Do I have a calling from God? Yes!
All of us are called by God. Peter says it this way: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
But the Bible also makes clear that God chooses some people for specific ministries in His church:
“It was he [God] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV)
To what kinds of ministry does God call people?
People have sensed God calling them to various kinds of professional ministry roles, such as: Pastor, Associate Pastor, Missionary, Teacher, Minister of Children, Youth, Adult, or Senior Adult Ministries, Administration, Compassionate Ministries, and many others!
Am I being called by God?
Martin Wells Knapp wrote years ago in his book, Impressions, that impressions can come from various sources, such as: God, others, yourself and even Satan!
Thus, we are called to evaluate the impression, as Scripture has said, “evaluate the spirits to see whether they are from God” – 1 John 4:1 (NIV)
In the book, Rev. Knapp encourages us to ask the following four questions about any impression we receive:
- Is it Scriptural? (the most important question!)
- Is it morally Right?
- Does God Providentially open the door for that course of action?
- Is it Reasonable – does it fit in with the way God works?
How Can I Tell if I’m Called to a Specific Ministry?
- Confirmation through Scripture
- Confirmation through Prayer
- The guidance of the Holy Spirit
- Presence of Gifts & Graces in your life appropriate for the ministry
- Fruit from your Ministry
- Passion for the Ministry
- The Affirmation of the Church Body
What Should I Do If I Think I’m Called?
- Read & Study Scripture
- Pray
- Keep a Journal
- Get involved in a Ministry
- Ask Someone to Mentor You
- Seek Training
- Examine Your Motivation
A great book for young people who think God may be calling them:
Call Waiting: Connect with God’s Plan for Your Future, by Doug Samples,
Beacon Hill Press (Out of print, but available from Amazon.com)