Let’s be real. Whenever I see my wife’s name come up on my cell phone I take the call. She is not a phone person so when she calls, I pick up no matter what I’m doing. You probably can relate to that scenario. Why? Because our spouses matter, big time!
People are called into various types of ministry.
It wasn’t until it happened to me, that fully understood it. I heard and read how God “called” Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses; the list goes on. It was mindblowing that the God of Creation could also be so personally interested in me, in my life, and would “call” me.
God calls us first and foremost to fully surrender our lives to Him – to belong to Him. Our secondary calling is to live our faith. This looks different for everyone but it all surrounds the question of purpose. What does God want me to do on this earth?
Allow me to apply this to church planting. It has been my observation that God seems to call a specific person, or church planting couple/family, to a specific people in a specific place for a specific purpose. I believe these people are primary vision carriers.
God has downloaded His vision into this person for a specific mission.
They can do one of two things: Ignore the call or answer the call.
Doubt can creep in but the Holy Spirit constantly reminds us of this specific calling. We can even argue with God, but as Barton goes on to say, “God always wins this argument, because every time we go deep inside and listen, we know that what God is calling us to do is ours to do and that the path before us is ours to walk.
For many – this will be your life purpose.
Deep down we know this calling is much more than an endeavor, a new startup, and way more than a job. It is our God-given assignment.
And so we say yes.
For better or for worse, we say yes to the call.
We say yes to God.