Topic: Discerning Your Ministry Calling
Dr. Allen proposes a biblical method to evaluate whether a person
is receiving God’s call to ministry. The foundation for the evaluation is 1
Timothy 3:1-7. Within this biblical passage are ten questions to answer to
discern a person’s calling to ministry. Dr. Allen begins by defining what is
meant by calling. He states, “Martin Luther and the other Reformers
reasserted the biblical concept of , which holds that God calls andvocation
gifts every person for an occupation. Calling is not limited to the ministry;
it reaches into every arena of life.” He breaks down “calling” into three [1]
areas: call to minister, called to ministry, and called to the ministry. The
differences are that all Christians are called to minister. The meeting of 1
Timothy 3 qualifications or ordination is not necessary for a call to
ministry, and called to the ministry is the adherence to all the
qualifications of 1 Timothy 3. All three areas are essential in God’s church.
Dr. Allen writes, “Whether you are called to minister, called to ministry, or
called to the ministry, your service matters. Every Christian has a holy
duty to do his or her work as unto the Lord.” The book is concerned [2]
with the third area of calling, and Dr. Allen provides an unbiased
assessment of a calling to the ministry in the context of 1 Timothy 3:1-7.
The apostle Paul provides qualifications in the biblical passage that
gauges the obedience, character, and sacrifice necessary for a Pastor, and
these qualifications are the sections in Dr. Allen’s book. Each qualification
is explained according to the biblical context, related to Dr. Allen’s
experience, and ends with relation to the reader’s calling experience.
My experience involved some of the same qualities as with Dr.
Allen’s. I remember having some of the same types of questions posed by
Dr. Allen. Was this an enthusiasm for Christ, was this just a phase in my
life, and how is God’s calling issued? Like Dr. Allen, it required me to [3]
study the Scriptures and seek many consultations with the pastor of my
home church. It took time, nearly three years before I became obedient
