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    You're Called to the Ministry. Now What?
    You're Called to the Ministry. Now What?
    You're Called to the Ministry. Now What?
    Ebook80 pages1 hour

    You're Called to the Ministry. Now What?

    By R. Joseph Ritter, Jr.

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    About this ebook

    While there is much preparation involved in suiting up to go for the Lord, one aspect can be overlooked or not given much thought, and that is financing your education and preparation for ministry or missions. A close second is financing your launch. Let me strongly encourage you not to consider borrowing money. The world cannot offer any meaningful input for the believer when it comes to financing your education and preparation for God's work. The world has no thought or concern of God's ways, God's will and God's economy. You cannot use the world's ways to finance your preparation for ministry and expect God to bless it. Now, you might wonder, “Then how am I going to pay for my education and preparation?” This booklet answers that question.

    Zacchaeus Financial Counseling, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing financial planning, financial counseling and financial coaching services regardless of the ability to pay to low-income households, households in crisis, and individuals in full-time Christian ministry. The author and founder of the organization, R. Joseph Ritter, Jr. CFP®, obtained his Masters degree in World Mission and Evangelism from Asbury Theological Seminary.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherR. Joseph Ritter, Jr.
    Release dateNov 12, 2014
    ISBN9781311317995
    You're Called to the Ministry. Now What?
    Author

    R. Joseph Ritter, Jr.

    R. Joseph Ritter, Jr. CFP® is the founder and president of Zacchaeus Financial Counseling, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the financial planning and financial counseling needs of lower and middle income households. Joe received his Master’s Degree in World Mission and Evangelism from Asbury Theological Seminary. His non-profit leadership and Christian ministry includes such past positions as Student Minister, Director of Outreach, volunteer Chaplain with Transport for Christ International, and co-founder of Community Chaplains Association, a non-profit organization ministering to residents of assisted-living and retirement facilities. He is the author of 25 Days of Christmas Devotional, Sacrifice and Submission in Marriage, Jacob's Testimony, and You're Called to the Ministry. Now What?

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      Book preview

      You're Called to the Ministry. Now What? - R. Joseph Ritter, Jr.

      You're Called to the Ministry.

      Now What?

      R. Joseph Ritter, Jr. CFP® EA

      A free resource for young adults and individuals called to the ministry and mission work

      offered to you by

      Zacchaeus Financial Counseling, Inc.

      Smashwords Edition

      ISBN: 9781311317995

      Smashwords License Statement

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      © 2014, revised 2019

      Zacchaeus Financial Counseling, Inc.,

      a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

      This book has been published as a free

      resource, and the copyright holder does

      not authorize resale.

      Please help us continue to make these

      books available at no cost by making

      a tax-deductible donation today.

      Scripture quotations taken from the

      New American Standard Bible®,

      Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by

      The Lockman Foundation

      Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

      CONTENTS

      Introduction

      God Called – Now What?

      Holy Pauses – Mind the Checks

      What Does God Want to Do in Your Situation – Is God Moving?

      What Are Your Gaps

      Prayer – Wear Grooves in the Floor

      Give Your Faith a Workout

      Obedient Effort

      Give God the Glory

      Be Ye Holy As I Am Holy

      Strength for the Journey

      Once You Go

      Dealing With Besetting Sin

      Our Example in Christ

      Why It Matters

      Counting the Cost

      Closing Challenge

      INTRODUCTION

      Entering the ministry or mission field can be an expensive task, especially when you are in the beginning phase of your education requirements (Bible college or theological seminary and, in some cases, both). Unless you are fortunate enough to have savings to bankroll these expenses or a significant benefactor supporting you, the money to fund your calling must come from somewhere. Borrowing the money may seem like a good option, but as this booklet endeavors to show, debt leaves little room for faith. The overarching question to be considered in this booklet is this:

      What difference would it make in our pulpits and mission fields if young adults and individuals trusted God by faith and waited on God in prayer to open each door – starting with education and preparation for ministry?

      No doubt in times past there have been some incidents involving ministers or missionaries becoming trapped in financial issues. However, today's financially complex world is playing a much larger role in undermining an individual's call to ministry or missions. Mass media and corporate marketing tactics have trained our psychological responses to avoid difficulty, and technological advances have all but eliminated the time needed to consider the potential outcomes of deliberate acts. More than ever before, ministers and missionaries are being prevented from fulfilling a call and, in some cases, cutting short their time in service because of financial issues.

      A young man once shared with me stories of family members and friends who, following a call to ministry, enrolled in Bible college. Along the way, however, they became trapped in student loan, credit card or other debt, and on graduating from college had to accept secular jobs to gain control of the situation.

      Missionaries and other ministry workers have spoken on financial issues ensnaring newly called individuals. When I mentioned this issue to one person in particular, I received this comment, Then they are lost. The individual with a call to ministry either becomes disillusioned in their faith because of the financial issues or is prevented from going into ministry for so long that the sense of a call goes silent. The individual is then at risk of missing heaven, and those he or she would have impacted will go unreached.

      Like no other time in history, financial complexities, marketing and media, and technological advances are having a greater effect on individuals called to ministry and missions. The aim of this booklet is to guide as many as possible toward fulfilling their call without falling prey or succumbing to the world's way of financing God's work.

      GOD CALLED – NOW WHAT?

      Experience is a good teacher. Unfortunately, she often charges too much in tuition.

      Rev. S.M. Lockridge

      Being called to the ministry can leave you with both an exhilarating feeling and a daunting task at the same time. It is exciting that God has called you to be part of His team in building the Kingdom of Heaven. It is also exciting to be on the front lines bringing souls to Christ and watching the Holy Spirit's transformation unfold in lives you may touch. It can be daunting because it likely means adopting a different lifestyle and perhaps a much different culture. What was important to you at one time may now be put on the back burner for the cause of Christ. It can also be daunting because serving God on the front lines of spiritual warfare is serious business – the eternal destiny of many individuals in heaven or hell is at stake.

      While there is much preparation involved in suiting up to go for the Lord, one aspect can be overlooked or not given much thought, and that is financing both your preparation, including education, and your launch. Let me get right to work and encourage you not to consider borrowing money. Your first question might be, Then how am I going to pay for my education and preparation? Keep reading because that's the point of this booklet.

      In answering God's call on my life and in my career, I made mistakes. Ask almost anyone, and he or she will give you a list of mistakes made,

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