Ministry Calling by Pete BriscoeSampel

The Fallacy of Calls to Ministry

I do not consecrate myself to be a missionary or a preacher. I consecrate myself to God to do His will where I am, be it in school, office, or kitchen, or wherever He may, in His wisdom, send me. — Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life

In evangelical culture, we hear a lot about “calls to ministry.” Some have stories of being called to preach at age 16. Others say God put an area of ministry on their heart. They call it their “burning bush moment.”

As we listen to these incredible stories, we may start to believe that God doesn’t have anything special for us—especially if we haven’t had a burning bush moment of our own.

Thankfully, God tells us otherwise in Paul’s letter to Ephesus:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

We’re God’s kids, and He loves us. Like a parent gearing up for Christmas morning, He’s prepared opportunities for us to be His instruments—and He can’t wait for us to unwrap them!

So let’s not root ourselves in the fallacy that permeates evangelical culture. The fallacy that says, “All are called to serve, but only some are called to full-time ministry.”

That simply isn’t true, friends. If you define ministry as allowing Jesus to express Himself through us as God’s instruments, then you are called to full-time Christian service. If you’re in Christ, you’re in full-time ministry.

But how do we know what God has prepared for us individually?

My call came on a trip to the Philippines during a conversation with a minister facing persecution. I left that moment desiring to become a pastor. The conversation continued when the leader of our trip told me to become a missionary—because America had enough pastors.

When I returned home, my father suggested I become a mission-minded pastor. I loved that idea, so I enrolled in seminary. Then, after I finished, my wife and I had a conversation over lunch with a gentleman who invited us to what would be our church for nearly thirty years.

No, my call didn’t include any burning bushes. But it did include several intentional, burning conversations.

Jesus, if I’ve been living like ministry is only for full-time vocational ministers, open my heart to new possibilities. Bring along burning conversations—invitations to serve You with my whole life. Reveal to me the type of instrument You’ve prepared me to be. Amen.