Rev up for Ministry!

Ok, that title is pushing it a little.

This past Sunday I was ordained into the gospel ministry during a wonderful ceremony which followed an ordination council. To clarify for some of my friends on the meaning of the ordination, I thought I would talk a little about it on this blog.

I shared with our church several years ago that I felt God was stirring my heart in a big way to be more involved in ministry. Shortly after that, our church voted to make me a licensed minister which let me know that they agreed with what I was sensing as a call to full-time ministry. At that point, I began to more fully seek what my specific call to ministry might be. God continued to bring people along my path to help me mature spiritually and I continued to serve in a ministry position at my church.
God continued to stir my heart and change my passions toward ministry as well as beginning to open and close doors in my life. Our church's growth caused them to open a position for part-time minister of education to emphasize our Bible study classes and sunday school. At that point, God gave me a push to speak up again and the church created a position of minister of education and music. I felt He was calling for me to stop my school teaching position and take the ministry position, so I did. I was very comfortable with that decision and with the help of my pastor as a mentor, I began to prepare to be ordained into the gospel ministry.
Being ordained into the gospel ministry has nothing to do with getting a job at a church. It is only a recognition by church and other ordained men that they agree with what I felt God was doing in my life and that that direction was as a minister sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. I was not ordained as a "music minister", or a "pastor", or an "education minister", but into the Gospel ministry to be used wherever God takes me throughout my life. I am serving now as Minister of Education and Music at First Baptist Church of Maysville and will be as long as God wants me to. Another aspect of being ordained is that if God moves me to minister in another place, people will know that a southern-baptist congregation, along with other ministers have examined me and found my beliefs and spiritual walk to be in line with what they believe the Bible says. In that way, another congregation may be more comfortable allowing me to minister among them. I am excited to serve the Lord where I am now, and wherever He wants me to serve. I am thankful for the outpouring of love that was shown to me and my family on that day as well.

I hope that explains where I am in my life of ministry.
Please continue to pray for me as I try to serve Him!
Kyle

The Hands and Hearts of Christ

We recently had a funeral in town concerning a family not related to our church, but became aware of the fact that they had a need to gather and eat together with out of town relatives on the day of the funeral. Our church members rallied around this family and provided a meal in our facilities as well as showing up to greet and talk with them. Over 80 people attended the meal and we still had food to send home as leftovers with three different families. God blesses those that live according to his teachings. We are a group of people who love our neighbors, even though parts of this family have opposed our church publicly and privately, a Spirit of love was thick in the room because of the obedience of those who put God first. Our hope is that members of this family will be able to become a part of God's family and have a life-changing relationship with Jesus. This was definately the first step of being able to share with them. Sometimes we forget that although our goal is the spiritual redemption of our community, their physical needs are often a place where we can start to show them our love and compassion for them in a way they will understand.
I thank our people for not only going to church, but for BEING the church, the body of Christ, reaching out with His hands and His heart.