Assessment of Allen’s Book
In my opinion, Allen argues for what I would call, my clear
understanding of what a “Calling” looks like. This is how it was explained
to me by my pastor wen I accepted the call to preach. He argues for clear
signs and symptoms of someone called to the ministry. What I enjoyed
about this, is that he uses Scripture to defend his argument that a calling
is not nebulous and undefinable. A calling should be clear for our God is
not confusion but order. While I disagree with some of the minutiae that
he discusses, one should be encouraged by his overall argument that
God’s calling is clear even if we want to muddle it.
Similarities and Differences
For me, the biggest similarity is his discussion in Chapter 5 “Does
your Church affirm your calling?”1This was my biggest encouragement
when I first surrendered to the call. When I announced it to my pastor, he
replied that he and the deacons had been praying for me in the
background because they didn’t want me to accept a calling because they
were talking to me about it. He sounded relieved over the phone which
was such an encouragement to know that it wasn’t only me seeing what
God was doing in me. They affirmed me when I was doing well and also
when I would swing and miss.
My call differs in the fact that I did not desire the ministry at the
beginning.1I did not grow up wealthy or having much money at all. When I
left high school I put myself on the path to make money. Although I felt
God’s calling, I was preoccupied with wanting to get out of the socio-
economic hole that I had grown up in. My calling differs in that I was
happy answering all the other questions first and the first question last.
The Lord literally made every other option turn to ash in my hands. I was a
successful Marine and then I was wounded and could not continue serving
in the Corps. Then I decided I would be a Police Officer and then he made
me miserable in the seeking of that job. At the end the only thing that
brought me joy was serving the Lord. By his working, I desire serving
more than anything.
Is it okay to question?
I say, yes! Especially in a culture that defines success the way
that it does. I used to base success on numbers and affirmations. When
those would disappear, I began to question whether I was lying to myself
and that the church had led me to folly by co-signing on my preaching.
This doubt led me to God, Scriptures, and my Brothers who reaffirmed my
calling. The Lord showed me that I may not be the biggest Church in the
world but we had faithful and growing Believers. I was equipping the
people that God had brought into my ministry. The danger of questioning
is when it leads to despair and not into the arms of God.
1Jason K. Allen,Discerning Your Call to Ministry,(Chicago, IL: Moody
Publishers, 2016), 73.
2Ibid., 25.
