The "Call" To Ministry
“Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his 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)
“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.” 2 Timothy 1:9–11 (NLT)
“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.” 2 Timothy 1:9–11 (NLT)
The idea of calling can be difficult to fully grasp. I believe that every follower of Jesus has a calling on their lives from God to fulfill their unique purpose. There are universal "calls" (for instance, to be holy or to share with the world the Good News of Christ) and there are specific callings that some leaders have to focused roles in furthering the movement of Jesus in His church.
Our prayer is that this page will encourage you to Define the Call, Discover The Call, Develop The Call, and Deploy The Call. If you are a younger person exploring God's call on your life there may be some moments when you or others are tempted to discount, dismiss, or discredit your calling because of your age. This will require wise counsel, prayer, and discernment as you seek to determine the Lord's voice and His will. Please keep in mind Paul's encouragement to a younger leader in Timothy ... “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)
To begin, we recommend you start with the A Work, Not A Job page from this website. Then return to this page and continue the process below ...
Five Signs God is Calling You into Ministry
One of the most satisfying yet demanding professions is Christian ministry. However, unlike other professions, we don’t choose Christian ministry, it is our Heavenly Father who chooses us. We believe that Jesus is the head of the Church, and it is He Himself who chooses who should enter full-time ministry. We shouldn't enter ministry on a whim or just on a desire to do good, or for financial gain. If we're not called, we will not have the grace nor the gifting to do it. As a result, we will be frustrated, the life of God will not be in it, and it will be just a job, without satisfaction. No one wants that! Someone with a calling to ministry, working another job, will be miserable. Someone not called to ministry, working in ministry, will be equally miserable. Since it is so important to become a minister only if we're called, the question is:
How do we know if we're "called"?
The Lord deals with us as individuals, so He doesn’t do the same thing with everyone. We all can have different experiences when we receive the calling to ministry. However, there are patterns that can be found in the life of people called to ministry. Ultimately, we'll know we are called by revelation, but here are five signs that can help us determine if we are called to ministry.
1. Those who are called to ministry receive their calling supernaturally.
Some people say that Jesus appeared to them to give them their calling – that is not most of us. Others say that they heard an audible voice about their calling – that is not most of us either. What most of us have is either an inner voice or conviction that pushes us to love, serve, and seek God, beyond that of others. Some may receive a prophetic word or prophetic confirmation, others may have a dream, or often God brings the conviction through the reading of Scripture. It is as if a verse related to the calling jumps out of the page and shakes us inside. These are the confirmations of the Holy Spirit within us. We don’t feel it only during a certain time of our lives. It's a conviction that never goes away. The calling of God marks us for the rest of our life. Whatever we do, we will feel it tugging inside. It is like a wind or current. Trying to go against it takes effort. It makes us feel bad and dissatisfied, with no peace. Going with it makes things more peaceful (not necessarily easier). There is an internal satisfaction and happiness that will come over our life.
2. Those who are called to ministry will serve (typically before they are called).
When we're wholeheartedly involved in serving in the local church we are more likely to be positioned to experience the call. No one has to push us; it isn't a burden. We do it because we want to serve God and do so responsibly and with joy.
3. Those who are called to ministry manifest a grace and gifts that are visible to others.
When we are called to ministry, there are supernatural gifts that will manifest in our lives. These gifts flow naturally and effortlessly. In fact, they may be so natural that we may not be aware we are flowing in this grace, but others will notice. People will notice our prayer life. When we preach the Gospel to others, we are effective. When we speak, people want to hear. We have a deeper understanding of the Scriptures. There is greater authority in our words. There is spiritual power and manifestations. All of these things will happen and grow throughout our lives. And let's be clear - NONE of this should puff us up or feed our ego. These are blessings from the Holy Spirit and not based on how good we are. Pride comes before a fall - so stay humble!
4. Those who are called to ministry are hardwired for the ministry they are called to.
Every ministerial calling was preordained by God before we were born. So when we were born, He “hardwired” us with certain characteristics that go with our calling. They are inseparable from us as people. Being a pastor is not simply to have the title of a pastor, or receiving a degree. Our personality, way of thinking, the way we conduct ourselves, etc., are all hardwired to our calling. For example, a pastor will look to care for others, and their style of leadership will reflect how the Holy Spirit has wired them. An evangelist cannot help but always think about winning souls. A teacher likes to study. A prophet hates evil and things that go against the will of God. An apostle will be driven to help more and more people grow and mature in the things of God. These are things that are not studied, they are a part of who we are.
5. Those who are called to ministry will have a great desire for God and the things of God.
There is no win in comparison so let's state that clearly right now. We're not about comparing ourselves to others but when we're called into full-time ministry there is a deep desire for what honors the Lord. We are willing to die to our desires and ourselves. We are willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. We are willing to seek out the will of God above our own will. We are willing to ask the Holy Spirit to convict us when we are wrong. We are willing to ask Him to deal with us in the area of holiness. Those who are called are willing to sacrifice ourselves for the purposes of God.
We'll wrap up this section by pointing out that other mature followers of Jesus will be able to sense by the Holy Spirit, or by the work of God through us, that we have a call. Do you have any mature Christian leaders that know you? Ask them and they may be able to help you out.
Has God called YOU into ministry? If that is the case, then get ready to die to yourself, but also get ready for the most fantastic adventure in faith, blessing, satisfaction, and power you can possibly experience in life. You have been given a wonderful gift, but now, it is time to prepare yourself for it!
Our prayer is that this page will encourage you to Define the Call, Discover The Call, Develop The Call, and Deploy The Call. If you are a younger person exploring God's call on your life there may be some moments when you or others are tempted to discount, dismiss, or discredit your calling because of your age. This will require wise counsel, prayer, and discernment as you seek to determine the Lord's voice and His will. Please keep in mind Paul's encouragement to a younger leader in Timothy ... “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)
To begin, we recommend you start with the A Work, Not A Job page from this website. Then return to this page and continue the process below ...
Five Signs God is Calling You into Ministry
One of the most satisfying yet demanding professions is Christian ministry. However, unlike other professions, we don’t choose Christian ministry, it is our Heavenly Father who chooses us. We believe that Jesus is the head of the Church, and it is He Himself who chooses who should enter full-time ministry. We shouldn't enter ministry on a whim or just on a desire to do good, or for financial gain. If we're not called, we will not have the grace nor the gifting to do it. As a result, we will be frustrated, the life of God will not be in it, and it will be just a job, without satisfaction. No one wants that! Someone with a calling to ministry, working another job, will be miserable. Someone not called to ministry, working in ministry, will be equally miserable. Since it is so important to become a minister only if we're called, the question is:
How do we know if we're "called"?
The Lord deals with us as individuals, so He doesn’t do the same thing with everyone. We all can have different experiences when we receive the calling to ministry. However, there are patterns that can be found in the life of people called to ministry. Ultimately, we'll know we are called by revelation, but here are five signs that can help us determine if we are called to ministry.
1. Those who are called to ministry receive their calling supernaturally.
Some people say that Jesus appeared to them to give them their calling – that is not most of us. Others say that they heard an audible voice about their calling – that is not most of us either. What most of us have is either an inner voice or conviction that pushes us to love, serve, and seek God, beyond that of others. Some may receive a prophetic word or prophetic confirmation, others may have a dream, or often God brings the conviction through the reading of Scripture. It is as if a verse related to the calling jumps out of the page and shakes us inside. These are the confirmations of the Holy Spirit within us. We don’t feel it only during a certain time of our lives. It's a conviction that never goes away. The calling of God marks us for the rest of our life. Whatever we do, we will feel it tugging inside. It is like a wind or current. Trying to go against it takes effort. It makes us feel bad and dissatisfied, with no peace. Going with it makes things more peaceful (not necessarily easier). There is an internal satisfaction and happiness that will come over our life.
2. Those who are called to ministry will serve (typically before they are called).
When we're wholeheartedly involved in serving in the local church we are more likely to be positioned to experience the call. No one has to push us; it isn't a burden. We do it because we want to serve God and do so responsibly and with joy.
3. Those who are called to ministry manifest a grace and gifts that are visible to others.
When we are called to ministry, there are supernatural gifts that will manifest in our lives. These gifts flow naturally and effortlessly. In fact, they may be so natural that we may not be aware we are flowing in this grace, but others will notice. People will notice our prayer life. When we preach the Gospel to others, we are effective. When we speak, people want to hear. We have a deeper understanding of the Scriptures. There is greater authority in our words. There is spiritual power and manifestations. All of these things will happen and grow throughout our lives. And let's be clear - NONE of this should puff us up or feed our ego. These are blessings from the Holy Spirit and not based on how good we are. Pride comes before a fall - so stay humble!
4. Those who are called to ministry are hardwired for the ministry they are called to.
Every ministerial calling was preordained by God before we were born. So when we were born, He “hardwired” us with certain characteristics that go with our calling. They are inseparable from us as people. Being a pastor is not simply to have the title of a pastor, or receiving a degree. Our personality, way of thinking, the way we conduct ourselves, etc., are all hardwired to our calling. For example, a pastor will look to care for others, and their style of leadership will reflect how the Holy Spirit has wired them. An evangelist cannot help but always think about winning souls. A teacher likes to study. A prophet hates evil and things that go against the will of God. An apostle will be driven to help more and more people grow and mature in the things of God. These are things that are not studied, they are a part of who we are.
5. Those who are called to ministry will have a great desire for God and the things of God.
There is no win in comparison so let's state that clearly right now. We're not about comparing ourselves to others but when we're called into full-time ministry there is a deep desire for what honors the Lord. We are willing to die to our desires and ourselves. We are willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. We are willing to seek out the will of God above our own will. We are willing to ask the Holy Spirit to convict us when we are wrong. We are willing to ask Him to deal with us in the area of holiness. Those who are called are willing to sacrifice ourselves for the purposes of God.
We'll wrap up this section by pointing out that other mature followers of Jesus will be able to sense by the Holy Spirit, or by the work of God through us, that we have a call. Do you have any mature Christian leaders that know you? Ask them and they may be able to help you out.
Has God called YOU into ministry? If that is the case, then get ready to die to yourself, but also get ready for the most fantastic adventure in faith, blessing, satisfaction, and power you can possibly experience in life. You have been given a wonderful gift, but now, it is time to prepare yourself for it!
I have found the content below, written by Ruth Haley Barton in her book, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry to be insightful when considering the Spirituality of Calling ...
Our calling is inextricably interwoven with our human situation and our personal history. When God calls, it is a very big deal. It is holy ground. It produces within us such reverence and awe that it is hard to know what to do with ourselves. Finally the whole of our life begins to make sense, and new awareness of the divine orchestration that has brought us to this moment makes us want to "take off our shoes" or fall on our face or maybe even argue with God about the improbability of it all (see Exodus 3 for the story of Moses' calling). But no matter how much we may want to resist, the landscape of our life has opened up. Every single thing that didn’t make sense when it happened, that seemed too harsh or too random or too shameful, now finds its place in the storyline that brought us here. We “see” with new eyes that God’s call on our life is so tightly woven into the fabric of our being, so core to who we are, that to ignore it or to refuse it would be to jeopardize our well-being. If we were to try to compromise or to live it only halfway, we’d run the risk of plunging into emptiness and meaninglessness.
Our calling begins with who we are--really. Not who we think we are, not who we would like to be, not who others believe us to be. God’s call includes (yet is not limited to) the particularities of our life, our heritage, our personality, our foibles, our passions and even our current life situation. Being called by God is one of the most essentially spiritual experiences of human existence, because it is a place where God’s presence intersects with a human life. Our calling emerges from who we really are—in all the rawness and sinfulness of it as well as in all the glory and God-givenness of it.
Vocation does not come from willfulness.
It comes from listening. I must listen to my life
and try to understand what it is truly about--
quite apart from what I would like it to be about--
or my life will never represent anything real
in the world, no matter how earnest my intentions.
PARKER PALMER, LET YOUR LIFE SPEAK
There is no escaping who we are. Leadership will not help us escape ourselves—it will only bring who we are into clearer focus! Leadership calls us to deepen our willingness to become more than what we are right now so that we can say yes to that which is ours to do. “Vocation at its deepest level is, ‘This is something I can’t not do, for reasons I am unable to explain to anyone else and don’t fully understand myself but that are nonetheless compelling.’ ” Before calling has anything to do with doing, it has everything to do with being that essence of yourself that God knew before the foundations of the earth, that God called into being and that God alone truly knows. It is the call to be who we are and at the same time to become more than we can yet envision.
Calling is first and foremost the calling to be yourself, that self that God created you to be. Our calling is woven into the very fabric of our being as we have been created by God, and it encompasses everything that makes us who we are: our genetics, capacities, our personality, heredity and life-shaping experiences, and the time and place into which we were born. Vocation does not come from a voice ‘out there’ calling me to be something I am not. It comes from a voice ‘in here’ calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given to me at birth by God.
It is not unusual for us to feel a kind of resistance or ambivalence in the face of God’s call even as our heart is leaping with the awareness that God is at work in our life. Any kind of authentic calling usually takes us to a place where we have serious objections of some sort, places where we feel inadequate—where we confront our own willfulness and our preconceived ideas about how we thought our life would go, where we think what God is asking us to do is downright impossible or where we just don’t want to take the risk. But one of the ways we recognize calling is that it has come about in ways that could not be humanly orchestrated and so it cannot be easily dismissed. Vocational calling involves more riskiness and uncertainty. While you won’t be given ‘more than you can bear,’ you will be led by ‘a way you do not know’ to be a channel for grace in ways you cannot adequately predict.
Leadership, even at its best, is terribly demanding, and it is crucial that we argue out our ambivalence about our calling to leadership openly with God so that it doesn’t leak out and create uncertainty in those we are serving.
Calls are essentially questions. They aren’t questions
you necessarily need to answer outright;
they are questions to which you need to respond,
expose yourself, and kneel before. You don’t want an
answer you can put in a box and set on a shelf.
You want a question that will become a chariot
to carry you across the breadth of your life.
GREGG LEVOY, CALLINGS
Some great questions to reflect and pray through that Ruth recommends are as follows ... What is God saying to me these days about my calling? As I settle into myself more fully, what am I learning about my calling? Is there any place where I am resisting who I am or have lost touch with who I am? Where am I still wrestling with God and needing assurance of His presence with me? Am I willing to say yes again?
In essence, when I'm trying to ascertain a person's calling I'm looking at whether or not they're all-in. They embrace an owner mentality rather than a manager mindset. When God calls us we live with the reality that This is something I can’t not do, for reasons I am unable to explain to anyone else and don’t fully understand myself but that are nonetheless compelling. These are the kinds of team members I'm praying for and looking to have on my team.
Please read Timothy Keller's article, Vocation: Discerning Your Calling.
To explore further the matter of calling I invite you to listen to the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast episode where Craig interviews Paula Farris on the subject of "Calling vs. Career." Download the leader guide here.
For information about our PennDel School of Ministry (PDSOM) click here.
These messages from Pastors Don Immel and Ben Grenier will continue to assist you in exploring your call to ministry.
The Call To Ministry
Say Yes To His Call
Obstacles In Following His Call
The Assemblies of God have a website designed to help you explore your calling to vocational ministry. You can visit it here.
What is Called? Discovering and equipping those called to vocational ministry. We want to see a healthy church in every community that is marked by spiritual and numerical growth. We believe a healthy church starts with a healthy leader that is Spirit empowered, biblically engaged, and missional minded. They want to partner with you! You are not in this journey alone. When you go to the site you can create an account to get access to dozens of free resources for students and pastors.
Our calling is inextricably interwoven with our human situation and our personal history. When God calls, it is a very big deal. It is holy ground. It produces within us such reverence and awe that it is hard to know what to do with ourselves. Finally the whole of our life begins to make sense, and new awareness of the divine orchestration that has brought us to this moment makes us want to "take off our shoes" or fall on our face or maybe even argue with God about the improbability of it all (see Exodus 3 for the story of Moses' calling). But no matter how much we may want to resist, the landscape of our life has opened up. Every single thing that didn’t make sense when it happened, that seemed too harsh or too random or too shameful, now finds its place in the storyline that brought us here. We “see” with new eyes that God’s call on our life is so tightly woven into the fabric of our being, so core to who we are, that to ignore it or to refuse it would be to jeopardize our well-being. If we were to try to compromise or to live it only halfway, we’d run the risk of plunging into emptiness and meaninglessness.
Our calling begins with who we are--really. Not who we think we are, not who we would like to be, not who others believe us to be. God’s call includes (yet is not limited to) the particularities of our life, our heritage, our personality, our foibles, our passions and even our current life situation. Being called by God is one of the most essentially spiritual experiences of human existence, because it is a place where God’s presence intersects with a human life. Our calling emerges from who we really are—in all the rawness and sinfulness of it as well as in all the glory and God-givenness of it.
Vocation does not come from willfulness.
It comes from listening. I must listen to my life
and try to understand what it is truly about--
quite apart from what I would like it to be about--
or my life will never represent anything real
in the world, no matter how earnest my intentions.
PARKER PALMER, LET YOUR LIFE SPEAK
There is no escaping who we are. Leadership will not help us escape ourselves—it will only bring who we are into clearer focus! Leadership calls us to deepen our willingness to become more than what we are right now so that we can say yes to that which is ours to do. “Vocation at its deepest level is, ‘This is something I can’t not do, for reasons I am unable to explain to anyone else and don’t fully understand myself but that are nonetheless compelling.’ ” Before calling has anything to do with doing, it has everything to do with being that essence of yourself that God knew before the foundations of the earth, that God called into being and that God alone truly knows. It is the call to be who we are and at the same time to become more than we can yet envision.
Calling is first and foremost the calling to be yourself, that self that God created you to be. Our calling is woven into the very fabric of our being as we have been created by God, and it encompasses everything that makes us who we are: our genetics, capacities, our personality, heredity and life-shaping experiences, and the time and place into which we were born. Vocation does not come from a voice ‘out there’ calling me to be something I am not. It comes from a voice ‘in here’ calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given to me at birth by God.
It is not unusual for us to feel a kind of resistance or ambivalence in the face of God’s call even as our heart is leaping with the awareness that God is at work in our life. Any kind of authentic calling usually takes us to a place where we have serious objections of some sort, places where we feel inadequate—where we confront our own willfulness and our preconceived ideas about how we thought our life would go, where we think what God is asking us to do is downright impossible or where we just don’t want to take the risk. But one of the ways we recognize calling is that it has come about in ways that could not be humanly orchestrated and so it cannot be easily dismissed. Vocational calling involves more riskiness and uncertainty. While you won’t be given ‘more than you can bear,’ you will be led by ‘a way you do not know’ to be a channel for grace in ways you cannot adequately predict.
Leadership, even at its best, is terribly demanding, and it is crucial that we argue out our ambivalence about our calling to leadership openly with God so that it doesn’t leak out and create uncertainty in those we are serving.
Calls are essentially questions. They aren’t questions
you necessarily need to answer outright;
they are questions to which you need to respond,
expose yourself, and kneel before. You don’t want an
answer you can put in a box and set on a shelf.
You want a question that will become a chariot
to carry you across the breadth of your life.
GREGG LEVOY, CALLINGS
Some great questions to reflect and pray through that Ruth recommends are as follows ... What is God saying to me these days about my calling? As I settle into myself more fully, what am I learning about my calling? Is there any place where I am resisting who I am or have lost touch with who I am? Where am I still wrestling with God and needing assurance of His presence with me? Am I willing to say yes again?
In essence, when I'm trying to ascertain a person's calling I'm looking at whether or not they're all-in. They embrace an owner mentality rather than a manager mindset. When God calls us we live with the reality that This is something I can’t not do, for reasons I am unable to explain to anyone else and don’t fully understand myself but that are nonetheless compelling. These are the kinds of team members I'm praying for and looking to have on my team.
Please read Timothy Keller's article, Vocation: Discerning Your Calling.
To explore further the matter of calling I invite you to listen to the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast episode where Craig interviews Paula Farris on the subject of "Calling vs. Career." Download the leader guide here.
For information about our PennDel School of Ministry (PDSOM) click here.
These messages from Pastors Don Immel and Ben Grenier will continue to assist you in exploring your call to ministry.
The Call To Ministry
Say Yes To His Call
Obstacles In Following His Call
The Assemblies of God have a website designed to help you explore your calling to vocational ministry. You can visit it here.
What is Called? Discovering and equipping those called to vocational ministry. We want to see a healthy church in every community that is marked by spiritual and numerical growth. We believe a healthy church starts with a healthy leader that is Spirit empowered, biblically engaged, and missional minded. They want to partner with you! You are not in this journey alone. When you go to the site you can create an account to get access to dozens of free resources for students and pastors.
Qualifying the Called
"Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will." Hebrews 13:20–21 NLT
God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called. Don’t let Satan convince you otherwise. He will try. He will tell you that God has an IQ requirement or an entry fee. That He employs only specialists and experts, governments and high-powered personalities. When Satan whispers such lies, dismiss him with this truth: God stampeded the first-century society with swaybacks, not thoroughbreds. Their collars were blue, and their hands were calloused, and there is no evidence that Jesus chose them because they were smarter or nicer than the guy next door. The one thing they had going for them was a willingness to take a step when Jesus said, “Follow Me.” Are you more dinghy than cruise ship? More stand-in than movie star? More plumber than executive? More blue jeans than blue blood? Congratulations. God changes the world with folks like you. - Max Lucado, Outlive Your Life
"Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will." Hebrews 13:20–21 NLT
God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called. Don’t let Satan convince you otherwise. He will try. He will tell you that God has an IQ requirement or an entry fee. That He employs only specialists and experts, governments and high-powered personalities. When Satan whispers such lies, dismiss him with this truth: God stampeded the first-century society with swaybacks, not thoroughbreds. Their collars were blue, and their hands were calloused, and there is no evidence that Jesus chose them because they were smarter or nicer than the guy next door. The one thing they had going for them was a willingness to take a step when Jesus said, “Follow Me.” Are you more dinghy than cruise ship? More stand-in than movie star? More plumber than executive? More blue jeans than blue blood? Congratulations. God changes the world with folks like you. - Max Lucado, Outlive Your Life
Obstacles We Face When We Are C.A.L.L.E.D.
By Benjamin Grenier
Courage (Esther) - Facing Fears
Scripture: Esther 4:14-16
Lesson: Embrace courage over comfort. Trust in God over fear of man.
Application: Identify where fear holds you back and step out in faith.
Ageless (Jeremiah) - Youth & Calling
Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4-8
Lesson: Age doesn't limit God's call. He uses anyone willing.
Application: Don't let youth be a barrier to God's purpose for you.
Liberation (Moses) - Overcoming Self-Doubt
Scripture: Exodus 3:10-11, 4:10
Lesson: God equips the called. Your inadequacy is His opportunity.
Application: Trust in God’s strength, not your perceived weaknesses.
Legacy (Paul) - Beyond Past Mistakes
Scripture: Acts 9:15-16
Lesson: Your past doesn't define your future in Christ.
Application: Embrace God’s redemption and new purpose for your life.
Escape (Jonah) - Embracing God’s Plan
Scripture: Jonah 1:1-3
Lesson: We can't run from God's purpose. His plan prevails.
Application: Face God’s call with openness, not avoidance.
Dependence (Gideon) - Trusting in God’s Strength
Scripture: Judges 6:14-16
Lesson: God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.
Application: Rely on God’s strength, not your own resources.
Conclusion: Each story reflects a unique aspect of being C.A.L.L.E.D. by God. Identify and overcome your obstacles in responding to His call.
Prayer: Seek God’s guidance and strength in overcoming these obstacles.
Scripture: Esther 4:14-16
Lesson: Embrace courage over comfort. Trust in God over fear of man.
Application: Identify where fear holds you back and step out in faith.
Ageless (Jeremiah) - Youth & Calling
Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4-8
Lesson: Age doesn't limit God's call. He uses anyone willing.
Application: Don't let youth be a barrier to God's purpose for you.
Liberation (Moses) - Overcoming Self-Doubt
Scripture: Exodus 3:10-11, 4:10
Lesson: God equips the called. Your inadequacy is His opportunity.
Application: Trust in God’s strength, not your perceived weaknesses.
Legacy (Paul) - Beyond Past Mistakes
Scripture: Acts 9:15-16
Lesson: Your past doesn't define your future in Christ.
Application: Embrace God’s redemption and new purpose for your life.
Escape (Jonah) - Embracing God’s Plan
Scripture: Jonah 1:1-3
Lesson: We can't run from God's purpose. His plan prevails.
Application: Face God’s call with openness, not avoidance.
Dependence (Gideon) - Trusting in God’s Strength
Scripture: Judges 6:14-16
Lesson: God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.
Application: Rely on God’s strength, not your own resources.
Conclusion: Each story reflects a unique aspect of being C.A.L.L.E.D. by God. Identify and overcome your obstacles in responding to His call.
Prayer: Seek God’s guidance and strength in overcoming these obstacles.
Recommended Bible Reading Plans (from YouVersion):
PREPARE - A Student Reading Plan Exploring Your Call
Is God Calling Me Into Full-Time Ministry? - 7 Questions to Consider
Ministry Calling by Pete Briscoe
What Does the Bible Say About Calling?
The Calling: How to Discover Your God-Given Purpose
Called to Ministry, Called to Scripture
Barriers to Calling
Recommended Podcast Episode:
Answering God's Call On Your Life - Episode 57 - (Cultivate w/ Kelly Minter)
We recommend you read The Call of God Chapter 8 from E. Glenn Wagner's book, Escape From Church, Inc. – The Return of the Pastor-Shepherd.
PREPARE - A Student Reading Plan Exploring Your Call
Is God Calling Me Into Full-Time Ministry? - 7 Questions to Consider
Ministry Calling by Pete Briscoe
What Does the Bible Say About Calling?
The Calling: How to Discover Your God-Given Purpose
Called to Ministry, Called to Scripture
Barriers to Calling
Recommended Podcast Episode:
Answering God's Call On Your Life - Episode 57 - (Cultivate w/ Kelly Minter)
We recommend you read The Call of God Chapter 8 from E. Glenn Wagner's book, Escape From Church, Inc. – The Return of the Pastor-Shepherd.