19 feel called to fulltime campus missionary

[jluvjesus4ever]

i am 19 years old, love the Lord with all i've got and feel called to campus missionary work. i am still praying on it but i would love to just give up everything-including my job which a lot of people including my family say i am lazy for-to do this ministry. I have a heart and major compassion for college students. i am already on the ministry team at delta college...but want to move up to full time. Someone help me out here. also i am in credit card debt...i believe the Lord wants me to pay off these before moving into ministry full time but i have like, nothing. i just moved out of my apartment cause i couldn't afford it. my mother tells me that i should pray some more about this ministry. she says that i am probly wrong and not in the will of God if everything is not working out for me. is this true? I thought that a lot of times if it's chaotic but the ministry is growing and reaching out for christ that it's spiritual warfare. What satan doesn't realize i guess is that i don't care what happens really in this worldly sense i'll give it all to go after God. someone pray for me.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Its amazing how many people are willing to quit their jobs on a whim. If you recall the apostles did their jobs and represented Jesus. Jesus was a carpenter. Don't be foolish about your calling. Minister as you are called to do and don't shirk work until/if God gives you an opening.

 

[jluvjesus4ever]

thanks, i won't shirk work, i know i need to for a while at least until bills are paid off and of course i will wait on the Lord who's timing is perfect. thankyou for your reply and advice bless you. in Christ, Jenny

 

[rodimus321]

Keep praying about whether or not God has called you to full-time ministry, maybe you are exactly where God wants you to be right now. Doors don't always have to open up for it to be Gods Will, in fact that is a bad way to judge Gods will.

 

[kidsminister]

No, don't quit your job, especially if you have debt to pay off!

BUT...just because things are going wrong for you does not mean that you are out of God's will. Believe me, I've had thing after thing go wrong for me, and yet I know I am exactly where God wants me to be. The devil doesn't fight nearly as hard if you're OUTSIDE God's will!

But yes, I agree with the consensus on this thread to be responsible and follow through on your commitments. When you paid with credit, you made a commitment that you were going to pay those bills - you signed your name to it, in fact! So get them paid, and find ways to minister AND work.

It is possible, BTW. I work a 40-hour a week day job along with being a children's pastor.

 

[jluvjesus4ever]

thanks for the support guys i appreciate that you don't sugar coat anything and you just lay it all out there bluntly. that's what this world-especially young people need.

 

[rocklife]

am praying

autumnleaf, some of those apostles did immediately quit their jobs, Matthew left his tax collecting.

If its God's will, He will work things out in an orderly way pretty much though, not chaos, He will also help you get the chaos under control. Be a hard worker, and prayerfully bible study.

 

[Autumnleaf]

am praying

autumnleaf, some of those apostles did immediately quit their jobs, Matthew left his tax collecting.

If its God's will, He will work things out in an orderly way pretty much though, not chaos, He will also help you get the chaos under control. Be a hard worker, and prayerfully bible study.

You're right rocklife. If Jenny works for the IRS she should quit her job immediately!

But seriously, point taken.

 

[Father Rick]

i am 19 years old, love the Lord with all i've got and feel called to campus missionary work. i am still praying on it but i would love to just give up everything-including my job which a lot of people including my family say i am lazy for-to do this ministry. I have a heart and major compassion for college students. i am already on the ministry team at delta college...but want to move up to full time. Someone help me out here. also i am in credit card debt...i believe the Lord wants me to pay off these before moving into ministry full time but i have like, nothing. i just moved out of my apartment cause i couldn't afford it. my mother tells me that i should pray some more about this ministry. she says that i am probly wrong and not in the will of God if everything is not working out for me. is this true? I thought that a lot of times if it's chaotic but the ministry is growing and reaching out for christ that it's spiritual warfare. What satan doesn't realize i guess is that i don't care what happens really in this worldly sense i'll give it all to go after God. someone pray for me.

I have a lot of concerns regarding what I am reading here...

First, let me say up front that I am in no way doubting the call of God on your life. Your post shows a real zeal for God that is commendable.

However, to be effective in ministry one must learn to temper their zeal with wisdom. God is far more interested in building men/women of character than He is in building ministries. The ministry will be a natural outflow of the character that God has built in you.

Yes, there are times when the difficulties we face in ministry are due to attack of the enemy. Many times, however, the difficulties are due to our own lack of preparation. You stated that you want to quit a job that many say you 'are lazy for', in order to do ministry. You also say that you currently have debts and are having trouble paying your bills. You may not realize it now, but ministry will be some of the hardest work you ever do-- and money issues certainly aren't going to get any easier when in full-time ministry.

My advice for you at this time would be to take your zeal and put it into preparing yourself for ministry-- which may take several years to be realized. Work hard and pay off your debts. Get some good Bible/ministry training. It took Jesus, himself, 3 years to prepare the 12 disciples for ministry-- and even then one of them didn't make it. You are still very young and have plenty of time to do the work you feel God has called you to do. Investing time now honing your skills will result in much more effective ministry later.