We often try to complicate the call. Sometimes we spend more time and energy trying to figure out the where and how of ministry and less time and energy on our primary calling. Obviously the where and how are important, but it seems to me that if we will concentrate on following God’s heart and investing in others that the where and how will be easier to discern.
Several wrote that a young leader should “leave his ego at home” or something similar. I agree with that too, but I think the issue here is more of the motivation of a person’s heart, not in their objective. There is nothing is wrong with a person wanting to grow in their leadership and influence, provided their motivation is for good and God’s glory, not their own. I do not think there is anything wrong with a young leader desiring to improve his or her skills as a leader or in their desire to become the best leader he or she can be. In fact, I would encourage it. We approve of this ideology in other fields, such as the area of sports, so why not in the area of leadership?
Sometimes we keep doing what we are doing because God called us to do it, not because we are popular, the work is easy, or even that we are being well received at the time. Being obedient to the call of God is sometimes painful, unpopular, difficult, and seemingly unrewarded (at the time).
Most pastors I know have great hearts for ministry, but don’t always have the tools to move the organization of the church forward. Unfortunately, some of what we experience in the real church world is not taught extensively, if any, in most seminaries.
Ultimately God’s call is on a person’s heart. He wants control of our complete heart. That’s true of every believer. For the one who is called to vocational ministry, however, God wants our dependence on Him for financial support.
Everything has changed. Now a person who senses a call to vocational ministry has a huge range of choices available.
I received an email from an Internet friend via my other ministry site (www.mustardseedministry.com) asking me how I determine if what I am doing is within the plans God has for me. Here’s my quick reply to him for knowing you are within God’s plans for your life:
Tweet If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you,…
Tweet So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to…
Tweet “announce now to the people, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.”” so twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. Judges 7:3 NIV …
