Contract Question

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

It does...

I'm not griping... just sayin'....

I started playing my horn in church the last few weeks of last year. So we are looking at just over 2 months.

Since then....

I play my horn.
My son now plays the drums.
My daughter is beginning to play the keyboard in some services.
She has also been asked now to start a children's choir.
My wife sings from time to time.
I have been asked to write a play.


We attended for 6 months and did nothing but show up and sit on a pew. I broke the ice and agreed to play my horn and 9 weeks later... WOW...

Like I say... not griping... we are enjoying ourselves thus far... but taking a look back at the last 9 weeks... Whew... makes me shake my head at the whirlwind pace from nothing to where we are now.

It is our life, so I can't complain, BUT I would like to go away for one WHOLE weekend and actually relax. LOL!

[Sherri]

We are Senior Pastors, but we take several getaways each year. We usually don't miss over two Sundays though. Every couple/family needs time away. If we just tried to take a few days off and stay in town, we would both end up at church anyway. Eddie NEVER takes a day off just to stay at home, and I'm talking about 7 days a week. So if I'm going to get him away to rest, we have to leave town.

["GL"]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

...You can quickly become irreplaceable in a small church and that is when the guilt begins to be dumped on you if you have a trip out of town etc...

Although I have disagreed with many of your opinions on this thread, I agree with this statement. A pastor should not make a family feel guilty for taking a vacation over the weekend. How often does that pastor preach out?? Now if the out-of-town trips begin to occur twice per month, you'd better be prepared for some "pastoral mentoring" in the areas of leadership.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

It is our life, so I can't complain, BUT I would like to go away for one WHOLE weekend and actually relax. LOL!

A sentiment I understand well... from the past...

It is going to have to be understood that I am away sometimes. We generally go and see my parents twice a year... I participate in 2 camp meetings per year... I have 2 other out of state organizational meetings bare minimum per year and then there are things that come up (pastoral installations, fellowship meetings we are asked to attend etc)

I have long standing ministerial obligations that I had before we moved here.

So far... when we need to be out of town (like this coming weekend) there isn't a problem.

I was out of town last weekend too... but I drove a full work day to get back in time and make service.

I am the kind of person that will work with you if you will work with me.

[A.W. Bowman]

Priorities: Consider Ephesians 5:25, "Husbands, love your wives , even as Christ also loved the church , and gave himself for it ; ..." Consider the implications of that statement.


The husband is the head of the wife - it is not the church pastor. 1Cor 7 & 11 as examples (Also see Pr 31:10-26 for a balanced presentation).

As pointed out earlier, one is not qualified for ministry unless and until he first renders (and it is implied that he maintains) his leadership role within his family.

If we desire and/or need ministerial contracts, then let us list all of the requirements given by Paul in Titus and 1 & 2 Timothy - and sign those. Are those requirements not enough? Is it really necessary to continue adding stuff to the scriptures? Although not explicitly stated, what comes across from many posts on this forum is, "I am tired of having men adding more and more man-made performance requirements to the word of God."

Further, if ministry contracts are a necessity, what does this confess concerning the ability of God to direct and maintain control over His church? If the church is in truth out of control, what have the local teachers been teaching? If the majority of the congregation is still spiritually immature, who has been holding on to the apron strings - and why? And finally, what will the signing (or agreeing to) a set official ministry requirements going to accomplish in changing (or keeping) another's heart from doing evil - that even the original Law given through Moses could not accomplish?

The real question is: What is it that the author of any ministerial rules and requirements is trying to accomplish - and why - and what is the real issue that needs to be confronted?

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

A sentiment I understand well... from the past...

It is going to have to be understood that I am away sometimes. We generally go and see my parents twice a year... I participate in 2 camp meetings per year... I have 2 other out of state organizational meetings bare minimum per year and then there are things that come up (pastoral installations, fellowship meetings we are asked to attend etc)

I have long standing ministerial obligations that I had before we moved here.

So far... when we need to be out of town (like this coming weekend) there isn't a problem.

I was out of town last weekend too... but I drove a full work day to get back in time and make service.

I am the kind of person that will work with you if you will work with me.

I know what you are saying. We have a standing agreement that we are out of town for Labor Day Weekend, Memorial Weekend and 4th of July. I don't feel guilty about that - most of the time.

Of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas are a given for everyone.

[Sherri]

HaShaliach--Do you believe in signing a membership covenant?

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by HaShaliach

Priorities: Consider Ephesians 5:25, "Husbands, love your wives , even as Christ also loved the church , and gave himself for it ; ..." Consider the implications of that statement.


The husband is the head of the wife - it is not the church pastor. 1Cor 7 & 11 as examples (Also see Pr 31:10-26 for a balanced presentation).

As pointed out earlier, one is not qualified for ministry unless and until he first renders (and it is implied that he maintains) his leadership role within his family.

If we desire and/or need ministerial contracts, then let us list all of the requirements given by Paul in Titus and 1 & 2 Timothy - and sign those. Are those requirements not enough? Is it really necessary to continue adding stuff to the scriptures? Although not explicitly stated, what comes across from many posts on this forum, "I am tired of having men adding more and more man-made performance requirements to the word of God.

Further, if ministry contracts are a necessity, what does this confess concerning the ability of God to direct and maintain control over His church? If the church is in truth out of control, what have the local teachers been teaching? If the majority of the congregation is still spiritually immature, who has been holding on to the apron strings - and why? And finally, what will the signing (or agreeing to) a set official ministry requirements going to accomplish in changing (or keeping) another's heart from doing evil - that even the original Law given through Moses could not accomplish?

The real question is what is it that the author of any ministerial rules and requirements trying to accomplish - and why - and what is the real issue that needs to be confronted?

Excellent post...

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Sherri

HaShaliach--Do you believe in signing a membership covenant?

And... I would add to this question being presented him....

HaShaliach... do you see any difference in a document deemed a membership contract and a document deemed a membership covenant.

[Sherri]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

And... I would add to this question being presented him....

HaShaliach... do you see any difference in a document deemed a membership contract and a document deemed a membership covenant.

So, D4T, do you think it's ok to sign a membership covenant? I thought all OP churches had membership covenants.