The Calling to Ministry and the Calling to Minister (Part 1)
There has been a lot of misunderstanding in the church world when it comes to the principle of ‘calling’.
The Theoretical
Our greatest foremost calling is that we have all been created for God’s pleasure.
That is clear in Revelation 4.11 when John said, “Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for you have created all things, and because of your will and for your pleasure we exist.”
What a remarkable statement defining our design. That foremost we were created for His will and for His pleasure. That would be the first calling.
From there, let’s look at a definition of calling as it relates to our purpose and what we have been created to do with our life. Let me define it as the call to ministry and the call to minister. Did you see what I did there? It is slight. Even just the change of case or capital spelling. Or, the use of a title versus an action. This is a great place to start. A title and an action.
(The Calling to Ministry) This is calling as a title in the Church or sacred part of the calling that a Pastor or other ministry leader will hold.
This is the vocational part of calling that only some or a few are called to.
(The Calling to Minister) This is Calling as an action in the Church or secular setting and the work we do as believers.
And it is very clear that all of us are called to minister.
Take a look at two verses with a simple explanation for those who are called to ministry, and, those who are called to minister.
First, look at the calling to ministry. “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” (Ephesians 4.11)
A pretty clear understanding of the title or the office of ministry. Notice that not everyone is called to ministry, but, some or a few are called to minister.
Secondly, look at the call to minister. “For the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry…” (Ephesians 4.12-16
“Go into all of the world and make disciples of every nation...” (Matthew 28.19)
A pretty clear understanding of the action or the work that believers do. Notice here that all of us are called to minister.
What Is Calling?
Calling is an assignment from God that comes with a gifting and a grace. Everyone has been given the ability to do something. That calling could take us to the office (those in ministry) or the field (those who minister). These are debatable terms for some people I’m sure. But, they are how I look at the concept of calling. And so, with this understanding, here is a practical look at this topic.
The Practical
A decade ago, I began discussions about the loss of an emphasis upon the call to ministry. We lost a generation who were told that the calling to 'marketplace' was the same as the calling to 'ministry'. Books were written about the preisthood of all believers and their work as sacred in the secular. Of course, I believe this with all of my heart. But, much of the language became that everyone is a minister and you don’t need to be in ministry.
Now, I certainly understand what is being said. But, something dangerous began to happen.
These two callings, one to ministry and one to minister, cannot be forgotten. Each are valuable. There simply is a difference in the responsibility and the function for each of these. Here’s an easy way to look it.
First, the specific calling for some christians is to be in service and the office of the profession (either full-time or part-time) of ministry. (Ephesians 4.11) In other words, SOME are called to prepare ALL of the people for works of service.
And second, the general calling for all christians is to minister. (Ephesians 4.12-16) Not only do students not understand the terms, but, youth leaders have had a hard time understanding the terms and communicating the importance of each.
So let’s look this week at “calling.”
Some History
Over the last 20 years this discussion became a pendulum swing away from ministry as a vocation, and, more about everyone is a minister whether a teacher, doctor, lawyer, construction worker, or parent. Again, both true. However, this is not an either or situation.
Increasingly, almost every week, I have conversations with students who are coming back to the specific call to ministry because they were almost talked out of it by well-meaning parents or youth leaders who were simply giving half of the story on calling.
I know several examples of leaders steering students away from ministry for various reasons. Mostly innocent reasons of teaching and emphasizing marketplace and that everyone is a minister.
However, there is one thing I have recognized for decades in ministry - that you cannot evade the specific call to ministry. It does not go away.
These incomplete messages to our young people over the past few years has been increasing the importance of the general call of all believers to minister in the marketplace, but, at the expense of many young people not hearing the important message of the specific call to ministry.
I am not looking for the pendulum to swing from one end of this discussion to the other. Simply for Ephesians 4.11-12 to be taught in balance. We cannot lose the call to ministry in a generation of gifted young people!
A Quick Look At Camp
A quick look at camp history or other special convention or missionary settings is proof of this discussion.
Growing up, a week didn't go by in a summer camp that the speaker didn't preach on the call to specific ministry. Now today, it is foreign. Maybe mentioned at the altar, but, certainly very few complete messages on the subject.
The message calling our generation to accept the responsibility to the office of ministry may have been the impetus that was keeping our movement younger.
If we continue to have a loss of preaching and teaching on the specific call of God upon someone's life for the office of ministry, we will continue to see this loss of young ministry leaders.
Solutions
So, here are two things we must overcome in the next few years if we are going to see young people answer the call to ministry in the Gen Z and Alpha Gen sets.
1. Thinking that the call to minister is greater than the call to ministry
We must balance the specific call and the general call to marketplace ministry in our preaching and teaching. Again, I am not asking for the pendulum to swing back the other way so that we lose the market-place calling.
But simply to have a balance and consistency from spiritual leadership emphasizing both of these principles. We must highly value each of these callings. The principle is the same but the practice and function is different. Proper teaching and preaching emphases will heighten both of these callings so that our young people will find their place and purpose.
2. Thinking that we shouldn’t address this but to let the Holy Spirit speak to our young people
I do not want to play on the emotions or manipulation of a students calling. However, I definitely want to encourage and to highlight this incredible responsibility.
Just look at the countless mentors in the life of young leaders throughout the Bible and human history. Often times it will take a simple conversation from an elder to open the heart of a young person to what the Holy Spirit has been speaking to them.
I believe the church has under-challenged this generation for ministry. We must look to bring the significance of the call to ministry to the forefront of Next Gen.
We must be careful of saying things like, “you don’t have to be in ministry to minister”.
So, as we said earlier, what happened for a while in youth ministry is that we swung the emphasis away from students and the call to ministry in the Church or sacred setting because we wanted everyone to know they are to be ministers in the secular setting.
And when we did this, there was a period of time in youth ministry where we neglected the call to ministry in students.
Finally
Let me give you a practical understanding of the traits or characteristics of the call to ministry in the sacred setting of the office of the Church:
How will you know that there is a call to ministry on your life? For some, it may simply be the voice of God in their spirit. Or the word of a spiritual friend who confirms something God has spoken to them. Or maybe it happened in a Camp or Convention.
How do we know that ther is a calling on our lives? And what do we do about that?
Join us for the second part of this discussion next week!