The Call To Ministry
28 NOVEMBER 2021 | PRAYER & PRAISE SERVICEs
Rev Lilian Ang
Scripture Passage: Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
WATCH | SERMON (VIDEO)
READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary | It is our privilege to be on a mission because it is God’s invitation to do what He is doing, furthering His love, His works of justice and mercy in this world. Isaiah 55 is an invitation to The Thirsty. Isaiah saw a glimpse of the future and the Good News that lay ahead. No invading armies or terrible calamities can interfere with God’s final purposes on earth. The word of God will go out to all nations. This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus who is recruiting disciples to carry His message. Sometimes when life does not feel like God is in control, we may question where God is, but Isaiah 55 makes clear God’s covenant is everlasting and nothing can cancel it. God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. We may not see things from our limited perspective, but God sees the whole picture. Trust His way of leading us.
God calls each of us differently. He is very faithful and patient. When God calls, His tug is very gentle, loving, reassuring, but also very powerful and persistent. His call reawakens and changes our perspective to see Him in a new way and what He is doing. God has plans beyond our imagination! Lay our worldly trophies at His feet and let Him lead because our lives belong to God, not to us. As we lean in close to Him and walk with Him humbly, we will as His sheep recognise the Good Shepherd’s voice and know that He is calling and inviting us. Every Christian needs to remember that we have the call of God to serve those around us and to tell others about Jesus. Wherever God has placed us now, that is our ministry.
What is the call to full-time ministry?
God’s wish is for us to devote our life to serving the local church or full-time in a ministry, but how is one called to full-time ministry? In The Call of a Lifetime by Keith Drury identified 5 common ways:
1. Damascus Road Call – Dramatic Call (rare type)
Conversion of Saul through a divine encounter with God. From persecuting Christians to committing his life to spreading the Gospel, sometimes God calls people in this dramatic way. “The Damascus Road call usually is accompanied by a sign, a miracle, or an unmistakable manifestation of God’s voice.” This leaves us knowing for sure that this is what God wants us to do with our life. Not everyone receives their call in this dramatic way, although a dramatic event may call one to ministry.
2. Progressive Call – Developing Call (most common type)
This involves a gradual sequence of events in our life until it dawns on us that full-time ministry is what God wants us to do. The more we are involved in ministry, the more we realise we enjoy doing it. It may take many years before we make that decision to go full-time. Since the progressive call takes a long time to unfold, we may easily slip into doubting our call. When we find our mind wondering, focus on God’s presence. Listen to His voice and ask God to reveal His ways and His views to us and He will make it clear to us in His time.
3. The Call From Birth – Defined or Definite Call (very rare type)
Some accept the call very early in their life and have not wavered since. Jeremiah was consecrated for ministry before he was born. Hannah prayed for a son (Samuel) and vowed to give him to the Lord all the days of his life even before he was born.
4. The Set Apart By The Church Call – Dream Call
The church is God’s chosen people to minister to His world, to proclaim His name and to advance His kingdom. Sometimes God calls people into ministry through other Christians. Some people can hear God’s voice better than others. God may impress upon such people and convict them about what He wants to do in someone else’s life, even if that person has not yet grown to hear God’s voice himself.
5. The Open Door Call – Determining Call
Open door calls come out of nowhere but may lead us somewhere. They begin as opportunities that help us determine if we want to commit the rest of our life to ministry. Close association with a pastor or a full-time church staff gives us fuller exposure to what ministry life is. God may sometimes plant His thoughts in our mind, “Why don’t you do this with your life?” As such, He opens the door to ministry for us.
God may call us in a way that is unique from any of these 5 calls or in a way that involves a combination of the 5. No one call is better than another. The most important factor in receiving a call from God is obedience. It is not about how we receive our call, but what we do about it that matters.
(Sermon notes by Honey Vreugdewater)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. In his book, “The Call Of A Life-time”, Keith Drury mentions five common ways one is called to ministry:
- The Damascus Road Call
- The Progressive Call
- The Call From Birth
- The Set-Apart By The Church Call
- The Open Door Call.
Which of the five common ways resonates with you? Share your experience.
2. Everyone is called to ministry. But some are called to full-time ministry. Share your inclination and struggles towards serving God in full-time ministry.
3. Ps Lilian shared the five steps she took towards preparation for full-time ministry:
- Expose herself to His call
- Examine her motives for serving Him
- Evaluate her decision with more mature Christians
- Engage in active preparation
- Equip herself for full-time ministry
Share some practical steps you can take towards preparing yourself to answer God’s call to ministry.
4. Identify one person serving in a full-time capacity (whether in church, para-church or a non-profit Christian organization). Ask the person to share how he or she answered God’s call, the struggles he or she faced and what kept him or her in ministry.