I firmly believe that to teach, to serve on a committee, or to minister through a church ministry is a response to a call. How each individual works out that calling is part of the wonderful and enriching dimension we depend on to flesh out the prompting of the Spirit. I had a high school art teacher who cringed anytime a student copied the style of a celebrated artist. He would say, “Everybody wants to paint like Norman Rockwell. So what? There’s only one Norman Rockwell! Work on finding and developing your own style!” No two people will do ministry the same—thankfully! Each brings his or her gifts and visions to the task. Having said that, however, there are some things that are a “given” when we answer a call to ministry. These are not new, I think, but they deal with basic responses of discipleship to Jesus Christ.
Faithfulness
Being faithful to our call means that we will make our ministry a primary dimension in our lives. We will give it as much attention, priority, and energy as we do our “day job.” Any call from God is a call to vocation. What we do “vocationally” may not provide a primary source of income, but it will flow from our being, from who we are. Our job may be what we do, but our vocation reveals more clearly who we are.
Being faithful also means that we will work out our ministry “God’s way.” God does not merely call us to be faithful, but to be obedient to God’s will. Humility of spirit, with a good dose of gratitude, will keep us from the trap of focusing on being “successful” over being faithful. God will define success on his own terms. Working out our calling requires that we be faithful in working out our calling and leave success to God.
Intentionally
I never get tired of saying it-because I need the reminder: “Nothing really good happens unless we’re intentional about it.” Great things don’t “just happen.” Fruitful gardens need to be tended, safe buildings need sound planning, works of art need composition and design, and comfortable retirement lifestyles don’t come without a disciplined strategy (buying a lottery ticket every week isn’t a sound retirement strategy, by the way).
Being intentional in our ministry is just a realization that God leaves a lot up to us. Part of our calling is to be partners with God in the continuing acts of creation in the world. Thomas Merton said, “Our vocation is not simply to be but to work together with God in the creation of our own life–we are called to share with God the work of creating the truth of our own identity.” (New Seeds of Contemplation).
Competence
Being intentional means that we will strive for competence in our calling. Or better yet, we will strive to be the best we can be in what we do. I grieve what seems to be the loss of the ethic that was common in the churches I grew up. I witnessed people doing their best, even in small and humble tasks, because they were “doing it unto the Lord.” “Second best” or “good enough” was unacceptable when doing something in the name of God or the service of their church. In the service of God through what you’ve been called to do, do your best.
Goal-oriented
If you aim at nothing you’re bound to hit it, the old saying goes. Being intentional about our calling means we will have written goals for ourselves and for our ministry. Something magical happens when we write down our goals; things happen that just thinking about it doesn’t accomplish.
Growth
- Change. The secret of prayer is not so much that we change things, but that God changes us through the practice of that spiritual discipline. The same is true when we work out our calling. We may not be able to see earth-shaking changes, but what is truly amazing is that in the course of it, we are changed.
- Fun. Lest we forget, a sign of growth is the ability to be creative and have fun! In working out our ministry, let’s not take things so seriously that we fail to have fun. Why, the whole notion of God letting human beings finish the job of creation is, if you stop to thing about it, quite a joke on us! Having fun with your ministry has some by-products: creativity, attractiveness, and motivation.
- Challenge. Growth involves challenging ourselves and others. A sure sign of stagnation is when we settle on what works. Sticking to the tried and true is a way of avoiding risk. It stifles creativity and keeps us within the boundaries of the safe and known and comfortable. Challenge yourself to try new things in new ways. Take risks. Expand the boundaries of definitions and visions.
Accountability
A term that is overused but underappreciated, accountability is a key to health in any relationship or organization. But faith communities, of which congregations are a type, cannot long thrive without it.
- To the faith community. Being called means that you are God’s gift to the church, the Body of Christ. The list of gifts in the epistle to the Ephesians lists, not talents, but persons (Eph. 4: 11-13). In this context, we are all accountable to each other to discover our gifts and answer the call to service in the Body of Christ.
- To self. Discovering and answering our call, our larger vocation, is part of what will enable us to live a meaningful life of significance. In the same passage cited above, Paul hints that in working out our calling, we will become mature, attaining the full measure of perfection found in Christ. (v. 13).
- To God. Our ultimate accountability, of course, is to God-who made us, enables us, and loves us. No other external motivation can be higher or nobler than this: to serve the God who takes pleasure in us and delights in the faithfulness of his disciples.
