The Minister's Wife

[ChTatum]

Great post, OneAccord.

Sam, excellent thread.

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Sam

What a beautiful post
about a beautiful person.
It made this old man cry.

Thank you... and she was. She attended our church one night when I happened to be preaching. I was young, unmarried (and she was too). I preached and she responded during the altar call and repented of her sins. A few days later, I had the priviledge of baptizing her in the Name above all names, and she came out of the river water speaking with other tongues. I
We had several in our church to get baptized then leave, I decided I'd hold on to this one by marrying her! We had a great life, two wonderful children, but...well, she was taken from us way too soon.

[commonsense]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

When I was first called in to Full Time Evangelism, I went on a 30 day "round trip" tour through Ga, NC, Va, WVa, Ohio, Ky, Tn. and AL. The night before I left my wife and kids at home, she and I went out to eat. The next morning, I left to "conquer the world for Christ". I was gone for 30 days and came home so excited about what "I" had accomplished. Had met alot of preachers, scheduled several revivals, saw much accomplished for God's Kingdom. My wife and I went out to eat the night I got home. It was then that I found out, she began fasting the day I left and hadn't eaten a bite until we were sitting in that restaurant. I hadn;'t accomplished a thing. If anyone deserves honor for what was accomplished on that trip it is her.

Her sacrifice, her dedication to the Lord, her faithfulness to Him, and to me, I believe, assures her a place in heaven where she went to be with the Lord in 1988. She was truly, "an unsung hero of Pentecost".

Great post; what a wonderful story.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Neckstadt

How many have been left lonely and forgotten after their husbands threw the Lord away. I pray for them everyday...

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

From this post can we deduct, then, that more ministers (male) have left the Lord than have minister's wives?

Originally Posted by Kings Kid

I believe that it is about equal.

I think that, sadly, the stats probably reflect the broader population statistics. Men are far more likely to leave their wives than the other way around, particullarly "successful" men. Though there have been some dramatic changes within our culture in recent years, it's still true that the vulnerable are the most likely to suffer. And women on the average remain more vulnerable than men.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

When I was first called in to Full Time Evangelism, I went on a 30 day "round trip" tour through Ga, NC, Va, WVa, Ohio, Ky, Tn. and AL. The night before I left my wife and kids at home, she and I went out to eat. The next morning, I left to "conquer the world for Christ". I was gone for 30 days and came home so excited about what "I" had accomplished. Had met alot of preachers, scheduled several revivals, saw much accomplished for God's Kingdom. My wife and I went out to eat the night I got home. It was then that I found out, she began fasting the day I left and hadn't eaten a bite until we were sitting in that restaurant. I hadn;'t accomplished a thing. If anyone deserves honor for what was accomplished on that trip it is her.

Her sacrifice, her dedication to the Lord, her faithfulness to Him, and to me, I believe, assures her a place in heaven where she went to be with the Lord in 1988. She was truly, "an unsung hero of Pentecost".

What a great testimony! Thanks for sharing that.

Originally Posted by Sam

I’ve been looking through some old magazines and found this in the September 1939 issue of the Pentecostal Outlook, the monthly magazine published by the PAJC (Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ). It is found on page 19 and no author is given. I wonder how accurately this described the expectations placed on the wife of a minister by folks in Apostolic Pentecostal churches almost 70 years ago. It mentions moving every few years to a new church which sounds like some of the denominations back then although I've seen in the biographies of Oneness Pentecostal pastors how they moved every couple of years or so.


The Minister’s Wife

You may sing of your heroes or war and peace
Your soldiers of fortune and strife;
When the tumult shall die, and the shouting all cease,
Let me sing of the minister’s wife.

You may laud to the skies the learned and wise,
The servants with dignities rife;
My heart says Amen, but I take up my pen
In praise of the minister’s wife.

Oh, the minister’s wife is a cook and a clerk;
A dressmaker, mother, and nurse;
A wonderful teacher, a maid-of-all-work,
And a player and singer, of course!

She must listen, with nerves that are raw to the quick,
To heartaches and troubles galore;
She must welcome the stranger, and visit the sick
Wearing dresses her sister once wore.

She must work with the Aid, and the Junior Hi-Y;
She must help with the Sunday School stunts;
Be a leader in missions, or tell us all why;
And not miss a prayer meeting once!

She must comfort her husband when Mondays are blue
And smooth out his trials --and coats;
Be ready to move every twelve-month or two
When he shepherds new sheep (and new goats).

And whether the weather be cloudy or bright;
In season or out --all the while,
If her heart it be heavy, or if it be light--
She must smile, smile, smile!

Oh, sing of the noble, the great, and the good,
Whom you meet in the course of your life;
I take up the strain, be it here understood,
In praise of the minister’s wife!

What a beautiful poem! Hope you don't mind, but I copied and pasted and put it in my file to save for when we honor our Pastor. Things like this come in handy and are greatly appreciated. Do you know who wrote it?

[Carpenter]

Pastor's wives and daughters should be kept, secluded, chained and bound from making an attempt toward...believing they have the same level of leadership and "authority" that the pastor has simply by default because they are related to him.

"I just love you blasted, ignonrant, stubborn, non-conforming people sooooo much", she said.

[BrotherEastman]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

When I was first called in to Full Time Evangelism, I went on a 30 day "round trip" tour through Ga, NC, Va, WVa, Ohio, Ky, Tn. and AL. The night before I left my wife and kids at home, she and I went out to eat. The next morning, I left to "conquer the world for Christ". I was gone for 30 days and came home so excited about what "I" had accomplished. Had met alot of preachers, scheduled several revivals, saw much accomplished for God's Kingdom. My wife and I went out to eat the night I got home. It was then that I found out, she began fasting the day I left and hadn't eaten a bite until we were sitting in that restaurant. I hadn;'t accomplished a thing. If anyone deserves honor for what was accomplished on that trip it is her.

Her sacrifice, her dedication to the Lord, her faithfulness to Him, and to me, I believe, assures her a place in heaven where she went to be with the Lord in 1988. She was truly, "an unsung hero of Pentecost".

Thats great Brother! What a beuatiful story!

[BrotherEastman]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

Thank you... and she was. She attended our church one night when I happened to be preaching. I was young, unmarried (and she was too). I preached and she responded during the altar call and repented of her sins. A few days later, I had the priviledge of baptizing her in the Name above all names, and she came out of the river water speaking with other tongues. I
We had several in our church to get baptized then leave, I decided I'd hold on to this one by marrying her! We had a great life, two wonderful children, but...well, she was taken from us way too soon.

I'm sorry for your loss, but this was a touching story.

Awesome...what a blessing to be married to this Christian lady. Thanks for challenging all of us Ministers 's wives to a new level!