Are You Auditioning for a job to preach where God has all ready appointed and sent you?...

[Dr. Linda Holliday]

Should you have to send an audition tape or CD to go into anothers church to preach the gospel when you are chosen and called of God?

Do you believe as I do, that those that are spiritually filled with the Holy Spirit should know and have a decerning Spirit to know those that are like spirits laboring in the vinyards of God together? ...and dost the doors are open to advance the Kingdom of God as they join in partnership.

[Rev. Joyce Irvin Harris, M.Div.]

I understand the use of CDs in a pastoral search process. It cuts down on having to send search committee representatives cross-country until the finalists have been identified. Until this discussion, I was not aware of such being used for a preaching engagement.

Most pastors invite other pastors who they work with in denominational conventions or local ministerial associations. When associate ministers are invited, it's based on word-of-mouth recommendation from a trusted colleague or mentor. Unfortunately, opportunities for women ministers are still slim outside of women's days. However, when I have been invited to minister to a congregation not my own, it has been my 30+ year policy to NEVER EVER go to preach at a church without personally talking to the pastor beforehand. A letter of invitation alone will not do.

Is one auditioning to preach before a particular congregation or religious body? If one submits a CD, the answer is YES. Is it good or bad? It is what it is -- a requirement of that particular shepherd or congregation.

[Rev. Anthony Luckett]

True Rev Harris. I must speak with my Pastor first, before accepting an invitation to preach from another church.

[Min. Kareem A. Christian]

Proverbs 18:16 " A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men"

it's not our responsibility to look for a way... but it's our responsibility to operate within our gift... many times pastors don't allow young preachers to preach is because many young preachers haven't learned to wait on their gifts... far too many are rushing and not allowing their gifts to develop... (As a young minister I used to wonder when I was going to get an opportunity to preach… but God always spoke to my spirit, “not yet”)

You may not get an opportunity to preach from the pulpit…but that doesn’t neglect your responsibility to study and meditate before God… and once you have learned our gift… then God would place in on the hearts of His servants to allow us to utilize our gifts… stop rushing to be before the people and wait on the Lord… what we do in secret God would reward us openly…

It’s one thing to get before the people with anxiousness to preach and not say a word… but it’s another thing to wait on our calling and allow God to direct us… patience is the key… God is in control not us…

When you’re anointed your gift would bring you before great men… (and you won't have to audition for it...) your anointing would speak for itself...

[Rev. Anthony Luckett]

Bro Moreh, you have a point as well. As the saying goes, some are sent, and some went. Meaning that God has called others to the Pastoral Ministry while others go without the calling from God. And yes, we should be doing ministry in the marketplace as well. We are to proclaim the Gospel wherever we are.

[Dove the Warrior]

LOL!!!

[Rev. Anthony Luckett]

Very true Minister Kareem. It's not proper etiquette to ask other Pastors if we can come preach for them. As an Associate Minister I have to wait until my Pastor allows me to preach. And no, I don't ask when because that is not proper etiquette as well. But while i'm waiting, I work the other ministries i'm involved in. And I also study and prepare the messages that God has given me, so that I am ready when the opportunity comes. I'm thankful that I have to wait because it gives me a chance to review over and over the messages that I have prepared. Also it gives me time to learn and mature. Sure the fire and passion is there, we want to preach! But we have to be patient. I had the opportunity last year to preach the men day celebration at another church last year. So I preached the morning service at our church and on the same day the afternoon service at the other church. So that's good for one who had only been preaching for 6 months. I preached 4 times last year. At first I got discouraged because of the lack of opportunities to preach, but I learned that I had to be patient and that's the way that it goes. I was once in the presence of 2 pastors. One said he didn't feel like preaching and the other said he wasn't sure what he was going to preach for the sunday service. I stood there thinking to myself, "what am I, chopped liver?" But I kept quiet. I've been taught it's not good etiquette to ask others if you can preach at their church or ministry.

[Bishop Marc L. Neal]

There is a book I have written called - Did God send you, or did the members Call you? Now that you are there whats next. ISBN 1-57921-667-6

I am sure this will work with you.

Bishop

[ProphetessPatrice Thomas]

Praise the Lord, I don't think you should have to send a tape or cd because God said your gifts would make room for us. They are connected to the Holy Spirit then they should know that the man or woman is of God or not. To me alot of churches hold people back with all these rules and they are not set by God but people to control others. God said who the Son set free is free indeed. There is so much jealousy in the houses of God when to be honest we are his childrenThe Church must have the heart of God for his souls and love for each other. Alot of people say they love each in the church, but when God goes to raising that person up then you don't see the love, because the true feelings come out. God wants us to have things, but his first heart desire is for his souls. When you preach Holiness and Righteous living and about Hell no one wants to hear that any more. They only want to hear about money,houses,cars,husbands,wives. The church need to go back to the old path. According To God words in Matthew 28:19-20 we are to go. We stay praying fasting,studying his word, humble to God and obedient to God then the Lord will open the doors for us through his Holy Spirit and others. I also learnt from the Lord to be humble to my Pastor even when i don't agree because then God truth will always prevail! Following Gods lead never fails no matter what a person does against you to hold you back. Love,Prophetess Patrice.

[V.D. Coleman]

no tapes should be sent unless the pastor\bishop is unfamiliar with the speaker and he or she is requesting it themselves.. but ministry has really turned into marketing.. and that is why so many of the saints are walking around with a limp now..

great topic.. bless you dr holliday

[Kesha Moorefield]

Greetings, all. I am new to this site. I am reading the posts and am sitting at the computer with a dropped jaw ... pastors pulling sermons from the Web, not feeling a need to go before the Lord and get guidance and direction from Him on what to say to the people. Wow, pastors acknowledge that they do this, huh?

Regards,
Kesha/VA

[Prophetess Carolyn L. Drayton]

I BELIEVE ALSO, IF SOMEONE SENDS FOR YOU THEN THEY SHOULD ALREADY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT................AND, THEY SHOULD HAVE PRAYED ALREADY BEFORE CONTACTING YOU.....
I'VE ALWAYS WONDERING, WHY PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY ARE LEAD BY THE SPIRIT, DON'T SEEM TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHO YOU ARE SPIRITUALLY...........
I FEEL LIKE SOMEWHERE, ALONG THE WAY, THE WILL OF GOD MAY HAVE BEEN LOST............. OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD.
NO YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SEND AN AUDITION TAPE..................LET THAT PERSON COME AND PREACH, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A PASTOR FOR A CERTAIN PEOPLE...............
THE WORD THAT WE SAY IS..............HERE AM I, LORD SEND ME.........GOD ONLY KNOWS YOU AND WHO TO SEND YOU TO...................SO,PRAY BEFORE YOU ASK SOME ONE TO COME, A VIDEO TAPE IS NOT THE REAL YOU, ITSA COPY OF YOU................MEETING YOU FACE TO FACE IS THE REAL YOU, THEN YOU GET TO SEE THAT PERSONS CHARACTERIISTICS....................

[Pastor E.W. DennarD II]

Before you allow someone to speak at your church,simply spend time with them,take them to dinner/breakfast (if time permits)and you will know.most of all...pray and ask God if this minister is right for your flock.

lol preacher