Am I called for ministry, and if so, what is my personal biblical model?

Okay weird title, I admit it, but it’s an actual legitimate question Christians are asked in Bible College here in Australia, and also some may personally consider. Over the course of my own Christian walk I have thought about this question many, many times, but not only that, I have also questioned the validity of the actual question itself and continue to do so from a heart of genuine pastoral care for the Church.

I first began bible college knowing I had been asked (along with every other believer) to follow Jesus with my whole life. I knew that a part of this new journey was growing in sound bible knowledge and furthermore without a ‘degree’ in Australia I would be basically unable to work full-time in ministry.

From my experience at Bible College, I found that knowing I was asked to follow Jesus with my whole life from scripture was no longer enough of an answer. We were challenged to really ‘test the call’ and to dig into scripture to find our personal ministry model; for example the Shepherd, or the Feeding of the Five Thousand, or the Woman at the Well, to name a few.

I personally felt the example of the disciples following Jesus where He led them was solid enough. I pondered why I needed to ‘peg down’ my personal calling when I felt my calling to follow, was both personal and inclusive of all Christians based on scripture. I wondered why I had to choose one ‘model’ when being 'adaptable' seemed to me to be more scriptural. When I questioned the task I was advised to just follow the process, and prayerfully choose a model. I was assured this was okay as it could change down the track. I wasn’t really satisfied but I did what was asked.

Over the years I’ve pondering this ‘foundational task’ for future ministry direction, my personal answer to the question, and indeed the validity of the question itself for our own wellbeing.

Let me quickly just say this post isn’t meant to be an in-depth, theological response rather I hope, a point of discussion and further consideration.

I am still wondering today the purpose of the question, its validity, and furthermore it’s influence on the Church…I’ll try and keep this brief.

You see, I keep coming back to Jesus and the main 12 disciples, as this is the biblical testimony to the foundation of His Church. 

His ministry wasn’t just one of feeding, or healing, or teaching. His ministry was establishing His Church before dying and rising to life, for the final sacrifice and atonement for sin, so we could be forgiven and reconciled to God as His children for eternity.

Jesus’ ministry was the one His Father gave Him.

Before His ascension Jesus commissioned all believers to take the gospel into all the world and make disciples…Why do we complicate this?

Why don’t we look to what we’ve been given?

Scripture states from St Paul “Let each of you remain in the condition in which you were called.”1 Corinthians 7:20.

This is NOT a scripture to ‘do nothing’. It is not even asking us to question or ‘test’ our call. 1 Corinthians 7:20 assumes the calling of all believers, and encourages them to look at what they’ve already been given as the basis of their ministry!

It doesn’t ask the believer to look for a specific biblical model.The New Testament wasn’t even established. Scripture always advises us to be led by God and not our own ideas…by His perfect Spirit and not ourselves…

Now I’m not trying to disregard the question and task altogether, it may indeed really help some people to discern their next step. And discernment for one’s ‘next step’ is always valid, in fact it's crucial.

I am concerned however about it being used ‘religiously’ for ministry foundation, when I don’t see it in scripture and therefore of the negative affects it may have on some believers and their families.

Just hear me out…

You see, sometimes our plans seem good at the time, but rather than working out to be Kingdom building they become more self-fulfilling. And sometimes when circumstances change for believers, they’re left feeling disillusioned as their ‘vision’ was crushed. It seems their foundation was more in an idea and based on the success of their 'ministry', rather than the unchanging truth of their inherited worth and calling because of their identity in Christ. 

The ego is all too easily inflamed, and I do think having a too-specific, personal calling, when it’s not found in The New Testament, oftentimes is fuel to this fire. Honestly, just try to have a humble conversation with someone about ‘your calling’, it’s extremely difficult to do.

We sadly hear of too many leading pastors coming into shame. Sometimes we hear years later, testimonies from the victims of frustrated and abusive leaders, who were very different people behind closed doors when no-one was watching. Where was the loving, patient, discipleship raising there?

Jesus’ ministry was the one His Father gave Him.

He was faithful in His task as the Messiah, The Christ, the Saviour of the World. God who became a human being, to establish the foundation of His Kingdom, before dying and raising to eternal life. We are to continue with Him, building His Kingdom by spreading the Gospel and making disciples, as He told us prior to His ascension. This is The Task we have until He returns.

So what have you been given?

Maybe you’re young and single, just starting out in life and you need to follow Him to find this gift.

Maybe you will look and see the family and job you have.

Maybe you have a burning desire for a particular ministry that doesn’t neglect your nearest and dearest, and need to knock on some doors to see if God opens them for you.

Try to not get caught up with the question and rest assured, whatever God’s will for you is, it will fulfil His great commission to all believers. Be assured all your work is ministry, even if it is unpaid, and unsung by others. Your children will NOT be neglected!

It’s helpful for us to remember that scripture states leaders MUST have their own households in order before having the responsibility of pastorally caring for others. And this leads me to another question. How many of us actually have a relationship with future leaders where we visit them at home and therefore can truly attest to this which is necessary for Bible College acceptance? How many of us today who attend church actually meet together in our own homes outside of a meeting?

Furthermore Bible College is 3-4 years full-time and here in Australia’s often far away from one’s home church and family. With professional standards and legislated protocol, how is it even practical for teachers or clergy to know their students personally and pastorally ‘behind doors’?

My heart truly is for Kingdom building, and this means sharing the Gospel and raising disciples through His love. Oftentimes we don’t need to go looking for a 'ministry' because it’s right in front of us…if only we are humble enough to accept it, for the unglamorous, often frustrating, and difficult work it is!

How better would our church communities be if families really prioritised their own children and homes first and foremost? How 'cleaner' and 'healthier' would our churches be if we realised our own personal growth and loving others was 'Kingdom building'?

Yes, there are still many who do offer this example but my heart is for this to spread like wildfire. Families who fight, day-in day-out, for the health and faithfulness of their own family, first and foremost so they are a 'true light' to others.  Families who live and breath The Word of God, and therefore impact our world not in their own strength but by His power.

We're all called to ministry, period.

I think we would do better to examine our own actions and heart to develop a god-centered focus, more than examining scripture to developing a ministry-model. 

All of what I've said is my heart, not just for you, but for my own home too. I don't think it's really anything new that hasn't been already said by someone else...But I do hope it strengthens and encourages you. You are precious to Him, irrespective of anything.

Peace, Melanie.

In My Burrow:

One of my recent watercolour paintings.
@mjsymesart

I haven’t written a blog post in around two months and recently I began to ponder as to why…

You see I love connecting with others via this blog but I also don’t want to just write for the sake of posting, and well, I just haven’t been inspired to write. This has been somewhat different for me, as for around five years I don’t think there’s been a month go by without a post.

But since the beginning of this year I’ve been in a season of ‘being in my burrow’.

A season of laying low, recharging, and focusing upon caring for my kits, and for this I make no apology…I’ve come to realise I’ve really needed it, and that’s okay.

After our wedding a year ago, I found I was quite run-down and by the end of last year I was really exhausted. You see, although I had been a single parent of three children for five years, technically I had really been single parenting for over a decade, as my ex-husband worked far away.

Fifteen years of parenting, caring, cooking, cleaning, disciplining, teaching, along with obtaining a degree and working in ministry full-time for two years while single takes a lot from someone…

But throughout the difficult journey of single parenting The Lord had promised me through scripture a new, permanent and beautiful home, where we could rest, and He has done just that!

Although I knew I needed rest when I resigned from chaplaincy at the end of last year to home-school the boys, it’s only now, feeling more recharged that I’m able to see more fully what The Lord was providing me. When you’re used to being quite active it can be difficult to comprehend ‘enforced rest’. Being a ‘doer’ it’s sometimes really hard to let go, rest, and relax, but sometimes circumstances and seasons force us to for our own good.

So since the beginning of this year I’ve been home schooling the boys again, and working at helping us all gel as a family, and to be completely honest, this has pretty much all I’ve been able to handle…even with the terrific help from hubby.

Blending people into a new family takes love, boundaries, patience and time. Even for myself. Simply accepting my new hubby’s loving help, although readily welcomed, actually took an adjustment, as I was so used to doing it alone and therefore struggled with some false guilt.

Over the last six months I’ve been able to recharge, safely and securely in the comfort of my own burrow. My kits have been able to feel security and comfort in a new and permanent way.

Our new home has been a sanctuary The Lord has provided us with for our wellbeing.

Praise Him.

There’s still been many challenges but we’ve been able to deal with them better as we haven’t been so ‘stretched and thin’ – If you know what I mean.

It seems so often that people today are ‘stretched and thin’ in their lives, and I’m contemplating that it’s not only the adult who suffers…the children often suffer too.

Like the mother who is so run down her breast milk is no longer sufficient for her child, so our children suffer when we run ourselves thin trying to ‘have it all’.

Why do so many of us women feel guilty today when we stay home and mother our children when they’re over the age of say ten? I think we know the answer, yet this is not intended to be a blaming blog so I won’t go there.

I just want to say I am so thankful to The Lord for the rest He’s enabled.

I am seeing the benefits and this is wonderful confirmation to combat the negative, self-doubting thoughts I’ve had, just as we all can have.

All of us here are now more settled than we’ve ever been, and our stress levels are much, much, lower, and although money has sometimes been challenging, these benefit are something money can’t buy!

In my burrow I’ve found myself away from much of what’s going on outside my door…So sometimes I’ve felt guilty. Yet the refreshment of less pressure and also less drama has been a welcomed change.

Yet there’s been plenty of times where I felt I should be doing more for others. Serving more. Giving more. Just more, more, more.

I have found in life, oftentimes, less haste, selfishness, drama and consumerism always produces a better quality of life for everyone. So I just continue to let go of the negative thoughts.

In reality we were in need, and The Lord provided. Our change in circumstances led to an ‘enforced rest’ where I’ve been able to focus solely on taking care of us and I’m beginning to really feel the benefits.

Now it’s not like I wasn’t taking care of us before…it’s just that I needed to slow right down and do only this for a season.

Sometimes in life we feel so much pressure to ‘have it all’ and we often foolishly compare our lives to others who seem to have it so. We beat ourselves up on the inside for feeling ‘less than’. We run ourselves thin and can become angry and this can result in us becoming bitter towards others, as we are so exhausted and in need.

But if only we gave ourselves permission to be deemed ‘lazy’ or ‘needy’ in the eyes of those who don’t know…maybe then both us and our families would be much better off.

More money and new activities aren’t always the right answer.

A home cooked meal is more comforting than an expensive take-away one.

A clean home is more comforting and nurturing than a constantly untidy one.

An available parent is more comforting and helpful than Kids-help-line.

A peaceful and loving wife is more god-honouring than an exhausted and stressed one.

I know some couples who seem to be a ‘power-house’ from what they post online…And honestly there have been times when I’ve compared myself and felt inadequate. I have felt my family wasn’t ‘as good’. But this is a tactic from the enemy to keep us from loving better. Busyness is a problem today…striving for worldly stuff is not the answer…loving Jesus and others (including ourselves) as He does, is.

Jesus was the most selfless, humble, unassuming person to ever live here on earth but he also practiced good self-care by often spending time alone and recharging. He went away from the crowds and prayed. He also said of Mary, compared to her busy and stressed-out sister Martha that she had chosen better.

Yet what we don’t always think about is how doing this benefits others. Jesus practiced self-care so that He was able to continuing ministering to others. Mary wasn’t the one who was ‘snappy’, it was her busy-busy sister, Martha. We need to take care of ourselves so we can be healthy for our families.

We NEED rest and worship.

Rest and worship can take different forms for different people.

Over the past six months I have been spending time in my burrow loving my kids but also painting.

Painting for me is calming and relaxing and also produces much thankfulness in my heart towards The Lord.

So this is what I’ve been doing and why I haven’t posted for a while…

Less drama, less stress, less activity, less haste…Less is more…

More peace, more love, more time, more joy…Less is more.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you for my burrow and your love for us.