Trends - fewer and fewer full time ministers.

I suspect that in the future there will be more bi-vocational pastors/leaders/disciplemakers. I remember Paul refering to this as as "tent makers." More and more I see the committed being trained to be at work in the world with jobs that support them and ministries of leadership in the Church equipping Christ followers to live and serve in the world.

I heard (through another prson) of a young adult in our St. Louis project, a man of God preparing for the ministry, respond to his friend. His friend asked him , "Are you preparing for the ministry so that you can get a job in the ministry? He answered "No"! Then He said to his friend, "I'm not preparing for a job in the ministry -I am preparing to do ministry in the world."

I see this trend developing as young people prepare for the ministry and being willing to work in a "tent-making" job in the world.

I would love to have 12 young aduts who would make this commitment.

Anthony is in our Kansas City project and he moved all the way from Elkhart, Indiana to work in a coffee shop so he would be where the people are, the peopl he feels called to reach. Anthony has a Master's degree and yet he moved with nothing and until other believers in our new St. Louis family gave him furniture he barely had a place to sit. The thing that impressed me most was that he was content with nothing so He could serve God in this ministry with minimal salary from his coffee shop earnings.

I can hardly wait to see what God does through those who expect nothing in return but to honor Jesus regardless of the cost.

I find this refreshing. How about you?