Sorry I wasn't very clear. I'd like to hear from anyone in ministry; bi-vo, pastor, music, missionary etc.
How did you know that (Shepherding a congregation) was what God had prepared for you to do? Was there a sense of calling or desire on your part? What was it?
I hear a lot about the 'call' to ministry, but I want to know how someone determines the 'call' is genuine and to what they are called exactly.
I've mentioned on the boards here that I was saved at ten years of age. For several years I simply grew in the faith, through reading, prayer, study, meditation, and discussions with my elders, such as my grandfather, a Baptist minister of some 50 years.
Around the time I turned 19 I began to realize the work that the Lord had set for me. I would, in essence, preach to myself at night, or in the car, or on a long walk through the woods. I spoke about it with my grandfather and with a close friend of mine who, at the time had been preaching for over ten years and had been pastoring a church for about four years. Both told me the same thing: "If you can get out of it, then you never had it to begin with."
In the fall of my 19th year, the little church I went to fractured over doctrine. Some in the church were bent on pushing premillennialism in a church that had never been pre-mil to begin with. We were, by and large, amil with tendencies toward eclecticism in interpretation. Honestly, prior to this moment, eschatology had never been a big issue with us. We had always focused more on salvation and living for God.
But the church splintered over the course of a couple months, with a Tuesday evening "All Member" meeting in early October marking the first time I ever stood up and, basically, "preached." I was so torn over certain of the church pushing eschatological issues ahead of salvation that I just couldn't contain it. (Even though I wasn't well-learned enough to understand the terms I've since used to described the issue.) Two weeks later, during our monthly 'Conference' meeting, the issue of premillennialism being taught was brought up for a vote and the issue "won" with a margin of just a few votes. That particular conference hosted more members than had even been to church in the last several months. My family took it as a sign that we were no longer welcome there, so we departed the church and began seeking another.
We visited a handful of churches over the next two months, and eventually found our new church home in December of that year. Within a month of being in that church, under sound doctrine that was not suffering confusion, as in the last church, I again felt the pull of my calling. I once more spoke with my grandfather, who told me that he had known since the October meeting and was just waiting on me to announce it to the church. The next Sunday morning, while our church choir was busy singing, the Spirit came on me so strong that I couldn't hold back any longer.
I stood and announced that God had called me to preach His word. That was 13 or so years ago now. I continue to visit other churches as I'm led, preaching whenever the opportunity is given. I've been blessed to help in some great services, and revivals, and all the glory is God's. I'm just trying to do what the Lord called me to do.
Does that answer your question? It's really more of a narrative of a few months of my spiritual life...
