One thing I appreciated in Dr. Allen's book is when he differentiated a calling. He
explains that all Christians are called to minister, some are called to ministry, and
some called to the ministry.1 Another is that the questions used for evaluation are
based on the apostle Paul's qualifications stated in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Therefore,
these are not Dr. Allen's perceived questions but objective biblical qualifications.
One question that resonated with me was defending the faith.2 I am very
passionate about defending the faith and it has led to the desire and aspiration to
be a teacher.
I, too, think it is acceptable to question God's calling. Equally important is
distinguishing between questioning God's calling and resisting God's calling. I
questioned God's calling, which resulted in a more involved study of the Bible,
pastoral consultations, and lots of praying. In my experience, questioning God's
calling has strengthened my faith, resolve, and obedience. You state, "By asking
this question, Christians can get the privilege to be a part of the ministry." Have
you considered, based on Dr. Allen's book and Scripture, that Christians being
involved in the ministry is not a privilege but a duty? All Christians are called to
minister; however, some are spiritually gifted to the ministry as a vocation or as a
pastor, evangelical, etc.
That portion of your post concerning the hurt you underwent in the church caught
my eye. I remember vividly, some years ago, how I witnessed a “church-split.” It is
interesting how this same period was used by the Lord to open my eyes to
conditions in the church that I had yet to recognize. In the first place, I had
personally invited new people to the church that I had not attended very long. But
what is key is that I took to this group of people very quickly despite our very
apparent racial and cultural differences. The main reason was the very obvious
loving nature of the pastor. He was a relatively quiet man, but his love shone in
such ways that he need not say much.
c c c c c c c c c c The first thing that happened was that the pastor and assistant pastor
stopped on the side of the highway one day to help a stranger who was having a
medical emergency. They managed to stabilize the man and preserve his life until
the arrival of medical services. Once the ambulance arrived, almost immediately,
the assistant pastor suddenly dropped dead of a heart attack—while EMS was still
on site! None of their efforts saved him. The irony! The assistant pastor’s family,
on the other hand, considered themselves “church royalty,” it turns out, and after
his death, they showed their true colors as very disruptive. They eventually
uprooted our community evangelistic efforts that had been bringing new people in
a steady stream. What must be understood is that the majority of them were
young people who likely would never choose church—particularly as they were
former drug addicts, criminals, etc. Yet, there they were. This church, however, had
the reputation of being “dead.” As I was somewhat new to town and the church, I
was unaware. Suffice it to say that the “royals” gathered their forces and
successfully rallied against the pastor. Why? Well, ultimately, it was understood
that they simply “wanted their church back.” They did not appreciate new faces. I
watched that church split before my very eyes. And, like you, I was sent reeling. I
had never seen anything like that before. I had always assumed that all “church
people” felt like I did, and I had no imagination for any major variations to that
idea. I wondered for a while after that if that was why I had always wanted no part
of the ministry (because I lamented how I watched these people treat my pastor
and friend because he would only teach orthodoxy). Who can say? That was some
time ago.
c c c c c c c c c c But—again—like you, it was my love for people that ultimately encouraged
me to allow God’s healing. Furthermore, had I not been through times like these, I
would not have understood the present condition of much of the church
accurately; I would have continued with blinders on—I really would have—because
I sincerely wanted to credit people better than they deserved. Our textbook author
insists upon love for people as a core motivation of ministry.[1] I believe this, too,
is absolutely by the Lord’s design.
Allen, Jason K. Discerning Your Call to Ministry: How to Know For Sure and What to
Do About It. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2016.
[1] Jason K. Allen, Discerning Your Call to Ministry: How to Know For Sure and What
to Do About It (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2016), Ch./Question #6.
