Besides these factors, there is the simple matter of training. If one
studies to be a preacher, then that becomes what he knows how to do in
order
to make a living, so if he later becomes discontented with his job or
skeptical about the premises his profession is based on, he may feel that
he
has no choice except to stick with it, because he just doesn't have the
qualifications for other jobs. This was what happened to me. I trained
to
be a preacher, but when I lost my confidence in the Bible and found it
intolerable to remain in that profession, I had to confront the problem
of
training for something else. This is a frustrating situation that some
preachers may choose to avoid, especially if their discontent happens at
an
age when they know it is unlikely that there would be a demand for them
in
other professions. In my case, I chose to retrain, and this involved
returning to college for a year and a half with the responsibility of a
family to care for. I handled this problem by taking student loans and
working at whatever odd jobs were posted each day on the college bulletin
boards, but this was not a very pleasant time in my life. It took me
years
to pay back the loans and recover financially. Does Michael think it is
unlikely that some would just choose to remain in their preaching
positions
rather than confront the retraining problem?
McDonald 7/4
I have known very few preachers in my life who had no other skills than
preaching. My dad sold insurance, worked a farm and was a teacher in
addition to his skills as a preacher. I have sold insurance, I have been
(and still am) a cop. I have worked security. I have worked
construction. I have training in retail management and sales.
I have been a machinist. I have been a boiler techician. There are many
things I could do if I found myself without a place to preach. Most of
us came from some field when when we began preaching and I dare say that
we could go back to that field(s) if we couldn't preach. So the delimma
isn't as dark as you attempt to make out to be. We don't all stay in
preaching simply because we are afraid of the future. Ian generalized
all preachers by what some do. You have even done this in the past. I
will admit that there may be preachers even in the church of Christ which
are only there to make a living, but not all of us (or even the most of
us) are like that. As I said, most of us barely keep our noses above
water. Most of us preach because we are dedicated to the cause. But
maybe we are seeing more of the reasons why you quit in the first place;
it wasn't something you could make a good living at (at least the kind of
living you wanted to make)...huh!
In Christ's Service,
Jerry D. McDonald
jerrydmcdonald@juno.com