Called to More Than the Pulpit

There has been a pattern in the Church for many years. A young man or woman falls

deeply in love with Jesus. They have a powerful testimony, a passion for God, and a

desire to serve Him. Almost immediately, someone asks, "Have you considered Bible

college?" Before long, the assumption is that the highest calling must be to become a

pastor, missionary, or full-time minister.

While these are wonderful and necessary callings, they are not the only callings. The

New Testament paints a much richer picture of the Body of Christ. Paul reminds us that

the Church is a body—not a single member.

"For even as the body is one and yet has many members... so also is Christ." (1Corinthians 12:12 NASB)

Every member has a different function. Every believer has been uniquely gifted by Holy

Spirit. Every person has a God-given assignment that contributes to the advance of His

Kingdom.

The question should not simply be, "How can you serve God?"

The better question is:

"Holy Spirit, how have You designed me to serve You?"

The Church's Forgotten Question

Perhaps we have been asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking, "Should you become a pastor?"

Maybe we should ask:

• How has God wired you?

• What gifts has He placed within you?

• Where has He positioned you?

• Who has He called you to influence?

• How can we equip you to fulfill that assignment?

Pastors are not called to produce more pastors. They are called to equip the saints for

the work of ministry.

"He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11–12 NASB)

Notice who does the work of ministry.

The saints.

Every believer.

Ministry Happens Everywhere

God has never confined ministry to a church building. Your mission field may be your business. Your classroom. Your hospital. Your law office. Your construction company. Your neighborhood. Your family dinner table. Your sports team. Your coffee shop. Jesus spent far more time among fishermen, tax collectors, merchants, families, and ordinary people than He did inside the synagogue. The Kingdom advances wherever

believers carry His presence.

• Paul made tents.

• Lydia sold purple cloth.

• Joseph governed Egypt.

• Daniel served in government.

• Nehemiah rebuilt a city while serving as cupbearer to the king.

• Bezalel was filled with the Spirit to design and build beautiful things (Exodus 31:1–5).

Each one fulfilled God's purpose differently. None were "less spiritual" because their

assignment looked different.

Kings and Priests

Peter reminds us of our identity:

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9 NASB)

Notice that we are not merely priests. We are a royal priesthood. Royal speaks of

kingdom influence. Priesthood speaks of God's presence. Throughout Scripture, kings

governed while priests ministered before God. In Christ, every believer has been invited into both dimensions. We carry His presence wherever we go, and we exercise His authority wherever He has placed us.

Some will do that in business.

Others in education.

Some in government.

Others in medicine.

Some in the arts.

Others in technology.

Some will pastor churches.

Others will lead companies that employ hundreds of people while demonstrating the

wisdom and generosity of God.

Every calling matters.

The Marketplace Is Not Second-Class Ministry

Sometimes we have unintentionally divided life into "sacred" and "secular" Scripture

never does. Work was God's idea before the Fall.

Business can glorify God.

Education can glorify God.

Art can glorify God.

Engineering can glorify God.

Politics can glorify God.

Motherhood glorifies God.

Farming glorifies God.

Running a company with integrity glorifies God.

Your occupation is not your identity.

But it may very well be your assignment.

Discover Your Assignment

Instead of asking every passionate believer to leave their profession, perhaps we

should be asking Holy Spirit:

"How have You gifted this person?"

"What grace have You placed upon their life?"

"Where will they bear the greatest fruit?"

The Church's responsibility is not to create copies.

It is to recognize gifts, nurture callings, and equip people to bring the Kingdom of God

into every sphere of society. When every believer discovers where God has placed

them and why He has placed them there, the Church becomes far more than a Sunday

gathering. It becomes the Body of Christ moving throughout every city, workplace, home, school, business, government office, and nation. The Kingdom was never meant to stay inside a church building. It was always meant to flow through the Church, the Body, the Bride.