Five misconceptions of calling
1. Individualism – The major tendency we face in discerning God’s call on our life, particularly if we are thinking about global missions, is to place inordinate emphasis on our personal judgment. For example some students may have struggled for almost a year about what to do when they finish college without opening up to their closest friends, seeking wise counsel, or pursuing direction from pastors or ministry leaders. We privatize the question of our calling and separate ourselves from the means that God has graciously given us to discern and confirm our calling.
2. Romanticism – Another misconception I find is that a call to missions equals an unexplainable and unquenchable passion. For example, new ministry and mission recruits are sometimes too quick to question their calling when the initial thrill of the ministry is gone. Or, qualified missions candidates refuse to go with the mission team of their church or city because they don’t feel a deep burden for the particular people group they are going to reach. While passion is good and heartfelt assurance of our calling is rightly sought, we need to be careful that we don’t fall into the hopeless subjectivity that comes when we fall into the misconception that to be called is to always feel passionate about the particular ministry.
3. Neglecting the role of authority – We like to be our own bosses especially when it comes to our calling in ministry or missions. I have seen people become bitter and mission teams derailed by neglecting the God given authority of pastors or mission agency leaders. I am not talking about brazen rebellion. Neglecting authority can be as apparently innocent as unnecessarily delaying seeking advice from your pastor or not following through with the normal application process for a mission opportunity. You cannot be sure of God’s specific call to or from a particular ministry or mission until you have heard from the God-appointed leadership.
4. Fatalism – John Calvin inspired a high view of the sovereignty of God that is a wonderful hope for all those who are called to serve as missionaries. However, some of us struggle, whether five-point or quasi-Calvinists, with the attitude that sees God’s sovereignty as an excuse for not adequately using the normal means He has given us to know our calling for service in His kingdom. There are many mysteries in the plan of God, but I do think that our calling is supposed to be one of them. We need to be careful not to excuse mistakes we make in discerning and answering God’s call on our life by saying nonchalantly “it must not have been God’s will.”
5. Distorted view of full-time Christian service – Most Christians profess that all believers are called to serve God in whatever their profession may be. Yet we are still heavily influenced by the notion that pastors and missionaries have a higher call.[1] For example, a godly young woman is trying to decide between going to China and teaching in Atlanta. She is gifted and motivated as a schoolteacher. Her Christian community tells her of the need for teachers at the local school. She prays, talks with her friends and church leaders. If she decides to stay and teach school in Atlanta she should by no means think or feel that her service as a schoolteacher is any less pleasing to God than if she were a missionary in China. Likewise if she pursues the missions job she needs to guard against the temptation to think God is more pleased with her as a missionary. If you are considering missions, pray that God keeps you from pursuing missions for a distorted desire for a higher calling.
Putting it together
Now that we have a foundation for discerning your calling to missions let me suggest a few applications.
o Be encouraged! The covenant of love that God has made with us in Christ covers our individual calling. We do not have to fear the plans God has for us because they are part of God’s wonderful plans to bless His people and make them a blessing to the nations.
o Be repentant! We may need to change our attitude, thinking, or approach to discerning God’s call. Regardless of the specifics of God’s call for you, he wants you to live by repentance and faith in Christ and the Gospel.
o Be faithful! Are willing to test the waters? Often you will have to take steps of faith long before you have feelings of assurance about your call. This might mean beginning the application process for missions or taking part in a short-term trip.
God has lovingly provided everything we need for life and godliness.[2] Surely this includes everything we need to know to respond to His call on our lives. In this life of struggle and sin, we should not be surprised to struggle with certainty about our calling. But, if we will accept the normal means of grace that God has given us in His word, prayer, and the body of Christ we can all receive sufficient direction for how to serve God with our time, talents and treasures.
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