How do your know your being called

[carguy1]

I find myself standing at a crossroads. One road leads me on the career path I have been on for some time. The other leads me into full time ministry. SO, how do I know that God is calling me into fulltime ministry? I find myself thinking about this constantly. I know that I really want to go into full-time music ministry. However, is this because God wants me to, or is it because what I do on Sunday morning fills some need within me? Is it pride that makes me want full time ministry?

While part of me struggles with this, there is another part of me that can't stop thinking about two passaged. The first is the Great Commission. I feel very strongly about this one. Certainly this one I can achieve to some degree while still doing my "secular" job. The other passage is when Jesus talks about taking care of "the least of these."

While I can follow the great comission while in my "secular" job, I am not sure I can have the impact that I want to have. Also, I don't really feel that I can do anywhere near as much to minister to "the least of these" while doing my regular job.

There is a part of me that says that just the simple fact that I spend as much time thinking about this and struggeling with it is meaningful. This part of me says that most people don't even consider full time ministry, much less struggle over it the way I have. This part of me goes on to say that this internal struggle is a sign.

Ultimately it comes down to my family. I am quite sure, although we haven't talked about it just yet, that my wife will support me in this. However, seeking full time ministry will mean a major disruption in our lives. While I would have no problem dealing with this disruption it I know that I am following the will of God, I hesitate to cause such disruption in the life of my family without being sure of the will of God.

Help me out here. I pray for your guidance, and ask for your prayers. Thanks.

[russhutto]

One question:

In your heart of hearts, your gut of guts, what do you want to do?

Ok more than one question:

In your "secular" career, do you come home after an intense day at work feeling as if you've made a difference? Does it stoke your passion to want to return the next day? Can you honestly say you love your job now?

What have you always "dreamed" of doing/being?

Obviously, you and I both know that some times in life we have to choose the harder path. The one that provides for our family and pays the bills. But when those times come along where the path is the one we've dreamed about, where we are coming ALIVE doing whatever it is we're doing, AND the family is taken care of and provided for...man, those times are beautiful!!

You ARE definitely at a crossroads.

Another question to ponder:

Are you at a place where you can "work" yourself into full-time as opposed to just stopping everything cold and "going" full-time? Can you study and work simultaneously? Is there any way to make it happen in a more gradual way as opposed to going cold turkey on the "secular" job and plunging into full-time ministry?

There's absolutely NOTHING wrong with that pace. In fact, it's the way I went through school. Worked a few part-time jobs and studied, while volunteering and eventually working part-time in ministry. Eventually, it turned into a full-time position.

[twc_admin]

Hey,
Wow, what a dilemma. I am confident that God will make it clear.

One of my thoughts though is regarding the "Great Commission". I actually find it MUCH MORE DIFFICULT to feel like I'm fulfilling the "GC" while serving Full-Time in a church ... simply because I'm surrounded 24/7 by people who are already Christians .... and I have to be very INTENTIONAL about seeking out the lost and "least of these" just go to get to them.

[Stevie Nature]

Someone once told me that if you can do something else besides full-time ministry and still be content, then do it. Ministry is difficult and at times not terribly rewarding except in the long run. Its definitely something you don't want to get into unless you're called.

That being said, God may be trying to tell you something with your restlessness. He may have in fact called you. I've noticed in several of your posts you seem to be discontent with your career and desirous of full-time ministry. Honestly, though, there's no way any of us can know for sure if you're called. I guess its something like being in love or a Christian...you just know.

Also, you'd mentioned ministry possibly fulfilling a need or fueling pride. Only you can answer that. Does it fulfill a selfish desire or is it the utilization of a gift God has given you? Sometimes I believe that using a gift God has given you is[/I] almost a need. If feels like you're going to explode because you're not doing that for which God has created you. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Eph. 2:10 He has called each of us to certain tasks and we must complete them.

As far as how you should proceed, I agree with blindeyesopen. The best bet is usually to work your way through education. That's actually what I'm doing currently. I have a B.A. in Biblical Studies and am working full-time while getting my Masters online. I have to admit sometimes it feels like I'm spinning my wheels. It can be frustrating, but I've learned that sometimes we have to wait on God.

[carguy1]

Blindeyes, your responce relly spoke to me.

To answer your questions;

In my heart of hearts, in my gut of guts what I want to do is music. Not simply music, but to use that music to reach out to the unsaved, and to help those that know Christ to worship him.

As for my regular job, the answer is no. I come home from work at least 3 days out of 5 feeling extreme frustration. I wake up many mornings dreading getting out of bed and going to "that place". I used to look forward to going to work, but I now realize that it was because I smoked at work. Since I didn't smoke at home, I looked forward to going to work so I could smoke. Since I have quite smoking (and thanks to God have no more desire to smoke) I no longer look forward to going to work.

So, what have I always "dreamed" of doing? Well, I used to think that I hadn't grown up dreaming of anything. However, I realized a year or so ago that what I had dreamed of since I became involved in music was doing music. Performing, teaching, praising, leading. These are the things that I dreamed of.

Finally have I concidered a gradual move into full-time ministry. Yes, I have. I am a registered nurse and as such could very easily continue doing what I am doing until I could get on part time and then continue to work as a nurse as needed until I could get on full-time. I could even work as a nurse to supplement my income.


Now I have to tell you about something that happened this afternoon.

One of my biggest hang ups when it came to pursuing fulltime ministry was my age. While I realize that 32 is not by any means old. I couldn’t help but think that most people in music ministry were 10 years ahead of me.

So, this afternoon as my wife and I were going to her parent’s house, we were listening to some miscellaneous Christmas song and my wife looked at me and said something that nearly made me pull over to the side of the road and bow to my knees and pray. Of course the song was about Jesus birth. Out of no where my wife says “he was only 35 when he died wasn’t he.” I replied by saying that I thought he was actually 33 when he was killed. She then said the thing that hit me so hard. She then went on to say, “He was 30 when he started his ministry, right?” I was without words for a minute. In that instance all my concerns about my age were wiped away. This was also pretty big sign. My wife spoke to me where I was without even knowing what I was thinking. I told my wife that while she may not have known it at the time’ I believed that God had told her to say what she had said. On the way home I asked my wife how she felt about the thought of me going into full time ministry. She looked me straight in the face, which was a little scary since she was driving, and said that she had no problem with it. She said this without any hint of concern. I am not sure where this road will take me, but Ido feel that I have chosen my fork.

[garyhodges]

Yeah - one of the biggies when it comes to determining one's calling is confirmation from those who know you and work with you closely. It has to begin with your wife. My next step would be to talk with my pastor. Also look circumspectly at how those who work with you in the ministry treat you -- how they respond to your ministry.

Determining God's will can be as simple as this -- "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Are you delighting in the Lord -- abiding in Him? What is your desire? That could be your answer.

I'm glad that you came to the conclusion you did about your age being a factor. Heck - St. Patrick was 45 when he started his ministry in Ireland. If you know who Chuck Smith is (founder of the Calvary Chapel movement), he started the first CC when he was in his 40's and is still going strong.

I'll be excited to hear how things progress for you.

[carguy1]

Ok, so I know that some of you were interested in updates as they came. So, here goes. I had lunch with pastor today. After some idle chat I told him that got was calling me to fulltime music ministry. I then spent a little bit of time explaining how God had one by one spoken to all of my concerns and fears about this. Anyway, we talked about this for a while and then pastor told me what his expectations would be for me now and when I came on staff. He said that the church would not be able to bring anybody on staff for about at year, but that we would be looking for somebody during that time. He said that I had an advantage over other applicants because I would have the chance to prove myself between now and then and I have done some things during my time at the church to prove myself in many ways.

So, where does that leave me now? Well, it leaves me spending every available moment at the church. If there is something going on at the church and I can be there I need to be. It puts me reaching out to some of the people already involved in the music and multimedia at the church and establishing some relationships there. It puts me learning some of the skills that I currently lack. Basically it puts me busting my behing to do everything I can to learn more, be more involved, and get to know the people of the church.

This is very exciting, but a little scary at the same time. The good thing is I think I may have gotten the devil's attention. On the way home from work all the reasons why I couldn't do this came rushing back. For a brief time I listened and then I remembered how God had already addressed all of these. As I worry about my age, I think of Abraham and Sarah. They both thought that Sarah was too old to bear children, but God made a promise to Abraham and he fulfilled it. As I worry over leaving a career that has been successful and could continue to be successful in the future, I think of the disciples. When Jesus called, Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed. They left a business that was quite possibly all they had ever known. There is a strong chance that their father and grandfathers had been fisherman, but they put down their nets and followed. Matthew was very successful as a tax collector. He would probably have been concidered quite wealthy in his day, but when he was called he turned away from all that and followed Jesus. None of these men had anything less to lose then I do, yet when they were called the followed. Anyway, in the end I had to kinda chuckle and actually said out loud, "what's a matter satan, have I got you worried. Well, you can leave me alone now, God has addressed all these concerns." Anyways, sorry for another long post, but I get kind of excited when I think about this.

[worshiptheKing]

Well, a little different.

Long story short is I am about a year behind you. I felt called to ministry and looked for positions locally. None ever came so I took advantage of any opportunity to grow myself into music ministry. I had all but given up finding even a volunteer position. 2 weeks later I received a call from a pastor that I had never met. Someone had given him my name and number and said that I might be interested in helping with building a new music ministry. After several visits to the church and practices with their team I was offered a part time paid position as worship leader. They too will be looking for a full time person when the budget allows and attendance requires. As far as I know it is mine if I want it.

My situation right now is that I don't have a secular job. Unemployment is not fun, but I have been able to help with the contracting of our new church building's sound system.

Oh and believe me when a call is given, you are not the only one to hear it. satan does to and will do his best to distract you from it. If I remember you are local to me, PM me if you want to get together sometime.

[garyhodges]

It was about 9 months from the time I felt that I was called, to my stepping into my first worship leading position and was actually put on staff.

Looking back, that time was so very important to me. I learned what it meant to truly serve the body, doing all the grunt (administrative) work for the worship ministry. I learned about all the different personalities that I would be overseeing. I learned ways to make the ministry more efficient without the distraction of the responsibilities yet to come. It was one of those desert experiences where I thirsted after God and developed my own personal lifestyle of worship.

So carguy, cherish this time period. While being careful not to burn yourself out, take full advantage of your current perspective and learn all you can. Be circumspect and aware of all that is going on in your sphere of ministry.

How exciting!