Have you ever wondered why some people become pastors, missionaries, or step into some other kind of full-time Christian ministry?
Every minister’s story is unique, but all share a common thread: a ‘nudge’ from God that guided them toward a life of service.
For some, this nudge was a massive push — a powerful conviction that ministry was their life’s purpose. For others, the nudge was much more gentle, just a faith-filled belief that ministry was the right next step.
Over my years I’ve heard some say, “If you can do anything other than ministry, do it!” This is spoken out of an understanding that a ministry life is hard. We know this from the Bible and from personal life experience. There will be regular spiritual, emotional, and relational hardships. Plus, it likely won’t be a prosperous career path, and there is no guarantee of outward success.
Those who give these kinds of warnings are wanting to protect others from making the wrong decision. They don’t want to see them give up along the way when hit by these difficulties. They don’t want them to fail. For them, the only people who should go into ministry are those who are filled with that overwhelming awareness of God’s call on their lives — something that may help them to press through those hard times.
I think that’s a mistake.
Consider soldiers. Many grow up wanting to go into the military. Some might even describe it as a calling, an overwhelming knowledge that this is what their life is to be about.
But there are others who chose to join the military for other reasons. After the September 11, 2001, attack on New York, tens of thousands of Americans enlisted because of what they experienced that day. The USO reported:
Some service members had not previously planned on joining the military until 9/11, but suddenly found themselves reconsidering their life path after witnessing the attacks.
“Prior to that event, I never considered joining the military,” said Army Maj. Tatchie Manso, who was a 20 year-old college student at the time. He was working just seven blocks down from the World Trade Center in New York City when the planes crashed into the towers and saw the destruction of the attacks firsthand.
“It was at that moment I realized that there was something I needed to be part of that was greater than myself.”
That’s it! Many who enlisted in the military made this decision because of a new and life-defining realization. They reconsidered their life and chose to take the harder path.
It’s the same for ministry. Many pastors and others who are serving Jesus full-time realized that this world — the world God loves and that Jesus came to save — is crying out for help. And the “workers” Jesus said to pray for are still greatly needed (Matthew 9:37–38). So why not me? Why not turn my life into one of service to God and others?
In 2 Thessalonians 1:11, Paul writes: “…we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.”
He wrote these words to the whole church, not to pastors and ministers only. It points out that every believer has a calling from God — some way He’s planed for us to take part in His redemptive plan in the world.
Then Paul says he’s praying that everything they do will bear good fruit — every desire to see good happen, and every action that’s being generated by their faith.
What good in this world to you want to make happen? What is your faith prompting you to do?
Yes. You could do other things with your life. But could it be that God is nudging you toward a life of ministry, as a full-time co-laborer with Him? If you believe this is a possibility, pursue it. Surrender your life fully to Jesus, then seek out a pastor or ministry leader who can help you define what next steps to take.
