Welcome to the World of a Pastor also known as Pastoral Theology Course Notes Lesson Four

Dr. Dennis Carter Psalm 37:4

Index to Lessons Lesson One Lesson Two Lesson Three Lesson Four Lesson Five Lesson Six Lesson Seven Lesson Eight Lesson Nine Lesson Ten Lesson Eleven Lesson Twelve Lesson Thirteen Lesson Fourteen Lesson Fifteen Lesson Sixteen Lesson Seventeen Lesson Eighteen Lesson Nineteen Lesson Twenty Lesson Twenty-one Lesson Twenty-two Lesson Twenty-three Lesson Twenty-four Lesson Twenty-five Lesson Twenty-six Lesson Twenty-seven

AGITATION My Father-in-law Dr. John Waters used to get agitated over folks leaving for vacation and not letting him know they were gone, especially if they had a job in the CHURCH. He knew they didn't leave work without informing those they were responsible to and he never could understand how they could do this at the Church. This one simple thing served as a source of agitation for years. The thing that agitates me are these folks that are so easily, offended. Years ago I worked a bus route while I lived in Chattanooga. Our bus director's name was Wayne Holder. One week we had goldfish Sunday on the buses and we were 400 goldfish short. Some of the bus captains said to Wayne, "What are these parents going to THINK since we promised these goldfish and we are 400 short?" Wayne said, "They will react the same way you do. If you tell them we'll make it up to them next week and we are sorry we are short, they'll understand, but if you cuss the church and the Pastor, they'll react and talk the way you do." Wayne understood something most church folks don't, that is we teach people around us how to react and to be easily offended. I closed a meeting in April with Brother Tommy Holbrooks. Our young people like Brother Holbrooks, but when they get around those people that are easily OFFENDED, and they hear these carnal brethren bad mouth the preaching, the same young folks pick it up and do the same thing. God deliver us from these folks who PREY on the weaknesses of OTHERS and try to put that individual at the throat of a great man of God or a Pastor trying to do what's right. It would seem that these OLD GOATS are PREYING on the weakness of others and causing them to turn from a good church or good meetings or a good Pastor and his LEADERSHIP. Some folks have been off kilter spiritually and away from the Lord for years because they heard some "OLD DEVIL" in the church pointing out the faults or failings of another. Hey, Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, Missionary, Trustee, Usher, Bus Driver or Van Driver, Christian School Teacher: people are going to react just like you. If you will try to build-up and not tear down, you will find that those folks you are influencing will do the same thing! Nothing AGITATES me more than someone who hears a good word about a preacher, or an evangelist, or church, or pastor; then they feel "called of God" to throw a wet blanket on it!

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Contact writers:
Dr Dennis Carter, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Spartanburg, SC
Pastor Steven Mays, pastor of Faith Baptist Church, Laurens, SC