"The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." - John 6:63

In many church organizations, the Watchtower Society and other so called Christian sects, persons who give good talks, are gifted in teaching and speaking, those who excel at preaching, reading and explaining the deeper theology are looked on as spiritual giants. This applies ever more to those higher up the organizational ladder. Pioneers, Ministerial Servants, Elders, Circuit Overseers, District Overseers, Zone Overseers, Bethelites, and the list goes on, are all considered far more spiritual than the "nobody" publisher who misses 3 out of 4 meetings and is scarcely seen in the field service preaching work. And when seen, either at a meeting or out in field service, the lack of participation, the inadequacy to explain the theological and organizational beliefs are judged by others to be of a lack of spiritually from a spiritually weak person.

According to Paul's words to the Corinthians:

"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Education

The Watchtower's Downplay On Education

In no way did Paul imply that a person should not be educated, nor putting works of sacrifice ahead of living a balanced and just way of life. Weakness represents humility, empathy and reliance-faith on God. God used Paul, an educated and brilliant man to do his work, but only

Nowhere is it written or required that we must be theologically trained to know and serve God.

Nowhere is it required we must hold back on education to know and serve God.

when Paul put away his strengths and became weak with faith and reliance on God, allowing God to give Paul his Spirit, the spiritual strength that is stronger than all.

It's true that God used many who were totally "unschooled" and "ordinary" to do his work and achieve his purpose, but never did he or any inspired writer encourage or require people not to be educated. To use this principle of weakness implying that it is more in line with God to be unlettered, unschooled and ordinary as to preach to people theology and as the Watchtower Society strongly suggests to "only go to college with the goal of pioneering in view" with the emphasis on works of sacrifice, especially that of a religious human organization, is to put man made interpretations ahead of humility and faith, "going beyond the things written," "making the word of God invalid."

To suggest this or or not to gain education as being in line with God, is both unbalanced and unfair to each individual's God given freedom. It would be far better to be educated and live a life of humility, resting from works of sacrifice and putting faith with individual works of love towards others as a way of life and thus relying on God. (1 Corinthians 4:6; Mark 7:13; Acts 4:12)

Christendom's Theological Requirements To Become A Pastor

Our strength, our theology and our truth does not come from theological universities, seminary schools, institutes and training centers, nor does our intimacy with God does not come from pastoral conventions with theological directives, and organizational achievements. But our strength, theology and truth does come from God's Holy Spirit anointing us, "transforming" us, as "new creatures" in Christ. In turn, our "letters," are the fruitage of those who have received this truth from us and are also walking in this truth.

"Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." 2 Corinthians 3:1-6

"It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us." 2 John 1:4

This is not to be negative on theological training and seminary colleges, for they can be extremely beneficial, helpful and faith building. The knowledge they impart can be used to bring many people to both learn about God and further their personal knowledge to form an intimate and personal relationship, learning from God, as the Spirit dwells within them. Seminary school can be a wonderful experience, bringing growth and wisdom, providing the knowledge is put secondary to the Spirit of God, with our faith, humility and compassion towards our fellow man. When this balance is achieved a wonderful combination of God supplied strength and his use of our knowledge occurs, just as God used Apostle Paul.

Pastor and theologian, John W. Frye, explains:

"Relationship dynamics are much more foundational for pastoral effectiveness than are educational factors. Pastoring is primarily about God and then people, not about seminary classes and earned degrees."

"Where did Jesus resource his pastoral vision? Not in the accumulation of academic wisdom, good as it was, but in revelation promise (the Scriptures) and appropriated power (the Spirit)."

"Relying on and living in the power of the Spirit, pastors find that all the other resources on which they previously leaned for competent and effective ministry find the proper place in their life. Their personal history becomes significant within God's story of grace, their education becomes a tool rather that the base of ministry, their giftedness as a communicator becomes and avenue for bringing God himself to people and not just God's truth. This is the kind of pastor I long to be and little by little am becoming." (2)

What kind of people did God use in the past as recorded in the bible? Were they all impressive educated people, trained in seminary and theological instruction? No. Were they all gifted speakers and teachers? No. Were they all properly dressed and groomed? No. Were any of them weird, strange and even a little bit wacky? Yes. They proved it was God who was speaking through them. Regarding the prophets of God, theologian, Jack Deere relates:

"Some prophets can come in very ordinary packages-like a carpenter's son who did nothing noteworthy in public until he was thirty years old. Other prophets may not be so ordinary. They may be poor public speakers, uneducated, and may even be a little weird. They can be depressive (Jeremiah), have bad attitudes (Jonah), be subject to mood swings (Elijah), mystical (Ezekiel), have a tendency to go naked for long periods of time (Isaiah), marry a prostitute (Hosea), talk to donkeys (Balaam), travel by marine mammal (Jonah again), lie in order to get out of trouble (Abraham), be a vegetarian (Daniel), wear unusual clothes (John the Baptist), get mad at God and refuse to answer him (Jonah again), argue with God (Habakkuk), or have peculiar eating habits (John the Baptist again). In short don't judge the prophet by the package. If you do, you may miss out on the blessings of prophetic ministry.

Besides coming in sometimes peculiar packages prophets may have some peculiar methods of ministry. On some occasions a prophet may need to hear music before he can minister prophetically (Elisha, 2 Kings 3:15ff.). I know some prophetic people who don't see things until they shake your hand your lay hands on you to pray for you. Some prophets may use strange symbolism. Elisha told King Jehoash to strike the ground with some arrows. Jehoash struck the ground three times and stopped. Eisha was angry with Jehoash and said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times" (2 Kings 13:19). How as Jehoash supposed to have discerned the meaning of Elisha's symbolism" Or how about the linen belt that Jeremiah buried and then later retrieved when it was ruined" It was meant as a symbol of Israel's and Judah's ruin. (Jer 13:1-11). The religious people however just though Jeremiah was being eccentric and negative. Even these kinds of symbolic actions were mild in comparison with Isaiah's three-year period of nakedness (Isaiah 20:2-2) or Hosea marrying a practicing prostitute (Hosea 1:2). (3)

In the end, aren't we all fools, really? What were we before Christ redeemed us, if not fools? Were we wise for rejecting Christ all those years? If we are not now fools, it is because of him, not us. The wisest people are those who admit they are fools apart from God's wisdom. When God gave the wisest man on earth, Solomon, permission to ask him for anything, Solomon asked for wisdom. His reason for the request, "I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties." (1 Kings 3:7)

It doesn't really bother God that you and I are foolish, for he "chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise." (1 Cor 1:27) He doesn't mind us being fools, because he has a wisdom to give us that is not from this world. Every servant who has ever heard God's voice in a remarkable way has appeared a fool before the world. Noah built a useless ark. Jeremiah prophesied a Babylonian captivity for Judah when it appeared certain that Egypt would rescue Judah. Isaiah went naked for three years, and Hosea married a prostitute. Is it any wonder that Hosea could write "the prophet is considered a fool?" (Hosea 9:7) Even the apostles were made to look like "fools for Christ" in the world's eyes. ( 1 Cor 4:10) If all of God's great servants were fools apart from him, and were made to appear as fools after they came into his service, why should it be any different with us? Wouldn't we be better off just to admit we are fools and that we are going to look foolish by worldly standards? Remember Paul's warning, "Do not deceive yourselves, if any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a fool so that he my become wise." (1 Cor 3:18)(4)

Moses

Moses spent the first 40 years of his life as the son of the pharaohs daughter. He was part of Egypt's aristocracy, educated and finished in the best Egyptian schools, competent and adequate for anything. He was a somebody, as Saul of Tarsus was one. Moses was an important man, looked up by man and admired as royalty in the Egyptian culture. Apparently, deep inside the teaching of the God of the Hebrews, YHWH, had been instilled in him, most like from his mother, Jochebed, who both saved his life from death, hid him, had him found, nursed him and instilled a love for God, that carried with him his entire life. So Moses gave up all that he had, the rich lifestyle, the "temporary enjoyment of sins," the comfort and security of both city life and royalty at that. He gave all this up. Yet it took 40 years of living out in the wilderness in the backside of the desert, to fully break down his confidence and humble him. He had been ground down and diminished until he had nothing left to give. He was a has-been, a tired, worn down, weak man who lacked confidence. Another wards he was just about at the point where God could actually use him. He now became a weak man, a nobody, a man who would not rely on his own abilities and strengths, who would humbly rely on God for strength. This of course, would require faith.

When God approached Moses and commissioned him to speak to the Pharaoh, Moses inadequacy and lack of self confidence could be seen in his response:

"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" Exodus 3:11

God's answer:

"I will be with you." Exodus 3:12

It doesn't matter who we are. what matters is that God's spirit dwells within us. And when Moses said:

"O Yahweh, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." Exodus 4:10

God's answer was:

"Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? Exodus 4:11

After 40 years in the wilderness, a man slow in speech, weak in strength and lacking confidence in his own abilities, God was now ready to use him.

God's way of reestablishing Moses sense of worth, unlike our way, was not to list his assets, abilities and strengths, but, instead God did so with his presence, as he told Moses: "I will be with you!"

Elijah

Elijah was a man of incompetence and that is why God used him. Here was a man known as a "lord of hair" who lived in a desolate and remote land called Tishbe. Anotherwards he was like a "hick" who lived in the canyons, forests with vast emptiness and solitude. He was basically a nobody. He was a bumpkin-unkempt, unpolished, uneducated, unaccustomed to the manners and ways of the court, a man weak where we are weak, tempted where we are tempted, a simple man from the wrong side of the the Jordan. And for this God found him fit to use, as perhaps one of the greatest prophets recorded in the Hebrew scriptures. (2 Kings 1:8) As Paul writes:

"Not that we are competent to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent." 2 Corinthians 3:5-6

As Jesus put it:

"The flesh (human effort and abilities) counts for nothing." John 6:63

God doesn't look for men with abilities. Powerful people are bothersome, using their own strength and weight, being overly optimistic and confident about their abilities, acting overly fearless, invincible, all-knowing, blatantly self-generating, and getting in God's way. This is why "the flesh (human abilities) count for nothing with God and instead he looks for the weak.

Gideon

Gideon described himself as the "least" in his household, meaning small and unimportant. Gideon was another nobody and unimportant. (Judges 6:15)

For seven years Israel has endured the humiliation of periodic raids as waves of Bedouin on camels had swept across the country side, raping, pillaging, and ruining what they could not carry away. "Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried on to God for help." (Judges 6:6)

Apparently, God heard Israel's prayers for help and came down in the form of an angel. And who did he select to speak to and perform his service to aid the nation of Israel? Gideon, the nobody. When he approached Gideon, he was actually hiding in a winepress, hunched down in a hollow in the rocks, beating out wheat with a stick, improvising to save his grain crop from the marauding Midianites. The angel said to Gideon:

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, `Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian. The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" Judges 6:12-14

The little man who described himself as the "least," then angrily questioned God's justice, and rightly so. God's answer was not to get insulted at Gideon but instead take this weak and unimportant man and give him the strength of his spirit, for Gideon had no strength of his own. What made Gideon strong was his weakness:

"But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together." Judges 6:15-16

Gideon was not just the "least in his family," but he was willing to admit it and cast himself on God for strength. For this reason, he was both suitable and used by God for strength.

Jeremiah

As with Moses, Elijah, and Gideon, in the case of Jeremiah, times were bad and evil was all around. In this case, Jeremiah was just a boy, being both young, weak, and immature. Notice what went down:

"Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, `I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth." Jeremiah 1:6-9

Here again is the case of a weak insufficient person being used to stop an entire nation from doing wrong. A boy who is weak is going to stop a nation. Does that make sense? He even makes admission of his weakness and incompetence. He was neither a gifted speaker, nor a theologian. He was not some kind of Pioneer preacher, nor did he meet the requirements of some human religious organization. He didn't go to meetings or have bible studies. His asset was his willingness to rely on God. And for this God gave him his strength. God was with him, He selected him, not an elder or ministerial servant, but just a mere boy who relied on God.

This account is also evidence that as weak, young and small as we might be, if we are willing to rely on God and not ourselves, he will use us. We may be a mere boy, small, incapable on our own to give good talks, preach elaborate theology, dress the dress, walk the walk and talk the talk, but it's our humility, our weakness, our willingness to rely on God for strength that enables us to used by God for his purposes. We can put away our lack of confidence, knowing that it is not the Circuit Overseers and Elders who give deep numerical explanations of the book of Daniel, nor Pioneers who preach 1000 hours per year with memorized, detailed presentations that God looks for to use and instead we should know that God looks for the humble people that are not on some type of spiritual pedestal, but those low down on the bottom, not even on the first rudder of the organizational ladder and even looked down upon by those righteous ones in a congregation, for it's the mere humble, small and weak man that makes the perfect candidate for God to use. No handicaps, disabilities or impairments will stop God and as some may consider them accidents in life, they can act as God designed, used especially for God's purpose.

Amos

Tekos is the birthplace of Amos. It is a wilderness place where nomads lived, where the Bedouin camps, nomads and vagabonds roam, a wasteland of a place with wild animals. Amos tells us he was a herdsman or sheepbreeder. The word used for "sheep" has to do with a certain strain of sheep, noted for their fine wool and bred only in the desert. They were hardy and rugged-the only kind that could live in such a place.

To further support his low meager income, Amos tells us he was also a "gatherer of sycamore fruit." The word is a "nipper," he was a nipper of sycamores. The type of sycamores there, were an inferior type that did not ripen easily and the nipper treatment was used to quicken the ripening. This man was a fruit picker and sheep herdsman from a wilderness area. This man was a total "hick," a country, uneducated, unstylish, man with a complete lack of etiquette that existed in the city of Bethel, the city God commanded him to go and preach to.

Bethel was a sophisticated place where certain etiquette and style of speaking and preaching was done. And here comes Amos from out from nowhere, uneducated, dressed differently and just a foreign country fool. And here he comes, preaching God's message to the people. It appeared that people came to see him for amusement but ended up in anger, as Amos, despite speaking uneducated, clearly got God's message of his future punishment of Israel's sin, across to the people.

This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king's share had been harvested and just as the second crop was coming up. When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, "Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!" So the LORD relented. "This will not happen," the LORD said. This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: The Sovereign LORD was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. Then I cried out, "Sovereign LORD, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!" So the LORD relented. "This will not happen either," the Sovereign LORD said. This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" "A plumb line," I replied. Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. "The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam." Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: "Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. For this is what Amos is saying: "`Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.'" Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don't prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom." Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, `Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' Now then, hear the word of the LORD. You say, "`Do not prophesy against Israel, and stop preaching against the house of Isaac.' "Therefore this is what the LORD says: "`Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagan[1] country. And Israel will certainly go into exile, away from their native land.'" Amos 17:1-17

Wise, educated and false priest, Amaziah, the hired man of the King and false religious leaders, is used to get rid of this fool, Amos:

"Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don't prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom." Amos 17:12-13

Amos response is that his words are from God, regardless of his appearance at Bethel and at the royal and sophisticated sanctuary of the King and his servants.

Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, `Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

And so it goes, with another of God's prophets being a small weak man but powerful with God's Spirit. We too, do not need to rely on our own strengths when we have God, for he instructs us, we follow, and his Spirit gives us the strength.

Apostle Paul

The people God looks for are those who do not rely on their own credentials or abilities, but rely on him and are given the power strength and courage as God works through them. Many, if not most, of the people in the bible, were weak, uneducated, "unlettered and ordinary people, as the 12 apostles of Jesus were.

Then there comes the exception, Saul of Tarsus, who later became the Apostle Paul. This man was a somebody. He was a highly educated man, both a lawyer and a Pharisee trained from the feet of Gamaliel the most prestigious of the Pharisees. God also used this righteous strong man in a large way. For many it seems, what took Moses 40 years out in the wilderness, to become worn down and lose his prestige and strengths, appears to have taken Paul only a short trip to Damascus. But in reality, it took Paul three years alone with God in the desert of Arabia to gain his humility and begin the thrust of his ministry activity. But was Paul entirely separated from his former legalistic ways? As he became weak and allowed God's spirit to make him strong, did he at times revert back to the flesh? This may have been the "war that was within him." But despite this possibility, Paul was truly a man who gave up his strengths, becoming weak, gaining God's Spirit and becoming strong. (Acts 4:13)

"But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth." 2 Timothy 4:17

"When I am weak, I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

Paul had to learn to be weak. When he became this, God was ready to use him.