How my years in the secular world prepared me for ministry

Military- 

     Leadership. When I was in basic training, we had West Point cadets that assisted the drill instructors. While these men were intelligent, they were unable to properly lead us. Why? Because they had only read about leading in books and had no real world leadership experience. We were still able to rely on our training and experience to complete the tasks, but we had no respect for these men that called themselves leaders, yet never led. This scenario may work for a short time, but eventually the "men" will dissent and find a true leader to lead them, often looking among their peers for one that possesses those characteristics.

     Unity. That the team is more important that the individual, and that when everyone works as one, it is easier to accomplish the goal. This experience has been valuable when building teams of likeminded people for outreach,mentors, and soulwinning.

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:16 KJV)

Business owner- 

    The importance of a plan, goals, and a budget that I would later use when developing the Acts 2:38 Street Ministry.

Let all things be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40 KJV)

The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. (Proverbs 21:5 KJV)

And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. (Habakkuk 2:2 KJV)

Police Officer-

     This occupation taught me the value of being fair and not judging by appearance. It taught me to look at several small parts to see the big picture. I learned to not be easily intimidated, to be aware of my environment, and to be bold in the face of adversity.

     I took this experience and knowledge

and allowed God to use it for His Kingdom. I do not judge, I see people according to their fruit. I look at the bigger picture in the Kingdom, not just where I am in the here and now. I am bold in the Holy Ghost and can walk any street, witness to any person God leads me too and not be intimidated or ashamed of this Truth.

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? (John 7:24, 26 KJV)

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33 KJV)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8 KJV)

Railroad Engineer-

     I have learned that my labor and my

skillset as an engineer is valueable. That the job must be done at all hours of day or night, and that through bad weather and good, the trains must move. I have learned about persecution for my beliefs and rising above to be an example to some that they can come to for godly advice. 

     The ministry cannot stop, it must go forward. Under even the worst conditions we cannot stop trying to win souls for the Kingdom. We are to be humble in our beliefs and stand as Jesus stood, and turn the other cheek as necessary, at the same time contending for the faith.

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. (Luke 16:10 KJV)

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62 KJV)

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. (1 Peter 4:16 KJV)

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1:3 KJV)

    No matter where you have been, God will use it for His glory. The delivered drug addict has just as powerful a testimony as the lifelong Holy Ghost filled saint.

     How can someone that has never touched a drug or drank alcohol be a witness to someone on the street who is going through those issues? God uses forgiven people to exhort to people that are living sinful lives, in a way that only someone who has been there can.

     God uses the lifelong saint who has never fallen to reach struggling saints. Only they can explain how hard it is to maintain their walk, the very real struggle of maintaining a holy lifestyle, and dealing with day to day issues that face every Christian in today's churches. 

    He will use a single mom to reach a young woman who may be on the verge of making a decision that could affect the rest of her life.

    So when you wonder why you may be in a certain place, or regret places you have been or things you have done, just

know that God will use that for His Glory. That those choices you made were wrong for you then, but right for God now. Know that guilt is not biblical and that you cannot see the Kingdom with unforgiveness in your heart. That includes unforgiveness for yourself. Pray that you can see yourself through God's eye's, and that He will reveal to you, your place in the Kingdom. 

     Know that when you repent and ask God to forgive you, that He blots that sin from His memory. If He is God and He forgives it, who are you to keep bringing it up?

Get prayed up and get busy in the Kingdom!

    

Essay I wrote for school, explaining the basic necessity of baptism and infilling of the Holy Ghost for salvation

Course: Biblical Baptisms 503
Topic: Why must a person be both water and Holy Ghost baptized?

   
     Before we can explain why the water and Spirit baptism is an absolute necessity,  we must

determine the purpose for water baptism, and the purpose for baptism of the Holy Ghost.
 
     According to the Word of God the purpose of water baptism is for the remission of sins,

 meaning that we go into the water and are immersed, our sins literally are washed away and left in

the water.

Acts 10:43, (KJV) To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever be
believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Luke 24:47, (KJV) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
 
     Having established the purpose of water baptism, we will now study the purpose of Jesus 

pouring out His Spirit upon his true followers in the Holy Ghost baptism.
   
     The purpose of Jesus placing His Spirit within us is very basic. Without it, we cannot be holy as

God commands., we cannot understand the written Word of God, and most importantly, we

CANNOT see the Kingdom of God.

Leviticus 20:26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

Luke 24:45 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.

Proverbs 1:23-24 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make 
known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

     In all of the previous verses, it is clear that God is performing action to reach us, yet we think

that we can sit back, do nothing and that Jesus' blood will cover us, even though we refuse to act 

on His behalf. NOPE! Many people allow their pride to rule them, and keep them from experiencing

the fullness of God's blessing ONLY available after the infilling of the Holy Ghost. They really do

not know the power that they are missing out on. Paul said that we try to tell them, but if they be 

ignorant, let them be ignorant!
    
     Without the Spirit of Jesus in us, we can never see Heaven. Our flesh cannot mingle with God,

and only through the advocate residing in us, can we come before the throne God.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
 
     When establishing the necessity of both water and Holy Ghost baptism, it is very important that

we establish scriptural references for God's salvation plan.
   
We live in the a world of fast food, Nigerian money scams, and smooth talking politicians.

The Church faces a much different generation than in years past. This generation is more

technologically savvy, and expects immediate results, therefore the days of tarrying for their needs

escapes them. There is a general distrust of the Church, even if not in the Word of God. Constant

media coverage of some television Evangelist caught stealing money, or real-time video footage of

false healing's and laundered money has left a blemish on the idea of being religious. There are many

people that will say that they are "spiritual", but when questioned on church attendance, or

faithfulness in tithing, they are very quick to point out the false "church is inside of us, we do not

need a building" doctrine. 
   
     When we are able to show a prospective new believer in the Word of God, where Jesus and other

men of God specifically address water baptism and the necessity of the infilling of the Holy Ghost, it

is hard for them to argue against the text. This is assuming we are dealing with unchurched people.

Typically, a person that has been raised outside of the Apostle's doctrine, yet is familiar with

scripture will need to have a personal experience with Jesus, before they can fully understand the

basic salvation requirements. (Luke 24:45 KJV)
   
     A person seeking true salvation, can only receive that salvation by following the only biblical

formula for salvation. This formula is laid out very plainly in Act 2:38.

Acts 2:38, KJV Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
   
     Having said all that, it takes only the Words of God Himself to convince me of that we must be

baptized in Jesus name, and that we must receive  the baptism of the Holy Ghost, as evidenced in

speaking with our tongues. Where did He say this?

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

That's it, twenty five words that answer ninety percent of every question, ever raised in every

religious doctrinal debate.

This one statement made by Jesus proves many points:

1. We must be born again, no exceptions.

2. We must be baptized to be born again, not baptized for membership, or as a public profession of

faith, but baptized to be born again into the salvation of Christ Jesus.

3. We must receive His Spirit to be able to call ourselves born again. We can just be baptized and

be too embarrassed to receive the Holy Ghost, but that means we just got wet in baptism, because

we didn't get saved. We must be born of His Spirit. What is the Biblical evidence of being born of

Spirit?  Speaking in an unknown tongue.

4. Unless we fulfill the two basic requirements as a minimum, we cannot go to Heaven. No if's, and's

or but's. Our Pastor's can say whatever they want, but if what they are saying, does not add up to this

one basic statement (John 3:5), we should be running for the front door of the church.

A person must be baptized by water immersion, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, in order

(the answer and purpose of this essay) to enter the Kingdom of God.

Basic Rules on Teaching a Bible Study

Basic Rules on Teaching a Bible Study

(Excerpt from the Truth On Trial Teacher's Guide)

Congratulations on teaching a Bible Study!! Bibles studies still work, and if taught properly and consistently, can help establish a foundation of faith for the student that will last a lifetime. This may be the first time that your student has had a Bible study so it is vitally important that we, as teachers connect with them, and proceed with caution. I have included a short list of basic teaching rules that will assist you throughout this study.

1. Never go empty handed. Find out what kind of food the student likes, and take it with you. Pizza and sodas are inexpensive, do not require a lot of space, and reduce the distraction of setting up and later cleanup.

2. Reduce distractions as much as possible. Try to never teach a Bible study with small children present if possible. Have the older children sit in on the study, and allow them to engage. Keep coloring books and crayons on hand to keep the children busy while you teach. If interruptions happen (and they will), gently guide the student back on task by having them read a scripture from the study to refocus them.
Note 1** Teaching this study in your own home is the best possible scenario because you can better control the teaching environment.
Note 2** Try not to teach new students at your church. The student may feel pressured to "convert",  or may still be dealing with feelings of confusion about their own church or religion.

3. Smile.  Love is the greatest tool that we have in our toolbox. When we smile, it conveys love to the student, that we enjoy what we are doing, we are excited for their new adventure with Jesus, and it shows that we genuinely care about them, and enjoy their company. Smiles are contagious, and if we set the atmosphere early, it may reduce tension later if questions arise.

4.. Go slow. This material is designed as a secondary study to the Water and Spirit Bible study, written by Bro. James Burris. This may be the second study that your student has had. It begins to deal with the "meatier" subject of speaking in tongues, so it is vital that we cover every scripture, and discuss as necessary in order for the student to have a clear understanding.

5. DO NOT DEBATE. You will undoubtedly teach a student that has learned in other ways, or heard other things about the material we are covering. Never debate. Smile, and advise them that you can discuss the issue at the end of the study. Debating is detrimental to a learning environment such as this, and most like will negate anything that the Holy Spirit is doing for them. Remember. Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Cor 14:40, KJV

6. Did I mention to smile?

7.  Answer all questions with scripture. Yes, we may have experiences and illustrations that may bring certain points home, but ALWAYS followup with the related scripture. Let the Word of God do it's work.

8. Schedule the next Bible study before you leave and have the student commit to a time, date, and location. Waiting to call after you have left them to schedule one makes it easy for the student to lose focus, lose interest, and schedule other events.

We Must Be The Exception, Not the Rule

WE MUST BE THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE

     It only takes one glance around us to see that the world around us is deteriorating rapidly. We live in a time and day when what used to be good, clean and honorable is now considered outdated, prudish, and outright wrong.

     Of course in direct opposition to that, those things that were once shied away from, looked down upon, and considered evil, are now being applauded, and commended.

     

     As Apostolics, we have a responsibility to hold our course. 

    

      I like it when someone identifies our churches as the "one's where the women wear skirts". How many other churches do you know of that can be readily identified by their appearance? It's not a Scarlet Letter to be labelled Apostolic or Pentecostal, it is a badge of honor. 

What does it mean to be "Apostolic'?

1. Apostolic Doctrine is the Word taught by the Apostles, who were personally instructed by Jesus.

2. Apostolic Lifestyle is inward and outward holiness (consecration) that results in separation from the world view. 

3. Apostolic Power is ministry that produces signs, wonders, and miracles.

4. Apostolic Dimension is walking with Jesus, being led by the Holy Spirit, faith for the supernatural, and exercising that faith in Jesus.

     I cannot count the number of times I have been asked by people of different faiths what I thought about certain scriptures.  Why?  

     I present myself in such a way as to be recognized as a man of God. I walk unashamedly in my anointing. I do not apologize for preaching or teaching the Word of God. I am a witness everywhere I set my feet. I choose to be different in how I present myself to people, how I speak, what boundaries I set, and how I allow God to handle situations rather than rely on my flesh.

     Do I present myself as a weakling? Absolutely not. As a matter of fact, I proudly walk in a  boldness that only a Holy Ghost filled believer can have. Anyone can be bold, but to the unchurched, that trait is for outward appearances only and has no value. To a Holy Ghost filled believer, that boldness is a part of who we are, it is now in our DNA as it was imparted in us on the day that we received the gift of the Holy Ghost, as evidenced by speaking in other tongues. It is part of the Power that Jesus refers to (Acts 1:8). Do all believers exhibit this boldness? No. They possess it, they just don't know how to access it. It isn't until we are able to wrap our mind around the entire Word of God that we can outwardly exhibit these traits. Can we heal? Yes. Can we cast out demons? Yes. Can we perform miracles greater than even Jesus performed? Yes.

It is this Power, that non Apostolics can see in us that drives them to us for answers. 

I have compiled a list of a few reasons why non-denominational and denominational people alike seek us out.

1. I truly believe that the number one reason in every case, is that Jesus is calling that person to search out Biblical Truths. He is reaching for them in a different way than He would reach for an addict, or a single mom struggling to make it. 

2. They are religious, but they do not have the Holy Spirit in them, therefore they are unable to "....rightly divide the word of truth."2 Tim 2:15.

3. These people were called by Jesus previously, but circumstances prevented them from going "all in", and they stopped short of  the full New Birth experience, choosing a path of  "easy believism". This is not to say that they are to blame. Maybe that was their only option at the time. Maybe the first person to witness to them after Jesus called them was someone who themselves didn't have full knowledge of who Jesus is and what he required for salvation.

     Whatever the reason, we should welcome any and all reasonable discussion of the Word of God and answer all questions with scripture, not opinions. Leave the debating for others, our job is to draw people in with the Fruit of the Spirit, and we cannot do that when we go out of our way to try to prove to them how little they know of scripture.

     We must embrace what makes us different from everyone else. When a visitor steps into an Apostolic church, there is a 99.9% chance that they know what to expect so there is no need to "tone down" our services or prayer times. That is called selling out and is unacceptable.

     

     In a world where every other church is changing their doctrine and selling out their beliefs for higher attendance, we must be the Church that holds the line and maintains a standard of flawless Biblical Truth. 

    

     When the people who are now filling those churches in order to seek God, realize that the only god there is commercialism, religiosity, and fluff, we will be properly positioned to receive those still-lost souls and show them how wonderful, real, and powerful Jesus is.

     As much as I do not wish any person be first distracted by impure doctrine, I welcome them into our churches from those others. 

     One step inside of an Apostolic church and they will feel the Spirit of Jesus, something they have never truly felt before. I have heard it countless times.  "I have been in church all of my life, and I have never really felt God until I came here!"

     So let's hold the line, do not feel pressured to turn into a church that never preaches against sin for fear of losing people. If we aren't telling people what the Bible calls a sin, how will they know? The other churches sure aren't going to tell them. 

     They are in our churches because they are tired of living that lifestyle and want to change. If they wanted fluff, they would have stayed where they were.

Hold the line, and don't stop preaching the Acts 2:38 message. There is NO other way. Jesus said it and I will always believe it.

Bro Shad

2015, A Time of Planning

     Just a few days into the new year and we are all off and running again. Chasing the gold watch, watching the bouncing ball as the our life quickly scrolls across the screen.
     It is my fervent prayer that we would all stop, take a few minutes, and envision where we would like to see ourselves in twelve months.

Do you have a vision of what your life should be like?

Do you like the direction you are going today?

Are you still under the delusion that you control your life?

How can you do something great this year and watch it grow?

Whether you want to admit it or not, when you started the new year, and set your personal resolutions, you set yourself up for failure when you failed to actively make the necessary changes in your life that would facilitate meeting those goals. Talk is cheap, we must put our hands to the plow.

Habakkuk 2:2 tells us to write the vision and make it plain. This has to be the second step in any endeavor before it can ever be successful.  What is the first? Prayer and supplication.  We must seek God's stamp of approval first. Sure you can be successful without involving God. People do it everyday and think nothing of it. There can be no redemptive value in the Kingdom for something that was created for the sole intent and purpose of stroking your ego or satisfying the flesh, and if you set out on a new journey without God, then it can only be flesh sending you.

You have now prayed, and hopefully fasted. You believe that you have received a Word from God on your plan, vision, or idea.  If the Word is "yes", go for it.  If it is "no", keep praying and let God give you a fresh vision.

Begin by writing your vision in meticulous detail. Picture your vision as a jigsaw puzzle and decide which pieces you will need to arrange to establish the foundation that you will later build on.  Don't get sloppy, take your time. It is Biblical that you set a solid foundation for what God WILL accomplish through you.

Always recognize that it is only by and for the Glory of God that you are able to accomplish anything. To think that  by your talent alone  these things are happening is unwise and unbiblical.

Your vision is written.

Now write a timeline of when you expect to have  certain "puzzle pieces"  in place.

Start with setting a monthly goal if it is appropriate for your vision.  For my street ministry, I started with a one month goal, then went to a  one year goal, a five year goal, then ten, and finally twenty years.
Do not be afraid to come back later and adjust your goals. You may meet some early, or you may fail to meet others. That is not failure. Failure would be described as having never started the journey. An unmet goal is no big deal, as long as you continue to move in that direction.

Just plan the work, work the plan, and let God do His part, and you will make it!!

Remember anything worth doing, is worth doing well, and if you are doing it for God, it must be done to perfection through reverence to Him.
God Bless.
Bro Shad
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