31 Days to Become a Better Pastor: Remember Your Call
I am not the best pastor in the world nor do I have all the answers. But I have been pastoring for over twenty years and have been able to serve in a variety of contexts. More than that, I’m still learning and know that I have a lot of room to grow.
For the next thirty-one days, I’m going to post some ideas not just to make you a better pastor but to make myself a better pastor. I hope you will join me on this journey. If you are not a pastor, please share this with your pastor.
For the first day, I want you to remember your call to ministry. What was it like? Where were you? How long did it take for you to get it?
I was in my mid-twenties. There were two ways in which God called me. I was involved in a Bible study. After about a year, I was asked to lead the Bible study. I discovered the joy of digging into the Bible and making the connections to today’s life.
The second part was a month in Europe with Operation Mobilization. Spending an entire month doing ministry full-time opened my eyes to a new world. Numerous people during that short-term mission affirmed my gifts for ministry.
Those two events plus a number of other experiences were the means by which God spoke to me about going in the ministry. Like most pastors, I have had doubts about my call. I wondered I was doing what I was doing. Going back to my call was a helpful way of reminding myself that being a pastor was more than just a job.
I encourage you to take some time to reflect on your calling. You may even want to write out, including all the events involved.
