Michico James-Miller
P. Genna Hines
Destiny School of Ministry, Training for Reigning, 2015, 1st year, 3rd hour
September, 14, 2015
Stewardship Previous Experience In sharing this experience of my life, it had a great impact on my growth as a lay minister for God. We were a newly established church under the organization and leadership of Pastor Jeffrey Allen Hatcher. Many of us joined immediately as a result of a church split. Our pastor, who had been previously called to pastor the Christland Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit, MI, was suddenly under attack from the disgruntle membership about his stewardship over the churches’ finances. The officers and members of that church called a meeting and voted him out as their pastor. As a result of this action, pastor Hatcher reorganized and established his own church called Bible Believing Baptist Church. More than eighty-five people followed him. We believe that he was a man of God with certain issues and challenges with money. We believed also that he was anointed; he had a love for God’s people and deserved a second chance. After ninety days, our church had blossomed to over four hundred in membership. One day while praising God in our Sunday morning service, three United States Marshalls along with the local police stepped in our church to arrest our pastor on site. Yes, right in the middle of morning service! This was quite disruptive to say the least. As the officers did not know our pastor when they saw him, in the heat of the confusion, the deacons attempted to speak with them. During that brief moment, our pastor fled the church through his office. I can only presume he did that out of embarrassment, because he later turned himself in to the local authorities. It appears that the state was arresting a lot of pastors that year for back child support. The amount requested in order to have our pastor released from jail was to enormous for our new congregation to handle. Plus our devoted pastor had forbid any use of church funds to assist him. After his arraignment, he was sentenced to nine months in jail. Therefore, Pastor Hatcher called for the chairman of the Deacon’s Board to meet him for instructions concerning the church. Upon their return from this meeting, I was asked to assume all pastoral responsibilities until our pastor returned. I had held similar positions of authority before and our pastor knew he could trust me to following the vision he had laid for the church. I had proven my faithfulness to the church and the services held at our church. After speaking with the deacons, I accepted the position with a stiffen salary to help out with my expenses that would be forth coming in such a position. I remained faithful in that position through the entire nine months until the pastor was released and returned to his pulpit. It was a huge challenge and honor to have been asked to assist the church and help out my pastor as well. There was much to do in the shoes of a pastor, i.e. monitoring church finances and administration salaries, church fellowship engagements, bible study, new membership classes, communion services, baptisms, monthly auxiliary meetings, bi-weekly board meetings etc. just to name a few responsibilities. There were many frustrations during this time for me though. Too many people wanted to tell me how to run things, or how things should run. I found myself constantly stating to them know that I had been a member for more than a year now; please trust that I know how our services are carried out and how the pastor does things. That would simmer some people down, but, wow was my patience challenged weekly. While the deacons had total confidence in the pastor’s choice of his appointed leader, they constantly would ask me to wait until they had checked with the pastor when I wanted to implement tasks I felt necessary. It was sometimes on such minute subject matters, that I would get frustrated with the job. I found that I was kept in the dark when meetings with the pastor took place. It was as if I was just the goffer. I then felt that I was chosen because of my love for the church and my gift in teaching and encouraging people to praise God. I remember that I truly felt left out of important conversations with our pastor because all my instructions came from the Deacons. I never got a chance to speak directly to the pastor personally nor did he call for me. However, I remained non-confrontational and attempted to follow orders. One day I decided to fast and pray for God’s wisdom in leading His people. Wow, I must say, a few days later I realized that the mindset of the church was that they were Pastor Hatcher’s people; while I had a mindset that we all were God’s people. So, as I continued to consult God for my leadership instructions, I found out that the leaders were dismissing things I said to them if the pastor had not said so. For me the real problem at hand was that our pastor was not there and the deacons could not always access him when they wanted to for additional directions. Plus, I felt maybe they really didn’t believe I could handle the position. However, I had to believe that God could and would help me with His church.
An example of a decision I made after fasting and praying to God for the wisdom concerning his people and after I had looked over the congregation on Sunday morning, I could see some blank stares and puzzling looks on the faces of the congregation. I heard that many were contemplating as to what they should do. Should they stay with this church and wait on the pastor to return or find a new church home and pastor. I decided to call our Bishop and discuss with him what I had heard and I asked him would he come and render service the following week and consecrate and anoint the people of God for encouragement and strength. He agreed immediately to come at three o’clock p.m. the next week after service. While I thought that would be great, others thought I was trying to take over and do something different than what the pastor had instructed. I assured them that this was not the case. Nevertheless this called service angered some of the leaders and caused a lot of controversy. One evening having dinner with my family I received a call from the chairman of the deacon board to tell me that they had in deed spoken with the pastor and that the service I called would he allowed this time, but that the pastor said to get any changes cleared by him first before initiating any other services not already scheduled on the church’s calendar. I said sure thing, no problem. In as much as I was frustrated by his call, I remained humble. I assured him that it was not my intentions to do anything that was harmful or not in the Will of God concerning His people. Also, I told him I never meant to cause confusion among the Pastor’s members either. It was a good conversation and I stood corrected and accepted the chastisement from all concerned. I was moved to write the pastor a letter though, as I had some concerns of what exactly was said to him concerning this matter and I also wanted a chance to speak for myself on this matter. I wrote my pastor to let him know that I was not in any way trying to usurp authority over his flock. However, I had notice some wavering in the people. I prayed and I was led by the Holy Spirit to call the Bishop for support. As he made himself available to us, I also believed that he was a present and visible leader in higher authority ranking. Also, I believed this would ease the mind and wandering spirit of the people who was questioning should they wait on the pastor to return or leave and join another church. I let my pastor know that my decision to hold such a service was based purely out of the need for the people of God only. There was no money involved, just the provision of servicing the flock. I thanked him for allowing our Bishop to come and the report was many were encouraged and strengthened to remain and wait for his return and they did. I told him I knew our God would provide what we needed in the absence of his leadership. I am glad to report God did just that and I was given an appreciation service upon our pastor’s return. I was surprised and elated that everyone thought I did a marvelous job. My frustrations ran high, even though I continued to remained humble with all those who were in authority of given me directions. I had thoughts that if I were a man, this would not have gone this way. I knew there were some people in the church that were not happy with our pastor for choosing me, a woman to lead in his absence; but, I just disregarded that and kept my head up attempting to do well for Christ first. I decided to keep my attitude under control of the Holy Spirit at all times and to always show love know matter what was going on around me. I illuminated an attitude of gratitude because I believed my service was unto the Lord. I also wanted to remain in total obedience to the shepherd of the house. (Hebrews 13:17) In this stewardship position, it made me aware of the mindset struggle one may encounter when in a leadership role. I believe to fight these struggles that form in one’s mind, we need to pray for clarity from God of His mission also for his people. We must pray to become strong leaders thus keeping our minds stayed on Him who will keep us in perfect peace. Colossians 3:2 said, “set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth”. Therefore, being heavenly minded always inspires us to provided earthly help to our fellowman. Our minds should be set on things above and faithfully serve the Lord. I believe when we struggle in our minds about the stewardship and faithfulness to the needs of others, we should look to God for approval. It is my opinion that it is better to have God’s approval than man’s applause. I Corinthians 3:18 – 4:5 teaches us not to adopt the world’s wisdom and not to judge God’s servants either. This should help us be faithful at all time. Also, this should help us stay focused on the work that we have been called to do. Sometimes there are struggles on whether to remain faithful. If we pray and study the word every day we can be strong. Listed below are a few of my favorite scriptures that help me to stay focused on the call of faithfulness:
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him
2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ
2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, to 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.