As I look through many of the Churches that I have dealt with, I have found that our understanding of a “calling into the ministry” has been skewed. Now, before going too far, I have not gone to every church obviously so do not take offense to this if it doesn’t apply. In other words, as my parents used to tell me, “if the shoe fits.” I found that many times the calling of a minister is because of how a person feels, the pastor tells the person that they will be a minister, or even because the person “thinks” that it is an occupation that they will enjoy.

In this writing we will look at the calling of a minister through God’s word. We will not allow feelings to be the driving factor as to what the Lord wants. However, we will allow God’s perfect and holy word dictate to us what He desires. Let us dig into the word to see what it means to be called into the ministry.

The first, and most important, thing that we must look at is the fact that our calling into the ministry is not because of us choosing to preach the gospel. The choosing process is not up to us. It is God who has chosen us to be the minister/preacher. This is so important for us to understand because when we realize that it is God who has chosen us then we will understand both the privilege and responsibility. Being chosen by God is not to be taken lightly.

Amos 7:14-15, “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel..”

In this verse we can clearly see that God was the one who chose Amos. How about you? Who is it that has chosen you? Was it the pastor that continually told you that you would be a minister until you finally started to believe or was it God? How about the seminary student? Do you think that because you went to a Bible school you should be a preacher? Not only do we see the selection process of ministers in the Old Testament but we also see it in the New Testament.

John 1:6, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.”

In this verse we see John the Baptist being sent by God. He was sent by God Himself and not by someone nudging him. It was not John’s decision to minister to the people but it was God’s.

Now, one of the things that we must point out is the fact that God has not chosen us by the works that we have done but by grace. Being called to minister is much like the calling to salvation which is by grace. Salvation nor ministering is something that we have a right to. Salvation and ministering is a gift from God. It is by His grace. Grace is defined as undue favor. In other words we can identify with grace as something that has been given even though we don’t deserve it. One of the greatest attributes of the apostle Paul is his humility and sense of worthlessness as he stands before God.

Ephesians 3:7-8, “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”

Notice in this verse that Paul identifies where everything that he has comes from. He says that he was made a minister (God’s choosing) according to the gift (something given freely) of grace (undue favor) of God. Paul goes on to say that this gift of preaching/ministering was given by the effectual working of His power. Everything in this verse is about God and not Paul. So it is with ministering. Its all about God. God has chosen you based upon what He has desired.

This leads us into the ministering duties. Understanding that God has chosen us and that the selection process is done by grace we now are motivated to preach. Motivation to preach does not come from anything or anyone other than a sense of owing God because of all that He has done.

1st Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

2nd Corinthians 5:15, “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”