The Call

Describing the call to the ministry is kind of like describing marriage. When someone asks, "How did you know that God was calling you to the ministry?" is like when someone asks, "How did you know your wife was the one?" It's hard to answer either question. It usually boils down to the answer: "You just know." That often seems like a cop out.

All that said, I know that God called me to the ministry. I can look back on my life and see where he called me in high school, college and young adult life, but I was not listening. When I did finally answer "yes" to the call, I had starry visions of what being a minister was. I envisioned a small church that slowly but surely grew. Eventually it would become a large church. People with all sorts of problems would come to me and I would help them. It did not turn out that way. The church imploded. (Perhaps you heard the boom.)

Currently, I am not in ministry (in the formal sense). My wife and I are volunteering at the church we attend, and I have the opportunity to preach once in a while.

The thing I struggle with is this: What does the call mean? Am I called to be a pastor?

The pastor who married us pastored three churches over a ten year span, and is currently in evangelism. Another man I know was the pastor of one church for ten years, and is currently not pastoring. My former youth pastor is currently out of the ministry. One of my pastors when I was a kid is no longer pastoring. None of these men are anywhere near retirement age.

All of these men were called (or at least thought they were) at one point. What happened? Is God's call temporary? Does his will for us change over our life?

I wonder this, because I wonder where I am headed.