The Slanderer Tried to Stop Me! 9-16-25

Licensed in August, 2000

Called and Confirmed Evangelist

I said the Lord called and qualified my and I knew who I was, but the Lord had another plan; In the world system it would be difficult to do certain things without being licensed.  The call/office of evangelist was not only recognized by others, but it was easily recognized by me.

The passionate zeal to tell everybody about the Gospel of Jesus Christ whenever and wherever was quite evident.  Before going any further with the message, it is important to share with you that I never thought about being licensed into ministry. I said the Lord called and qualified my and I knew who I was, but the Lord had another plan; In the world system it would be difficult to do certain things without being licensed. 

After relocating back to Greensboro in July 1994, (this is a long story, so I’ll move forward). I became of a member of a church thirty miles away; the pastor and his family also lived in Greensboro; his deceased wife and my parents were friends. I became his personal driver to visit members in their homes, nursing homes, and hospitals, we traveled many places together and on Albert’s off days, he traveled with us. The pastor would pray for whomever we visited and then he would tell Albert and me to pray (this was such an act of humility).

During these  long trips which were about one hundred miles round trip; sometimes even more, I dominated the conversation talking about the Word of God – evangelist! After being at that church for five years, the pastor asked the moderator of the association that the church was a part of if he could arrange for me to be licensed through that association as an evangelist. The moderator agreed to ask the board.

A few weeks later the moderator was preaching at a revival, and I had planned to go. On that very day, the Spirit had spoken and said whatever the moderator said to accept it.

Back up- my mother was  recuperating from colon cancer surgery and I would drive her to Bible study. The church had a new pastor and we had conversations; I told him what my call was and if I didn’t get licensed, I was going to move on. The pastor said he saw the call on me and he would have no problem licensing me.

Fast forward- the night I went to the revival, after the service the moderator talked to me and said the board of that association did not approve. He said this: “Sister, if you know the Lord called you to be an evangelist, shake the dust from your feet”

This is the sad part, all the ministers had reverend attached to their names; that is not the five ministry offices. I didn’t feel bad because they didn’t agree to license me; how would they understand my ministry when they didn’t understand their own. That’s the same way in the church today with all these leaders calling themselves reverend.

The very next Sunday, I announced to the church that my membership was over. My pastor was not pleased, but we aired things out after explaining it was God’s doing. As a matter of fact, my former pastor did the introduction at my initial sermon.

He said, “This is not the first time for Betty preaching, when we went places, she preached all the way there and all the way back.” His church choir came to the service and rendered a few songs. Some of my family and friends came from Lawnside, Camden, Philadelphia, Yeadon, PA, New York, and surrounding towns to support and encourage me.

However, a few days before the sermon my name was slandered throughout the community; flyers had been circulated about me being licensed into ministry, the announcement was on the church marque.

This is what the devil did. The situation really looked bad- What the devil meant for evil, God turned it around for my good and for the good of all those He has placed in my life to serve. BUT GOD, nobody but GOD could turn the situation around. The devil thought he had defeated me, but my God intervened and no devil could stop His plan. That’s my testimony to God’s glory! Hallelujah!

Take away- Although my call as evangelist was evident in 1990, it was August 2000 before I was licensed into ministry. Whatever your ministry is, wait on it (Romans 12:7).

His handmaiden, Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org