Is God Calling You?
Sooner or later, many faithful men ask a quiet question: Is God calling me to preach? The question can keep a man awake at night. He loves the Word. He loves people. He carries a burden he cannot quite explain, and he feels unqualified for all of it. He wants to obey God, and he is afraid of getting it wrong in either direction.
Scripture does not leave him to guess. It does not promise a voice from heaven, and it does not treat the pastorate as a career a man picks from a list. It gives a clear pattern with three parts: a desire God works in a man's heart, qualifications God has written in His Word, and a local church that examines the man and confirms what it sees.
“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”1 TIMOTHY 3:1 · KJV
God's leading of a man into the pastoral office, known by a settled desire for the work, the character and gifts Scripture requires, and the confirmation of a local church.
In one sense every believer is in the ministry, because minister means servant and ministry means serving. This study uses the phrase in its narrower sense: the call to the office of pastor. Much of it also helps a man who is weighing missions or another work the church sends men to do (see Training and Sending).
Before you ask what God wants you to do, is it settled that you belong to Him?
Loading the rest of this article
For Deeper Study
- Lectures to My StudentsAmazon Charles H. SpurgeonIts lecture “The Call to the Ministry” gives the four signs discussed here. Spurgeon was a Calvinistic Baptist; we differ on election.
- Spiritual LeadershipAmazon J. Oswald SandersA classic on the character and cost of leading God's people, long used to train men in local churches.
- On Being a PastorAmazon Derek Prime and Alistair BeggTwo experienced pastors on the call, character, and daily work of the ministry. Their teaching on salvation leans Reformed, where we differ.
- Am I Called?Amazon Dave HarveyA warm, practical book for men weighing the pastorate. Harvey is Reformed, and we differ on election.
- Foxe's Book of MartyrsAmazon John FoxeThe classic Protestant record of those who died for the faith, from the early church to the English Reformation.
As an Amazon Associate, Theologica earns from qualifying purchases.
The Qualifications of a Pastor
God has set the standard for the one office of elder, bishop, and pastor in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1: a qualified man whose character, home, teaching, and reputation a local church can examine and affirm.
Open Doctrine