| "The calling to ministry
usually grows slowly out of the events of our life, work, talents,
learned skills, and areas of interest. |
|
3 Stages of Becoming a
Minister for God:
Calling
Confirmation
Commitment
Stage One: The Calling
The calling to ministry usually grows slowly out of the events of our
life, work, talents, learned skills, and areas of interest. Most likely, you
won't wake up one morning with God's voice booming, "Go forth and serve
My people!" Nor will He send a fax. But if you pay attention to your
inner urgings, to the types of service that bring you satisfaction, to the
types of work that energize you, and to the gifts that others see and admire
in you, the calling becomes recognizable.
Stage Two: The Confirmation
If someone invites you to join an already established ministry, it's
possible that God is confirming the calling through that person. But we must
not wait for others to give us the push we need. We have to listen to our
hearts and look at the need and our ability to fill that need. Consider:
Will the ministry I'm considering meet a genuine need? Will it contribute to
the good of the Body? Would the community support your involvement by
encouraging you, advising you, trusting you, offering help when possible,
coordinating and communicating with you when warranted, helping you get
training if appropriate? Are you qualified, and if not, could you become
qualified, or is out out of character?
Being qualified means you have the right abilities
and experiences, or the willingness to train for these. It also means you
have an attitude of service. It means having the right motives, that you're
not interested for the sake of getting your own needs met, or to feel
important or to be in control. It means having competence -- you must know
what you do best and desire to be trained. And it means being a team player,
i.e., knowing and abiding by the rules, cooperating with others, and having
genuine concern about those with whom and for whom you will serve.
Stage Three: The Commitment
Are you willing to surrender your personal time and needs, your
personal routines and business pressures for the sake of those you will
serve?
Even at the earlier stages, you can make this
prayer of commitment:
"As a servant of God, I commit myself to
serve Him diligently and ably, using my talents and skills to my utmost,
according to the work that needs to be done and that I agree to perform. I
commit myself to work with my co-servants in unity, mutual support and
cooperation, honesty and integrity, flexibility, and a willingness to
listen without complaint or gossiping. I commit myself to following God's
will by leading a prayerful life and through careful discernment, and a
desire to love and serve Him and His people -- in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!"
We commit ourselves to the Father in order to
become obedient to His will. We commit ourselves to Jesus to become
leader-servants like He was. We commit ourselves to the Holy Spirit to
become empowered to do the Father's will and to better imitate His Son
Jesus. |
