bigat said:
How do you know? How do you know what God is calling you to do? If he is calling you to full-time ministry or calling you to serve in a church (not full-time but volunteer)?
All through High School I thought I was called to be a youth minister. I would hang out w. my youth minister and help him with things just to be around it. I loved it! Afer High School I went to a Christian College. I got through 2 years and did a summer "internship" at a small church. It was horrible! I since decided - maybe this ISN'T what God called me to do. I'm now working in IT for a consulting firm outside of Chicago. Although the job isn't bad I find it very unsatisfying. Then what did he call me to do?
How did you know God wanted you to be in full-time ministry?
Weeellllll....it took me 20 years to get into "full time ministry". When it happened 15 mos ago, I was not seeking it.
Here's what's important to keep in mind. You are not called to "vocational" ministry, you are not called to "full time ministry", you are called to serve God in an area where you are gifted and where He provides opportunity now. You find where to go next by doing what opportunity God has given you to do today. There are no "volunteers" mentioned in the Bible, only servants. There is no difference in the call of God on a person in paid ministry, and one who is an unpaid servant. The only difference is the activity and opportunity.
My own experience, which will no doubt be different than yours, was that I served in one church for 20 years as an adult and youth Sunday School teacher, and adult group leader. The success that God gave us in those areas led to the offer to come on the staff of my church (of around 3500 members) as the Pastor of Leadership Development overseeing and developing small group ministry. What I understood going in, however was the call on my life had not changed. I did not negotiate for a salary with my pastor. My only "conditions" for coming on the paid staff was that I could continue to be a 10th grade SS teacher, and an adult group leader myself. It has since become evident that my connection with youth and my experience with and relationship with our adult group has been critical in developing ministry since I have been on the staff. God saw all this before it happened and used it all together.
A little clarification--all through high school, did you feel like you were called to "be a youth minister"---or did you feel like you were called to "minister to youth?" There's a big difference. The feeling that one is called to a ministry can be a human desire and ideal that can be mistaken for the call of God on your life. But the desire to minister to people in a particular area is almost never a human ideal, but the call of God. It's always about the people you are compelled to minister to, never what you want to do for a job.
Our (my wife and I) driving desire and commitment to serve and minister to teenagers and adults in various areas of teaching and pastoral care in our church for years, developed into what is now my job. It never starts with the call to a "job in ministry". It always starts with what you are willing to do to serve God where He gives you the opportunity, regardless of whether it becomes your job now or never.
So, to sum it up. What have you been gifted to do? Who (what age group, area of ministry) do you have a desire to minister to? What are the opportunities? That's where you start. Don't worry about what you thought or about a bad experience as an intern. All that will be beneficial at some point. Start serving today where there is an opportunity. Commit for life. What He wants you to do will become clear day by day, week by week. Enjoy it.
