Are you called to ministry? Are you called to ministry in general, or are you called to a specific ministry? Is ministry a career choice like medicine or accounting? Some confuse “call” with qualifications. Others confuse “call” with spiritual gifts. Some are “called” to ministry by someone other than God through emotion, guilt, or duty.
When I began writing this post, I thought I knew what the “call” to ministry meant, especially since I responded to one. I even have a framed certificate on my wall that says: “Ronnie Johnson who has given evidence that God has called him into The Gospel Ministry was licensed to preach the Gospel as he may have opportunity, and to exercise his gifts in the work of the Ministry.” In addition, a presbytery of ministers signed my Certificate of Ordination stating that “after satisfactory examination by us in regard to the Christian experience, call to the ministry, and views of Bible doctrine, hereby certify that Ronnie J. Johnson was solemnly and publicly set apart and ordained to the work of The Gospel Ministry.”
However, the concept of “calling” is challenging to define. An internet search revealed that Os Guinness’s book, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life, is the most quoted source when defining calling. The following quote by Guinness appears most often: “Our primary calling as followers of Christ is by him, to him, and for him. First and foremost we are called to Someone (God), not to something (such as motherhood, politics, or teaching) or to somewhere (such as the inner city or Outer Mongolia)… Our secondary calling, considering who God is as sovereign, is that everyone, everywhere, and in everything should think, speak, live, and act entirely for him” (Os Guinness, The Call [Nashville: 2003], 31).
Callings exist on at least two levels.
Christians are primarily called into a relationship with Jesus Christ and a life of discipleship. Additionally, there is a call to ministry. In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul identifies both types of calling.
Call to Christ
In 1 Corinthians 1:9, Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were “called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” The New Testament emphasizes the calling of Christians to conversion and discipleship. This is reflected in various other passages, including Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 26; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 Peter 2:9; and 1 John 3:2-3. All believers have this primary calling.
Call to Ministry
Finding an accepted definition of “call to ministry” is even more difficult. In 1 Corinthians 1:1, Paul stated that he was called to be an apostle. His dramatic call was described in Acts 9. Few ministers today describe a direct, unmistakable (even audible) call from God. I do not dispute or downplay such a call. A clear message like the
Apostle Paul, being blinded and hearing God’s voice, is not common today. With the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, God’s voice is most often “heard” today through the Bible, so individual audible “calls” are not essential (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).
Internal Voice
Most describe their call to ministry as an internal feeling or urge that would not go away. Billy Graham described his call in these words: “The inner, irresistible urge would not subside. Finally, one night, I got down on my knees at the edge of one of the greens. Then I prostrated myself on the dewy turf. “O God,” I sobbed, “f you want me to serve you, I will. “The moonlight, the moss, the breeze, the green, the golf course—all the surroundings stayed the same. No sign in the heavens. No voice from above. But in my spirit I knew I had been called to the ministry. And I knew my answer was yes. From that night in 1938 on, my purpose and objectives in life were set. I knew that I would be a preacher of the Gospel. I did not yet know how or when, however” (Billy Graham, Just As I Am, 2018).
No sign in the heavens. No voice from above. But in my spirit I knew I had been called to the ministry. And I knew my answer was yes.
Billy Graham
My call to ministry unfolded as follows: I grew up in a Christian home and accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord as a teenager. My pastor intentionally discipled me and encouraged me to serve as a Sunday School teacher. While in college, I became involved with the Association of Baptist Students (ABS) ministry and eventually volunteered as a student missionary in Japan. During that summer, I was reading through the New Testament and increasingly felt called to ministry. Initially, it was a subtle impression, but it grew stronger as I read the New Testament. Each book of the New Testament emphasized the importance of serving in ministry. Later that fall, at an ABS retreat, I surrendered to the call I had been sensing through reading God’s Word. I did not have any specific ministry in mind. It took several more years of service before I understood the focus of my call. I know my calling is to teach and encourage Christian ministers/teachers to be better teachers of God’s Word.
Intentional Desires
John MacArthur did not describe an inner, irresistible urge but focused on his sense of purpose: “From the moment I sensed the call of God into full-time ministry, the driving passion of my life has been simply to understand God's Word and then make it understandable to others. I have never aspired to be known as either an academic theologian or a distinguished clergyman. I simply want to know what the Word of God means and to make it known to others. All my pastoral energies—my preaching, shepherding, teaching, writing, and even visitation—are focused on that one goal.” (John MacArthur, Facebook, June 1, 2023.)
Paul wrote to Timothy; “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” (1 Tim 3:1). I cannot say that I desired to be a minister. But when I answered the call, I did want to do my best to serve God in whatever ministry He had for me. In Lectures to My Students, Charles Spurgeon instructed his students on the call to ministry. Besides the necessity of meeting biblical qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:2-7, Spurgeon stated that one called to ministry will have an “intense, all-absorbing desire for the work.” He further advised his students “not to enter the ministry if they could help it.” The call to follow Christ is the foundation of every other calling. Regardless of your job or special call to ministry, God is primarily concerned with your acceptance of His saving grace and your involvement in His work of creation and redemption. The call to ministry comes from God, is recognizable by others, may involve an inner, irresistible urge, and includes a strong desire to excel in one’s ministry.
Responding to the Call – Surrender?
I “surrendered” to ministry at age 22. I use the word “surrender” because that is the common term I have always heard. However, it is not in the Bible. The word “surrender” is not used in the Bible in connection with answering the call to ministry. The word is translated (in some Bible versions) only in the Old Testament in connection with surrendering to an enemy. The term “surrender”; implies that a minister is compelled to
do something against his wishes. A minister should correctly submit his will to God’s will for his life without viewing it as a surrender to a life filled with defeat. God is not our enemy, but He requires us to submit to His will for our lives. Jesus taught about surrender in this way: “And he said unto them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Jesus also provided the example for us to follow when he submitted to the Father: “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). Before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed: “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Surrender is submission.
Ministers often resist submitting to the call to ministry. I resisted for a short time before telling anyone that I felt called to ministry. My resistance to the call included feelings of inadequacy. I am introverted, shy, and not gifted as a speaker or singer. I could not understand why God would call anyone like me to ministry before others who were outgoing and comfortable standing before a group. After a while, God helped me understand that I would need to depend on Him and not myself (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). Although “surrender” accurately describes a minister unconditionally submitting his will to God’s will, the consequences of using the term “surrender” can be difficult for some who “desire the office.” “Surrender” may not be the best word for them. Perhaps “answer” is a better word to use for those who recognize God’s will coincides with their own. Some ministers readily “answer” God’s call to ministry. BMA Seminary Professor and veteran missionary, Dr. Ricky Willams, stated that he struggled with answering his call to ministry because he thought “surrendering” to the call to ministry was something he should not want to do. Eventually, he submitted to (answered) the call when he realized that his desire coincided with God’s will.
Are you called to ministry?
Responding to the call to ministry is unique for everyone. Ask for God’s guidance through His Word and prayer. Examine your motivations and desires. Seek advice from your pastor and get confirmation from your church. Regardless of whether you “surrender” or “answer” the call to ministry, you submit to God’s will for your life. Whether you become a pastor, missionary, evangelist, educator, or another kind of minister, you must obey God’s will. No matter if you serve full-time, bi-vocationally, or as a volunteer, it is essential to follow His guidance in your Life.
Like many who respond to the call of ministry, I had no idea what to do next. With the guidance of my pastor and friends, I decided to attend seminary to prepare for whatever ministry God had in store for me. The years I spent pursuing my Master of Divinity (M.Div.) at the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary were essential for preparing me for my teaching ministry. After identifying your calling, I encourage you to pray and consider attending BMA Seminary to prepare for ministry.