Sarah: How do you define a ‘call’ to ministry’?
Me: That’s a tough one. And, really, it’s something to which I’ve given a lot of thought. I’m still learning and growing, but I do have some ideas. So, here goes nothing.
It really all begins with your definition of ministry. Personally, I think ministry is simply “service to God and people”. “Ministry” is from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning “to serve” or douleuo, meaning “to serve as a slave.” In the New Testament, ministry is seen as service to God and to other people in His name.
When we look at ministry in that light, it becomes a lot less intimidating, a lot less exclusionary. Who is called to serve God and other people in Jesus’ name? Clearly, every follower of Jesus is called to do ministry, that is to serve God and other people in his name.
That’s the bottom line. That’s the given. If you are a follower of Christ, then you are called to minister. The real questions is this: Where? How? Answering that question is where the idea of a specific call comes in. I think Jesus is actively guiding and directing his disciples into specific assignments.
Some folks are ministering as school teachers, police officers, missionaries, lawyers, electricians, accountants, pastors, businessmen, social workers, garbage men, etc.
For example, I have been called to be a student at Ouachita Baptist University, Associate Youth Minister at Geyer Springs First Baptist, Missionary in Peru, houseparent at Promise House, and now a student at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. Not only those, but I have been called to a husband and father.
That’s probably more than you were asking for.
Sarah: Yeah.
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