Introduction
How should we think about calling to pastoral ministry? Many young men wrestle with whether God has “called” them to serve as pastors, often waiting for some mystical internal experience to confirm their direction. This discussion challenges common language around ministry calling and offers a more biblical, practical approach that focuses on aspiration rather than esoteric internal experiences.
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Transcript
Pastor Cam Porter 00:08
What would be? What would be, you know, a few sentences that you would give a young man seeking the pastoral ministry or who has a desire to preach and be a pastor in the church of Christ. What would be some words that you would you’d say to that man?
Pastor Samuel Renihan 00:25
I’ve been very persuaded in the past year or so to begin shifting language on this very question. The typical language that I grew up learning, and until, you know, about a year ago, was internal call, external call, it’s the language of the internal call which I think needs to be re evaluated and adjusted in the following way, if, well, I’ll say why it’s problematic and then give the what I think is a good solution.
Problems with “Internal Call” Language
The term calling internally implies that God has spoken to you in some way, for sure. And so it’s like the the girl who says to the boy, God, I it’s just God’s will that we break up. You know, really, God told you that when how you speak, he speaks to you in this way, you know? So if we, if we make people think, well, don’t you have that internal calling? It’s the kind of thing, you know, the guys that get it, get it, and the guys that don’t, don’t. If you had it, you would know it, for some men club, for some men, it’s going to be really discouraging, you know, I guess I don’t have it, you know, the internal call. Who is God calling you? And it’s, it’s problematic to the other extreme with what you said, I am called. I know I’m called if, if the girl says God told you to break up, you better obey the Holy Spirit and break up with her. If God has called this man, you better obey God and ordain him, right? Okay, none of this is helpful on either side of you don’t have it and I have it right.
A Better Approach: Aspiration to Ministry
So what do we do instead of talking about internal call? Well, using Paul’s language of aspiring to the ministry, if a man aspires to the ministry or desires the office of Bishop, that’s a good thing. He desires a good thing, and his desire should be good so aspiration, I think, is a helpful way to say to this young man. So getting to your question, at last, do you aspire to serve Jesus, Christ and His Church, His sheep? Do you aspire to be a minister to Christ’s sheep? And if they say, I truly do aspire to that. Say that is good. Here are the things that you need to work on in order to prepare yourself to do that work. Now we’re objectively. Now we’re talking about something objective. These are the qualifications of a minister. This is the work of a minister. Show these qualifications. Show this, these abilities, these moral qualifications and these practical abilities, work on them, develop them. And I’m willing to meet with that kind of man he’s aspiring to this. And let me help you as best as I can, and as opposed to, well, let’s try and find your calling right now? Now, what are we looking for? You know, so reorienting.
It’s not a total rejection of the internal call, because what I just described, many people would say that that is the internal call, but I think the language is better to speak about aspiring to the ministry that is in the person that’s in the man his aspirations. Okay, what are you willing to do to work towards that aspiration, to work towards that goal? And how can I, as a fellow pastor, or we as a church, we will consider working along with you towards that end? As far as it will go, I think that’s definable. It’s much clearer for the person, for the man, it’s clear he knows what he’s supposed to do for the pastor, mentoring or helping him. It’s clear. So and then the external call is untouched, the Church calls you or doesn’t call you. So is that? No,
Pastor Jim Butler 04:14
I’ve always used the meaning in terms of the subjective element, the objective element, but I get exactly what you’re saying. The internal call is esoteric. It’s a direct line to God. It’s Gnostic. God called me to this. And you know, heaven help you if you try to stand in my way. And that puts an eldership in a very precarious position, because if externally you you suggest that you know brother, perhaps you should go be a plumber. God called me. Yeah, it’s very hard to argue a guy off that ledge when he believes God has spoken to him in a particular text and he must be a minister.
Subjective and Objective Elements
So, yeah, no. Subjective part, desire, aspiration. And that’s what we typically refer to them as, as aspirants. Somebody has thought, I’ve called them aspirins, but there is a T in there. No, I 100% agree the subjective and the objective. We cannot neglect that objective to serve as a necessary corrective and check of the subjective. And if the subjective is is correct, I believe in God’s providence, the objective is going to verify that or validate that or confirm that. Yeah, terrific. Yeah.
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