Calling – Employment
“The will of the Lord concerning pastors is made known through the prayerful judgment of His church.” Lectures to my Students by C. H. Spurgeon
In High School I was a janitor (Environmental Services Associate if you want to be politically correct) on two different occasions. I am convinced that if I used either of those employers for references I could not get another job as a janitor. To put it simply, I stink at janitoring (I think I made that word up). It wasn’t that I didn’t work hard, I grew up working hard. Overall I have a pretty good work ethic. It wasn’t that I didn’t show up or that I was always late, during my lifetime when I have had to punch a clock, I show up on time 95% of the time (that might actually be low). What was the problem? The problem is simple, I simply can’t do the job the way people want it done.
There are times in ministry when a pastor has to clean up. When that time comes, I do the job the best I can, but I usually need help to do it well. Fortunately that is not what I was hired for, there are other parts of my job that are much more important. I was hired to teach students, develop discipleship systems, raise up leaders, and make sure students are growing spiritually at The Rock. Over the years I have seen a lot of guys say they wanted to be youth pastors. They have good intentions and I believe that God will use them. What they need to figure out is whether they are called.
If a person believes they are called to ministry, youth or otherwise, but they cannot find opportunities to minister it is time to reconsider. This is not only true for those in vocational ministry, this is also true for those in the Body of Christ trying to find their place to serve. If someone want to teach, but no one wants to listen to them teach, then maybe teaching is not where they should serve. If they want to sing, but no one wants to listen to them sing, then maybe they should look elsewhere.
What we think about our ability is never as important as what others think. If you watch some episodes of American Idol you see the importance of that. Spurgeon puts it this way, “Churches are not all wise, neither do they all judge in the power of the Holy Ghost, but many of them judge after the flesh; yet I had sooner accept the opinion of a company of the Lord’s people than my own upon so personal a subject as my own gifts and graces.” He goes on to say, “none of you can be a pastor without the loving consent of the flock; and therefore this will be to you a practical indicator if not a correct one.”
There comes a time where we all need to be honest with ourselves and our calling. Seek out God’s calling on your life, and start by seeking wise council. I will likely never be a janitor again, because I know I will not make a good one. Fast food is much more likely to be in my future.
There may be more to be said regarding calling, but this will by my last post on this subject.
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