Christian Leadership Programme

The Christian Leader’s Life and Work

THE CALL TO THE MINISTRY
Term 1: Week 1
Neil Henry

Introduction
The call of God to vocational ministry has several different dimensions:

i) The Call to Salvation

 2 Cor. 13:5

ii) The Call to Serve

 Ephes. 2:10
 Ephes. 4:17

iii) The Call to Vocational Ministry of Leadership

 Ephes. 4:12
 The call is to general responsibility i.e. providing leadership in worship, preaching, teaching,
shepherding and evangelism; and specific – discipling and counselling.

“How may a young man know whether he is called or not? That is a weighty enquiry, and I desire to treat
it most solemnly. O for divine guidance in so doing! That hundreds have missed their way, and stumbled
against a pulpit is sorrowfully evident from the fruitless ministries and decaying churches which surround
us. It is a fearful calamity to a man to miss his calling, and to the church upon whom he imposes himself,
his mistake involves an affliction of the most grievous kind.’ (C.H. Spurgeon, ‘Lectures to My Students.’)

Some have suggested six criteria for evaluating a call:

o Salvation,
o desire to serve,
o desire to live a life conducive to service,
o intellectual ability,
o physical qualifications and
o social elements.

John Calvin divided the call into two parts:

o The objective or external call of the church
o The secret inner call ‘conscious only to the minister himself’.

Why is it vital to know if you are called?

‘I don’t see how anyone could survive in the ministry if he felt it was his own choice. Some ministers
scarcely have two good days back to back. They are sustained by the knowledge that God has placed
them where they are. Ministers without such a conviction often lack courage and carry their resignation
letter in their coat pocket. At the slightest hint of difficulty, they’re gone.’ (E. Lutzer, ‘Still Called to the
Ministry’)
So how may we know if we are called?

We note four questions which we must ask ourselves:

C - Is there CONFIRMATION?
A - Are there ABILITIES?
L - Is there a LONGING?
L - Is there a LIFESTLYE of integrity?
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1) IS THERE CONFIRMATION?
There are two sides to the coin of confirmation:
i) Confirmation by Others
 Acts 16:1-3

 1 Tim. 4:14

“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. At any rate, whether you value the verdict of the
church or not, one thing is certain, that none of you can be pastors without the loving consent of the
flock; and therefore this will be to you a practical indicator if not a correct one.’ (C.H. Spurgeon ‘Lectures
to My Students’)

ii) Confirmation from God

 John Newton: desire, competence and the providence of God.
 God is involved
– providing for the calling of certain men;
– giving them the gifts to carry out the functions
– arranging the circumstances to provide for the place of ministry.

 Wise questions…
Do others recognise my gifts and leadership abilities?
Do they ask me to serve in a leadership capacity?
Am I asked to communicate the truths of God through teaching or preaching?
Are there others who have suggested that I should consider the ministry?

2) ARE THERE ABILITIES?

 Where the Lord calls, so He provides the giftedness.
 Formal and informal education
 spiritual giftedness
 An aptness to teach is not enough:
‘Sound judgement and solid experience must instruct you; gentle manners and loving affections must
sway you; firmness and courage must be manifest and tenderness and sympathy must not be lacking.
Gifts administrative in ruling well will be requisite as gifts instructive in teaching well.’ (C.H.
Spurgeon, ‘Letters To My Students.’)

What are the abilities needed for the ministry?

i) Instructional

o Ephes. 4:11-12 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and
teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ
o 1 Tim. 5:17
o Hebrews 13:7

ii) Shepherding
o 1 Thess 2:8

iii) Administrative
o 1 Tim. 5:17
o Matthew 20:28
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 o 1 Peter 5:3
Wise questions:
How is your ability to teach and preach?
Do you enjoy communicating God’s Word in a preaching or teaching environment?
How are your leadership skills?
Do you take the initiative or are you a follower?
Do you have a heart for people?
Do you love to care for those ‘lost and without a shepherd?’

3) IS THERE A LONGING?
 1 Tim. 3:1

Wise questions...
Do you long for the ministry?
Is it impossible for you to function in any other vocation?
Do you see yourself only in the ministry?

4) IS THERE A LIFESTYLE OF INTEGRITY?



‘What the minister is far more important than what he is able to do, for what he is gives force to what he
does. In the long run, ministry is what we are as much as what we do.
(Phillips Brooks)
 1 Tim. 3:7
 Titus 1:6-9

CONCLUSION
Is there confirmation?
Is there appropriate giftedness?
Is there an insatiable longing for the ministry?
Is there a life of integrity?

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Term 1 – Week 1 Name: …………………………………………………………….

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT (Your total word-count may not exceed 250 words)
READ: Chapters 1 and 5 of “Essential Reading on Leadership”

1. What are the primary reasons why we must be absolutely clear that we are called to ministry… in
other words, what is the danger of entering into ministry when we are not thoroughly convinced of
God’s call upon our lives?
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2. Mohler says in his article (ch 1, pg 3): “Conviction – the knowledge of truth that transforms – is the
bedrock of Christian Leadership.” Why is this so and what are you doing that ensures that the right
foundations are rooted in your life as you develop in your own leadership?
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3. Robinson (ch 5) refers to two essential passages that you should read and meditate on regularly.
After spending some time on these texts, tell me very briefly why you think this practise would be
valuable to you.

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