Advice and help plz

[Jun_Canada]

Hey every1!
How r u guys doing?
Im in a bit of confusion right now.
Over the past 4 years ive worked my way up to High School and now I am currently in University studying in the Life Sciences.
Over the 4 months, I really started to take my desire to have a intimate relationship with God more seriously. I was in a christian feelowship at my university in the beginning of September and a girl was talking about how not many people in Japan r christian....about 1%. That really hit me. It wanted me to use my abilities and help change peoples lives by the teaching of the Gospel. God has given me a great talent of just wanting to help others as much as possible...not just japan but people everyday regular ppl. Im really thinking about going to Bible College or University to get a degree in pastoring or something. This is such a big change from what I am doing now at University (Life Science) so I was praying about whether this is Gods will for me. The more I think about being able to change ppls lives by the teaching of the gospel, the more I think it will be an amazing amazing thing.
Would do you guys think...do you think this is God calling me?
Thank you
God Bless

 

[bliz]

First, look back in your life and at times when you know, that God has called you to do something. How did He call you? How did He let you know that He wanted your specifically to do that particular thing?

God is clearly not limited, but we are. He knows our hard wiring becasue He put it there and He knows what will get our attention - which of us need the 2X4 upside the head and who needs the quiet whisper. Though I have no scripture for this, when I hear Christians talk about their lives and how God has lead them, God generally leads them the same way over and over again. So a good first question is to ask, :How has God led you in the past?

When my husband prays on an issue, people tend to come up to him and talk with him about the subject. Out of the blue! Sometimes that is literaly strangers in the street! God has yet to do that with me. In my life God will usually slam doors shut that He does not want me walking through. Sometimes that's a bit tough on the ego, but it makes it pretty clear what I'm to do.

Second, do a self assessment. Do you have the gifts and skills necessary for ministry? Make no mistake - God sometimes calls people who do not have the discernable skills, but that is the exception rather than the rule. He gives us talents and gifts becasue He expects us to use them. What gifts do you have?

Also, "ministry" is a huge field! Not everyone in ministry needs to have the gift of preaching, for example. There are people who do very creative (and legal!) accounting for ministries, and marketing, and coordinate mailings and develop web sites and fly airplanes and manage mail and write computer programs and provide training and... I also think that God calls other people to do their ministry as they do some non-ministry job. Their piece of the action in ministry can be prayer support and financial giving. Those are not minor roles! They are essential positions.

Keep your hand on the plow (continue your college studies) as you give this thought and prayer and ask others to pray with you on the matter. If we are sincerely seeking the face of God, He will not let us go far astray.

 

[MastersGirl]

I read your posting and realized that you sound a lot like myself. I went to community college last year, but i was really running away from God's call to go into ministry. What really confirmed for me what i was supposed to be doing was the fact that i knew I had been planning my life up until that point and i knew no matter how much planning i did, i would never be happy. But for me, the thought of going to Bible College seemed scary, and i thought i would be unhappy in that area too. but i finally decided to stop doubting and just go for it, and it was one of the hardest things i have ever done, but i am at Bible College this year, and it is the BEST decision i have ever made, it was difficult adjusting, but this decision has changed my life for the better. I would suggest if u are questioning whether or not u are called, to pray about it and talk to someone u trust. Possibly someone who has attended Bible College. God will confirm in your heart whether or not u are making the right step. Another thing to consider is the fact that some bible colleges offer one year programs so u can have theological training and then go out into the workplace.
Let me know if this has helped any, and feel free to message back.

 

[Breetai]

Hey every1!
How r u guys doing?
Im in a bit of confusion right now.
Over the past 4 years ive worked my way up to High School and now I am currently in University studying in the Life Sciences.
Over the 4 months, I really started to take my desire to have a intimate relationship with God more seriously. I was in a christian feelowship at my university in the beginning of September and a girl was talking about how not many people in Japan r christian....about 1%. That really hit me. It wanted me to use my abilities and help change peoples lives by the teaching of the Gospel. God has given me a great talent of just wanting to help others as much as possible...not just japan but people everyday regular ppl. Im really thinking about going to Bible College or University to get a degree in pastoring or something. This is such a big change from what I am doing now at University (Life Science) so I was praying about whether this is Gods will for me. The more I think about being able to change ppls lives by the teaching of the gospel, the more I think it will be an amazing amazing thing.
Would do you guys think...do you think this is God calling me?
Thank you
God Bless

God is probably calling you in some way to preach His gospel, but you don't need to go to a Bible school or become a minister to do that! You can be doing that right now in the university that you're in. In fact, there's probably more people that you can show Jesus to in your school than in a Bible college. Most of them already know Jesus and don't need to hear the gospel, the non-Christians in your university need a strong witness for Christ. Unless you really do feel that you shouldn't be doing what you're doing now, you should stick with it and let Christ's light shine through you where you are now!

 

[Shannonkish]

Some insight that I have learned.. "Plan to go but be willing to stay." As christians we are ALL called to the Great Commission... there is absolutely NO question about that. However, the question that comes in is what part do I play and where do I play it?

A famous missionary whose name escapes me at the moment coined the phrase, "Plan to go but be willing to stay." I think this phrase rings true. All of us should plan to go overseas to spread the Good News, however, we also have to be willing to stay where we are at in order to do His work here.

I would love to go overseas and be a missionary, however, after long months of wrestling with God I have found that my place is here, in the US. But my work here is not easy and I will be ministering like I should be.

Now, as for training. I think some training is good... but I don't think a degree is required to be a missionary.

Another missionary, "Why do you think God is going to entrust a nation to you when you have never shared with the neighbors that He has entrusted you?" What this means is that there are people, in your school right now, that don't know Christ. I attend a Christian School, and there are people here that aren't Christians. My first responsiblity is them.

 

[Green Orchid]

If you feel God is calling you to get trained in a Bible College, GO FOR IT!!!

I did my Bachelors of Biblical Studies and it has forever changed my life.

I know what you mean by "Is God calling me?" When I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to go to Bible College for one year - that's all. Then I wanted to go to university to become a doctor, that was my lifelong dream.

But once I got to Bible College, a month later, God spoke to me so clear about doing my degree there and giving up being doctor that I yielded, and I have never regretted it.

Some people say "well, you could be a missionary doctor", but no, that's not my call anymore, I just really want to be out there, on the street, outreaching, teaching and investing in people's lives.

So if God spoke to you... get trained and don't look back!

But I do recommend that as a guy, you still get a "real job", cuz you probably will have to support a family someday and being in the ministry might not fulfill all of your financial needs.

That's why my husband, who also did Bible College, is now in school to become an electrician.

It's good to have "tent-making" skills like Paul!