A Calling to Love

My husband and I recently had a conversation that highlighted a misconception among many Christians today. We hear people talking about being "called into ministry," and we immediately think of a local pastor, or a national evangelist. This idea of ministry can be frightening for those who do not ever see themselves being a pastor, or an evangelist. Maybe a person's favorite thing to do is paint pictures in the quietness of their home which reflect God's glory of creation, but that person is not yelling down the street "repent or go to Hell!" Many Christians hear someone talking about being called into ministry and automatically reply "I don't feel God has called me to that."

This was the conversation that Jeff and I were having one day, when a heated discussion arose out of the comment that I said he was called into ministry. He adamently told me that he never foresaw himself doing ministry, and that was that! When the conversation ended, it turns out that what he was trying to say was that he never saw himself being a pastor of a church. But, being a pastor is NOT the only way to be a minister of God's word and his gospel message. I know people who cook meals for others who are shut in, have deployed spouses, are single, or just need a little TLC. I know people who make crafts that glorify God. I know others that sing, some use their technical sound board experience to serve the church, some write poetic prophecy. Some speak a word of encouragement to a person going through a hard time, and some just sit and listen to someone for an hour over coffee. These are ALL examples of ministry positions in God's kingdom. I bet you never thought being called into ministry could be so easy!

The Bible tells us that through God's Holy Spirit, He has distributed by His own will giftings to different people. He says there is a variety of ministries and manifestations of these gifts. Two people may have the same gifting for music, and one plays piano and another sings, or one likes to play drums, and another writes music. I have a gift for speaking to others about salvation through Jesus Christ, the ministry gifts of teaching and evangelism. Some people like me evangelize to senior citizens, while others are drawn to young children. Some do both! My husband is gifted in building things, creating things, and innovating existing things. God has given him a special kind of brilliance when it comes to problem solving a building project, and he is able to fix other people's cars, and he built a beautiful toddler bed for our son. If he was able to showcase the giftings and talents that God has given him, God would be glorified through his talents.

I felt it important this morning to shed light on this important misunderstanding in kingdom of God. To be God's minister does not mean doing something that you hate, it means using the giftings and talents that God has given you to edify and service the kingdom of God. The problem is that many gifted Christians are using their gifts to benefit the world more than their own brothers and sisters. God does use our spiritual gifts to shine light into a dark world, but He created them to be used to help one another inside of the kingdom! Does this mean that you cannot have a secular job that showcases your spiritual giftings, such as being an accountant with the gift of administration? Or, being a car mechanic or carpenter with the gifts of craftsmenship? Absolutely not, but whatever we do, we do because God has enabled us...therefore, if we do it and take the glory....we are taking something that does not belong to us. Glory must be given back to our Father in heaven, the One who created us. Being a pastor in a pulpit is only one small part of being in ministry. But the Bible tells us that we are ALL called into the ministry of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, and edifying the body of Christ with our gifts and talents. If you are not doing this, you are living outside of the will of God.

Matthew 28:19 (NASB):

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NASB):

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healings by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills."

Ephesians 4:1-7 (NASB):

"Therefore, I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift."

Ephesians 4:11-16 (NKJV):

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."


So....you may not see yourself as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher, but those people in the body are there to edify you, so that you might use your own spiritual giftings and talents to build up the body in love! Simply put, if you called yourself a Christian, have truly been born again of the Spirit of God (of which there is NO doubt in your mind), and have been given spiritual gifts by the grace of God....you are not allowing the body to be built up and come together in unity without taking your special (reserved) place in the body, and using your gifts for the benefit of all. You are depriving the rest of the body of your necessary presence and work!

This is why the body is admonished in the Bible to meet with one another in fellowship:

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NASB):

"Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

If you are a true child of God, and you do not recognize or realize your spiritual giftings....there is a spiritual giftings test which I have myself taken several times (as over time, one gift may become stronger than another, and God can bestow new giftings)...and it will give you an idea of what giftings you may have by the Holy Spirit. It also has explanations of the giftings, and scriptures to study regarding each gift as well. The link to this spiritual gifts test is:

www.kodachrome.org/spiritgift/

and there is another good test on the ministry giftings at:

www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1

I would love to hear from you regarding your spiritual gifts test results! If you have any questions, comments, etc. Please do not hesitate to leave a comment for me!!! May God bless you today with knowledge of the gifts He has placed inside of you, and lead you to a place of worship where you can share your gifts with others believers, or with the world around you. Pray that God would show you how to use your gifts in a practical way today to build up another person in love. I pray for your salvation, if you are not a child of God, and bless all believers here with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

God bless you all!

Sarah