How did you know you were called?
 

There are several threads regarding the ministry and I was wondering: How did you know you were called to preach?

Did God speak audibly? Dream...Vision? How did your calling come to you?

I was called in my teens. I'd go to church and preachers would call me out and say things like "This young man will one day preach". I began to pray about t and had visions of me preaching. I'd stand to testify and end up "preaching". One day in church, the Lord spoke to my heart saying something like "Go into the streets and preach the Gospel". At that time, I had no idea something similar to those words was in the Bible. I told the pastor what I believed God had spoken to me. The next Saturday, I preached my first message on the street corner in a well known "trinitarian" town. I was 15 years old.

So, preachers, how did you know you were called to preach?

I had an amazing call to the ministry that I will never forget. I was attending the Family Camp at Pea Cove, Maine when I was 17 years old. While praying in the prayer room after an evening service I began to sing a song in tongues and suddenly had this vision of multitudes marching towards a cliff and then stepping off the edge into hell fire. It was as if they were mindlessly following those ahead of them to their ultimate destruction. It stirred me so much I left that meeting and went to a District Board Meeting being held after service and shared my experience and how I felt God was calling me into the ministry and needed to go to Bible School. They gave me some wise counsel and upon graduation I attended UPBI and the rest is history. That call has kept me focused in difficult and trying times in the ministry.

When I first felt the call to minister I say Lord I think you are mistaken I'm not that smart,but God kept dealing with me.
My pastor told me son you must learn to love people if you are going to preach,and he told me I must read my bible through from Genesis To Revelation ,and He told me I must know what I believe and why I believe it.

Thank you, brothers. Its interesting to hear the experiences of those called to preach. Truly Blessed, your vision is similar to mine. I saw two groups of people on either side of a bridge. I would call out to the people on one side to come accross the bridge I was standing on. I would lead them across, one by one. Are there others?

One old preacher described what a "call" is as follows:

1. An inward desire
2. A reasonable fitness
3. An open door

By the fact that I absolutely and completely DID NOT want to do that, then when I finally warmed up to the idea thinking "yeah, I could pastor" learning, no that isn't it either..... and thinking... "well that is disapointing.." There was a dream/vision involved but I cannot share it. sorry.

I therefore abide...eh, it is fun here and I am happy...

speaking about callings, this is something I sent out to some people earlier today:
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This is an editorial from the latest issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.
I thought I would pass it on.

Jim Ellis
http://www.geocities.com/patandjimellis/index.html


What Are You Waiting for in 2008?
Hal Donaldson, Editor in Chief

Are you praying for God to issue you new marching orders in 2008? Perhaps you sense a change is coming but you don't know what it is. You simply long for God to make His way clear to you and bring an end to your waiting game. If that describes your circumstances, please know you are not alone.

Following are principles to ensure you don't just tread water while waiting on the Lord's direction:

1. Remain persistent in prayer. Breakthroughs come through fasting, daily prayer and Bible reading.

2. Don't be afraid to engage in candid conversations with God. But be wary of sharing your frustrations with too many people, especially those who haven't learned to tame the tongue.

3. Consider yourself a servant-in-training and take advantage of the ministry opportunities God places before you where you are. No task should be viewed as too big or too small.

4. Remember that waiting on God isn't an excuse for not working for God.

5. Remain faithful to your current responsibilities. Don't become so preoccupied with your future that you neglect today's obligations.

6. Do not be in a hurry. Let God open doors at the right time. Making a move at the wrong time will only lead to unnecessary hardship.

7. If you don't have clarity, don't move in a direction that may prove to be the wrong one. That will only cost you precious time if you're forced to retrace your steps. Faith is hearing from God and stepping out. Presumption is stepping out and hoping God is going before you.

8. Seek the counsel of a godly pastor or senior adult. God confirms His plans for us in prayer, by His Word and through others. Senior adults have a wealth of experience and wisdom to offer. Tap into that database of knowledge when facing major decisions.

9. If you make a mistake, embrace God's mercy and grace and ask Him to help you get on the right path.

10. Remind yourself that God is more concerned about your spiritual growth and obedience today than He is about your geographic location or job title tomorrow.

I have always believed that circumstance more often then not shows the will of God. How many here have ever heard a literal spoken word from God or the angel of the Lord? I don't want to hear "Yes I did! I heard it impressed on my heart!" -THAT is not a literal spoken word. A literal spoken word is something that if a tape recorder were running, would record what was said.

God spoke to me when I was fifteen and I knew that I would marry a Pastor. There was no other idea in my head from then on. My husband, on the other hand, wanted to do anything BUT preach. But he did know from the time he was a child that he was supposed to; he just was fighting it with everything in him!

Oh Lord.... THIS is why I gave up trying to date Christians during my 20's. LOL Nearly ALL the women wanted to marry a "pastor". Well, God stayed with me despite myself and gave me a Christian woman who wanted nothing to do with being married to a pastor. :)