The Dark Side of the Church Ushers

By Walter Stackhouse

We, as church ushers, deal with people from all walks of life. Before we were church ushers, we were those people from all walks of life. Each chapter titled deals with something that can be apart or affect our life. Even as church ushers, we can be troubled in our soul, in despair, have jealousy, envy, and some have issues of a dark past. Some chapters might define how some who usher are; in spite of what will be read, there are many genuine church ushers. No two are alike, and each one is a different individual.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781644685495

Book preview

Usherology: The Dark Nights of the Soul

What could be dark nights of the soul? Sometimes this same topic has a lot to do with many people who are Christians. Could it be that this same topic affects the very select of the church? What happens when bad times come? What happens when the dark night of the soul roll in?

The dark nights represent our trials and tribulations that come upon us when we are not obedient to God. Dark nights of the soul can happen when we don’t trust in God. It happens mainly when we rely on ourselves and others when we know we are to trust in the Lord. This dark night of the soul happen we are not committed to whatever we say, whatever we are doing for the Glory of God. It happens when we are not sincere in what we do. All of his will lead you to vainglory. Sometimes issues will come that will trouble you, test you and try your faith.

These are trials and tribulations. At some point, everyone will be tested.

The dark night of the soul comes about when you are troubled in your conscious mind. It is not a case of something being wrong with one’s mental processes or sanity.

The trouble in one’s mind is real, and the dark nights of the soul are real in a person’s soul. Today, we as Christians in the church sometimes cause our dark night of the soul. We demand things that are not really important. We, as Christians sometimes, make things hard when the solutions are a matter of simplifying.

Sometimes things we demand are material which may or may not make us look good. No matter what the outcome, good or bad, we demand it. Some of us are children of the dark. This statement represents those who walk in darkness. Those who walk in the darkness will not come to the light.

Here is where the dark nights of the soul begin. The way Christians are to be is an image of light, not darkness. All emulate the likeness of Jesus Christ who is the Light of the World. Let’s go deeper with this. All men are made in the image of God the Father. They are to emulate the likeness of Jesus Christ, the Son who is the light of this world.

This should be embedded in your mind, heart, and soul. Although Christians have good qualities, there are some with bad qualities, know this.

Dark nights of the soul cannot overcome the Light of the World. There is no failure in Jesus Christ. The failure is in us when we don’t obey Him. Christians who are uncooperative or just don’t understand, keep stuff in an uproar. I have said before, could dark nights of the soul apply only to us? No. Dark night of the souls apply to anyone who is having trials and tribulations. Because we believe in God and accept Jesus.

Christ, the Son of God and Savior, does not mean we are free of trials and tribulations. Whether you are a sinner, saint or Christian, there will be trials and tribulations. Whether the works we do be good or bad, the trials and tribulations will come. And these are the dark nights of the soul.

One should remember in the midst of the dark nights of the soul that there is hope. Jesus Christ gives light to the darkness of the soul, because He reins on the just as well as the unjust. We live in a world of imperfections. We are not perfect. Sometimes things trouble us and cause us to have dark nights of the soul.

As Christians, we should realize that it pleases God to subject us for a while to things like vanity, and the bondage of corruption. It is hard for those who would walk in darkness to believe that Jesus Christ, redeemer of all mankind came, abided, died, and rose on the third day.

Folks are not by themselves in their belief. It is the same now as it was back then, some believed, and some will fall for disbelief. Nonbelief will lead people to dark nights of the soul. There are those who have many gifts, who will never use these gifts to the fullest because of those who have dark nights of the soul. Many who are Christians have this problem.

When they hear something that’s meant of the betterment of their selves, it’s like the good that was said vexes their minds. When understanding is required, it seems like what was said, was rational and reasonable but with some of the knowledge of being rational or reasonable vexes their understanding. Without focus on Jesus Christ, one’s focus on worldly things and activities. They forget where the focus should be. Their attempts to do are not sincere. They only appear sincere.

We cannot be partakers in the darkness and serve in the light, those who do service of this nature must come to the light. To those who walk in darkness while trying to do good. The dark nights of your soul has caused you to be reprobate in the conscious mind. It has caused you to become a castaway, which is thrown out and without change. You are destined to total nothingness in Jesus Christ.

As Christians, some of the things in the dark nights of the soul can be reversed. You must learn to consider others, instead of self. Then one can do selfless service and it will be done for the greater Glory of God. You must learn that one who is a Christian must be at peace when they worship.

You must learn if you are a Christian, you are to emulate the likeness of Jesus Christ and that means accepting His ways and not ours. Those who are genuine have a light about them as written in Matthew 5:16. Let your light so shine so that men can see you good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.

Now, understand this. It did not say, Make it shine. It did not say, Basic, shabby, or bad works. It said, Good works.

Anything lesser or what is said in Matthew 5:16, God is not being glorified. To make things worse, we are not emulating the likeness of Jesus Christ. You must also learn to be obedient, cooperative and to do as required.

Christians are Children of the Light. You should have light days in your soul. You should always walk in the light, which is Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. So when the dark nights of the soul come, then they won’t bother you so bad.

So therefore, trials and tribulations will come for anyone, sinner or saint. Those who don’t know Jesus Christ cannot understand that their dark nights of the soul are just trials and tribulations because of lack of knowledge of the spiritual matters. They cannot see that trials and tribulations are a test of one’s faith.

Instead of seeing these trials and tribulations as a test of faith, they see it as dark nights of the soul. I say unto you, believe in Jesus Christ and don’t let the dark things that exist in this world of darkness cause you to have dark nights of the soul. You must see the trials and tribulations in your life as a test of your faith.

A Dark Road of Despair

What is this "Dark Road of Despair?

This occurs when someone decides to walk in darkness of this world. They turn their back on Jesus Christ and accept all the things that the god of this age has to offer them on the dark road of despair. Do not confuse the dark night of the soul with the dark road of despair. Remember, dark night of the soul is the trials and tribulations that come. The dark road of despair is about when someone choses to walk in darkness with the god of this age and accept every offer he has to offer; the dark road of despair can be making bad choices. It is when one rejects all the choices. What we will find on the dark road of despair, you will find people with reprobate mind and you will see all unrighteousness, fornication wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, enviousness, murders, debate, deceit, malignancy, gossips, backbiting hatred of God, despiteful, proud, boastful, disobedient and inventors of evil.

Those without understanding, covenant breakers, those who have no natural affection, implacable and unmerciful. All this awaits those who chose to walk on the dark road of despair. So therefore, those who are on the dark road of despair follow the god of this age and live up to everything mentioned here.

You will know them when you see them because they hear but won’t listen. They disregard the existence of the truth in the Scriptures. There are many Christians who travel with the god of this age on the dark road of despair. Why?

Simply because all Christians are not one in the body of Christ, when they do the things that are mentioned here. Sometimes those who are Christians secretly do things that they know are wrong. But yet they say, They are all to be one in the body of Christ if they were, they would follow peace and holiness with all men, holiness without. No man will see the Lord. So therefore, those who walk in darkness are on the dark road of despair. They try to fit in, but the darkness has encamped around them in their conscious mind. They are once on the dark road of despair. They have forgotten that the darkness cannot overcome the light or comprehend it. So therefore, the dark road of despair means total nothingness to me.

Christians sometimes think they are too good to attend other church activities or their worship services. They need to consider man’s dictates or what God’s word says. Only one is right, so Christians who just want to sit in their church and just follow the Pastor the places he wants to go are not walking in the light. When men talk crazy talk contrary to the Bible, that’s man’s dictates and is not the mind-set of a Christian. The mind-set of a Christian is to fellowship with one another. If anything is said different and they are trying to discourage you, they themselves are on the dark road of despair. At this point, let me make one thing clear. Those are sinners, who walk in darkness on the dark road of despair.

Christians walk in the light, which is Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. Those who say they have a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, and try walking in the light, when they knowingly are walking in darkness are hypocrites. They are