some sort of ministry: inter-faith prayer

while responding to someone asking for an advise how to provide assistance and/or guidance in an inter-faith environment... as an ordained minister no less (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/09/some-sort-of-ministry-what-now.html)...

In your particular case, maybe the best way is to approach someone is through conversation using key words like (magic, God, Bible, Christmas, Torah, etc). If the person reacts to any of these words, maybe this person believes a specific faith system (religion). At that point (after getting that person's trust, of course), ask or confirm what you believe that person's faith is. Then pray with him/her. It is pretty much shooting in the dark, but sometimes it works.

rants: pastor with no sheep

I can't let this one go. I've gone from having no idea what to do with my ordination to actually holding on to an old idea. I'd like to have a group of people whom I could help (spiritually or not) and maybe even establish an on-line church. Needless to say, all this will be lots of work and I might bail out at any given point. At the same time, I must remember that I've got a job that feeds my family. Therefore I'm in no hurry to give it up. Besides I somewhat enjoy it.

rants: spiritual guide

As much as I've tried to be a "spiritual guide" to someone, I haven't yet connected with anyone. It may all be a stupid dream or desire. I've even considered to have some sort of on-line ministry, but this is going nowhere regardless how much I pour my soul out. Then again, it's only been three weeks' time since I became ordained.

Needless to say, it was much easier when writing about wrestling (site no longer live) or computer systems. People would look for my information. Now in the case of saving souls, not many people look for my ideas (this blog). Perhaps I need to restructure my ideas (already in this blog) into a "real" website, but they might not necessarily translate properly in this other format.

Well by accepting my ordination, I became a "small time" minister. Now it's my responsibility to make the best of it. Perhaps it was a calling. Then again, it might have a foolish joke and now I must face the consequences -- its obligations as such.

rants: ordained minister

We all have rants that we don't let go and return to again and again. My current involves my ordination and weather or not I'm worthy of such.

Before I start my long rant, I must emphasize that I'm a minister of faith (every Christian's obligation to teach others about God) as emphasized by the Presbyterian Church. Am I betraying or mocking PC(USA) by accepting the ordination of ULC?

Said the latter, could asking for this ordination be a mistake -- a poor joke gone bitter or simply backfiring at me? After all, I wanted to be ordained, but was it a good idea?

Maybe wanting to be ordained and being ordained is matter of choice regardless how impure one may be. In such case, my desire to be an ordained minister (pastor) could have been enough to be ordained and take on such responsibility. Nonetheless I still believe that a pastor must have a degree in theology and follow the "correct" procedure to be a "real" pastor (seminary, church, ministry, etc).

Nonetheless, I feel I'm deceiving myself thinking I could be an ordained minister (ULC). Nonetheless I look for cheap excuses to justify my actions. I'm such a farce and this might all be a charade.

bad Christian boy

As a Christian, one must live with a pure a heart and renounce all sins. Needless to say, I haven't achieved this and I'm not sure if I ever could. I've done (not extremely) bad things in my life and some I still do. Everyday I fight to tame the demons in my head as I drown them with many pills every morning (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/08/what-if-my-whole-life-were-merely-dream.html). Nonetheless I still refer to myself as a Christian (not a Catholic anymore, Protestant perhaps; http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2009/03/catholic-or-presbyterian.html), go to church every Sunday, became a member of the church, served (helped) in the church, had my children baptized (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/01/about-seven-months-later.html), try to be a good person and even became an ordained minister early this month (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/09/two-years-later-such-charlatan-that-i.html).

shields up!

When talking to anyone of a different opinion, we normally protect ourselves from these foreign ideologies. These ideologies can be politics, religion or anything else we hold dear.

Said this, yesterday I spoke to a Lutheran pastor (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/08/walking-by-lutheran-church.html). We talked a bit about the differences between the Presbyterian and Lutheran practices. We both protected our beliefs against one another although we agreed on basic Christian concepts.

It's weird how undoubtedly Christianity's become heavily divided -- just like Judaism and Islam. The core beliefs are the same, but we all seem to believe what the true secondary beliefs are.

For example, is the Virgin Mary to be worshiped and/or considered holy? Most ironically, is Jesus really an extension (son) of God, 100% man and/or 100% God? Is the Holy Spirit another extension of God or something derived from God? Should musical instruments be played in church during the hymns? Should pastors marry and have children? Can a woman be a pastor and/or lead a ministry? Can anyone be a pastor or should that person study in a seminary (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/09/some-sort-of-ministry-what-now.html)? Well there are many more, but I don't have patience to find out what we claim as true and then list them all.

some sort of ministry: what now?

So now (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/09/two-years-later-such-charlatan-that-i.html) I'm an ordained non-denominational (yet Christian) minister as per ULC, but a registered member in PC(USA). I guess now I should start some sort of ministry.

From a practical point of view, we're all ministers of faith and hence hold a ministry teaching our children about God. An ordained minister (pastor) is someone who's studied enough to teach others in a more profound manner.

In my case, I haven't studied enough. Regardless how much I constantly read, I know so little. Being a pastor remains a big commitment and responsibility to me at least. Nonetheless I'm seriously considering getting my identifications and other documentation from ULC to prove myself (more than to others) that I've been ordained.

reading

I've been reading what it means to be an ordained minister and also about the various differences between Christian denominations and in some cases other religious systems all together (traditions, rites, ideologies, etc; for example, http://www.ulc.org/training-education/6-baptism/72-baptism-overview). From all the religious material that I've read in the past decade or so, coming to a non-denominational church website has helped me most to understand the different ideologies in Christianity.

What does this all mean in my twisted mind? Am I becoming a better person, a better Christian or a "real" ordained minister? Does all this mean that I betrayed the church I go to? Am I still Catholic? Did I become Presbyterian? Did I join the Universal Life Church unknowingly?

I don't bloody know and I'm so bloody confused right now with my beliefs (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/09/more-confused-than-usual-minister.html)!