I am so very grateful to the awesome staff at the newly launched Happy Joe for getting me back online. I appreciate all the wisdom that this team, especially Cory Miller, brings to the table. It is great to now have my home at HJ. So here’s to blogging again!
Check out their great resources at Happy Joe.
A while back I wrote the following, but I would add to this one of the most powerful passages that stand out to me in my own call experience and that is Psalm 37:4-5. I would also add the following links to books that could be useful in this journey, Answering the Call, and Called to be God’s Leader.
My prayer is that you experience the Lord’s direction very clearly in your life!
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I recently had the opportunity to speak to a group of Sunday School leaders about one of the most powerful elements of who they are as leaders in the church…their call to service. For us as church leaders, the most critical marker for my service and ministry is my call. The Bible shows us God’s direction in peoples’ lives from Abraham, to Moses, the ups and downs of Saul, David, and the great call of Paul. Why is the call so critical?
1. It is why we do what we do. Really, what is it though? I have experienced two levels of call:
One, General Call, which is static, meaning that time in my life during the summer of 1990 when I clearly understood the Lord wanted my life for His use, whenever, wherever. I surrendered to Him. This call is the touch-stone where I go back to in my mind, kind of marking time and my life to this significant event. He continues to affirm this call on my life.
I have also experienced Specific Call, which has been wildly dynamic, and has offered opportunities for me to listen to Him and His direction in my life to serve in counseling, family work, singles, youth, and education. The most exciting part of this specific call is that He may keep me with my current orders, and then in a heartbeat, He could call to something completely different. I am content either way.
2. It gives direction and purpose to anyone, regardless of where their ministry is. If God calls someone to be a mechanic, or pilot, go, do it. Listen to Him.
3. It gives the ability to weather storms. If I know I am called to a place to serve that is hurting or struggling, or if I find myself in a low spot feeling like I am being pulled in a million different ways and I am ready to pull the parachute and walk away, I lean on the call.
What has He called you to do?
A friend in ministry targeting missional work showed me a great website recently that allows for a number of different uses, with one intriguing one being a small group setting.
This got me to thinking, let’s take a men’s discipleship group. Calendars can be difficult, the meeting places not always convenitent, but check this out, we could set a time like 6 am Tuesdays, log on to our meeting room and settle in for an hour of study. But what really made me think is, what if there is a fella that is hours away that needs connecting, or better yet, a mentor in my life who is states away that could facilitate our group. Wow!
Check it out: webChurch Media
Have you come accross other resources like this that could be of use?
Recently I had the opportunity to describe the benefit that having a website has been to me. If you have not thought about the blessing of beginning a site, please consider taking the plunge! The top 4 reasons for me are:
1. It has helped me to capture and process ideas and experiences I am having in study, travel, and work. It’s like a dynamic, shared journal.
2. It has been an outlet for the questions that I have had from others, that I assume others are searching for, like me.
3. It creates an immediate contact and way to keep the door open for discussion with folks I meet at leadership events, etc. It also gives a spot to point people to if I have something available that meets a need. By the way, there are people searching for answers/discussion with search engines that have visited the site. Imagine someone google-ing a topic that you discuss and landing on your site…from around the world!
4. It is a fun, productive hobby. There are many things that could take my free time. With this, I feel like I am actually capturing and sharing something! Even if I am my only visitor, I am grateful to have a spot to think and work through things.
What benefits have you gleaned from having your own site?
A pastor friend encouraged me to find a site that had literally led him to tears. Great way to link or send the living Word!
Check out this awesome site with powerful testimonies of life change in and through Jesus Christ!
Have you seen anything like this to pass along?
