Is it necessary to receive a 'calling from God' to be a Pastor?
If someone became a Pastor without a 'calling,' would they be a false teacher?
Clarify
•
Share
•
Report
•
Asked July 31 2017
•
Sunny Cortez
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Jennifer Rothnie
My church group is going through a 'Shape of Ministry' class right now, and some interesting thoughts from that are:
~80% of service should be done in the areas where we are gifted (spiritual gifts, talents, skills, etc.)
~20% of service should be in areas where we see a need.
~ Our shape for ministry is made up of many things; spiritual gifts, our heart's motivations, our general abilities, our personality, our experiences, etc.
Taking all that together, God can 'call' us to ministry in many ways. Perhaps there is a need we notice, or that someone else in the church brings to our attention. Perhaps we feel convicted by the spirit to go out into the world and preach. Perhaps one of our spiritual gifts or natural talents lends itself to service in a specific way.
For example, when my sister went to Nepal to be a missionary, she never felt or heard a specific 'call.' She just saw a need, saw where it aligned with scripture and started taking the path to go. God opened doors for her on the way, but she never felt a specific call.
Related - false teachers aren't those who preach and teach without a calling, but rather has to do with their lifestyles and actual teachings contradicting the word of God.