling, teaching, evangelizing, singing) or whatever?

I have a friend from college who, along with her husband, work for a global missionary organization. Not only are they missionaries to people, but they also use their skills in a job-related way. I can't remember exactly, but her husband is in charge of some techinical aspects of the organization (when they were in Ecuador, he was involved in running the radio station and doing other things that required technical skills).

So, what I'm saying is that you need to seek the Lord about this. What is on your heart to do - speciafically? Research these options. What doors actually open? What doors just don't?

There are many ways to minister without haivng a "ministry job." There are many ministries that utilize part-time volunteers. And there are ministry organizations that require people with skills - computers being one of them.

Bottom line: seek the Lord and research and learn to follow His leading.