Many time when we feel called to ministry we wait on a big break or job opportunity to open up and then we apply for the position. I have several friends that have a real desire to reach, disciple, and minister to people but cannot seem to get a position at a church. I have heard people say “every opportunity I apply for I do not get” or “I cannot seem to find a job in ministry”.
Before I go any further let me say that I am not against ministry positions or being in full time ministry. I have been in full time ministry most of my adult life. I am not against denominations even through our ministry is Non-Denominational. There are Definite benefits to being part of a denomination. Support, accountability, and fellowship, are just a few. We have been blessed to have ministered in over 35 different denominations during our over 30 years with Jubilee Gang Ministries. I have been children’s and youth pastor and at several different churches with pay from being volunteer to full time. When Jesus gave us the great commission in Matthew 28:19 to “Go into all the world and make disciples.” He did not say wait for a job opening at your local church. He did not say go to your denomination and see if they have any openings that you can apply for. Now thank God for these resources, but if they are not working for you JUST GO and DO IT!
Before I had my own ministry, before anyone knew who Jerry Moyer of the Jubilee Gang was, and before anyone wanted to schedule us at their church, I did not wait on a big break. I did not hope that someday my schedule would be full. I starting going to the local housing projects in Southern Ohio because of the love in my heart for the people there. No one was reaching out to them and I saw a need. When I went to the local housing authority and asked if we could do a crusade in the projects, they told me that there had never been any preaching in the projects and there never would be.
I did not give up on what was in my heart to do. As I was reading the newspaper
one day, I saw where a professional baseball player had come back to our home
town and started an anti-drug program in the projects. I felt in my heart to go to
that organization and tell them that the “Just say No” campaign was not working.
Kids need something to say yes to so they can say no to drugs.
I offered to do an anti-drug program for them that said “say yes to Jesus so that
you can say no to drugs”. Anything to do with an anti-drug message was welcome
through this organization. Our first event in the local housing projects we saw
around 100 people born again. This happened over and over in different projects
around the area. Before long the projects were calling us.
As I put my hand to ministering in the local housing projects because of the love I
had for the people, God continued to open more and more doors to our ministry.
First it was public schools. We offered them a free anti-drug program in exchange
for the use of the building that evening for a large event where we could present
the Gospel. Our first public school outreach we had 250 children in the school
and 180 people came out that night to hear the gospel. Almost every one of them
came forward to be born again. Then, we opened our program up to churches
and it has grown over the last 30 years to where we are now.
Sometimes if we wait on a position or our denomination to get into ministry we might die waiting. If doors are not opening for you and you have a real desire to reach people with the Gospel and to make disciples. JUST DO IT!!!
The Bible says that Jesus was moved with compassion when He fed the 5,000, when He healed the sick. Compassion is loving someone so much that you have to do something to help them. If you feel the love of God welling up inside of you to help someone, pray for someone, or minister to a group of people that really needs Jesus. JUST DO IT!!!
I know of one man that is called to children’s ministry with a real desire to reach unchurched children with the gospel that could not seem to get a position at a church. Nobody wanted to hire him to do outreach. Instead of waiting on a church or denomination to hire him or find him a job, he just went and did it. Now he has a mobile children’s church in a converted Semi that he travels around United States ministering to children in under privileged communities, trailer parks and apartment complexes. He has taken church to them instead of waiting for an established church to step up to the plate. Recently he had someone donate some land with a building where he can minister to people locally. Instead of doing what organized religion said he must do to be in ministry he followed what he felt God had called him to do in his heart, and God opened doors and has blessed him with the things he has needed to fulfill the call on his life.
Now let me say this. There is a sacrifice involved in stepping out in faith and following God with no backing from a local church or denomination. Sometimes it might involve working a secular job to support yourself. Sometimes it might involve not living the American dream or having all the things our culture says we need to have. Jesus never promised us the American dream. He said “If you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” That involves some dying to our desires to follow Jesus desires. I will admit sometimes I have looked at people with a steady income from ministry that are able to do all the cool things our culture offers with a little envy. I have asked the Lord,” why couldn’t you have called me to be an adult evangelist where I could fly in with my bible and preach to adults and take up a decent offering instead of hauling around almost 7,000 pounds of equipment and ministering to children that might give you a nickel or dime in an offering.” One time when I was complaining to the Lord about this he spoke to my heart and told me “what you are doing is precious to Me.” Well, that shut me up really quick and I about cried. Many times people have asked my wife and I “How long are you guys going to continue to do this ministry. You guys are starting to get a little older.” To which I reply, “Until God says stop.” You see when I made Jesus Lord of my life I surrendered my will to his will. As long as he needs me to do this I will keep on doing it. I will do it until he says stop. If the doors ever start closing for us to travel across the country ministering to children and families, we will become more localized. If there is no church that wants to hire me or that I feel that I fit into their vision, I will go to the people in our city that needs ministry the most. The ones that God tells me to minister to. I might have to get a job to support myself, but I will do what God has called me to do whatever the cost.
When William and Catherine Booth were told by their denomination to move from a place where they were making a maximum impact for the Kingdom of God to another area where they would not be able to make such an impact, Katherine Booth stood up and boldly proclaimed "HELL NO!" Let us proclaim to Hell that we will not conform to its plans for our lives no matter who the messenger is! Let us follow God and make a Maximum Impact for His Kingdom!
Ministry is not based upon a denomination giving us an opportunity or a church hiring us. When our Master says GO we must GO!
JUST DO IT!!!!
Jerry Moyer
Jubilee Gang Ministries
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