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Begin by reading Matthew 28:18-20
Early on while serving at New Hope Chapel on a part-time basis, I was also serving another church as their pastor, also on a part-time basis. One day, one of the Elders of the church I was pastoring approached me and said, “We have to figure out a way to get you full-time.” I told him I appreciated his notion, but I didn’t think it was necessary. After all the church was only about 30 people, and with limited resources, it seemed like it would be more of a burden on the church than a blessing. A couple weeks later at a meeting, that same Elder stood up and accused me of not being called to full-time ministry. I was taken back by the blindsided attack, but I was more so confused. “Wasn’t I serving in full-time ministry by being on staff part-time at two different churches?” But then I began to ask, “Aren’t we all called to full-time ministry?”
Before you answer, “no,” remember what we have established as a Biblical understanding of the church. First, the Bible teaches no distinction between clergy and laity. The standard or expectation God gives to a clergyman is the same as a layman. The Bible doesn’t seem to support the idea that payment equals higher calling. Secondly, we are all equipped and qualified by the Lord to serve in unique and important ways.
So, are you called to full-time ministry? This is a complicated question with an even more complicated answer. In our society, we are accustomed (especially men) to ask each other what it is we do. By that, we are asking about a person’s occupation – what type of job they have that brings home the bacon. I remember once asking a man about this, and he blew it off and said, “well, I’m a husband and a father.” Men, we have to understand that there is a temptation to get our self-worth from our occupations. This may also be the case for some women as well.
We don’t remember Paul for being a tent-maker. We may forget that Luke was a physician or that Peter was a fisherman. No, we think of these men as champions of the faith, ministers of the Gospel, and servants of Christ. I suppose if one of them were around today, and we saw them at a party and asked what it is they do, they would have emphasized first and foremost their work in the church. They saw their ministry, the exercising of their gifts, as their calling. Their “occupation,” so to speak, was a way to make money to support their calling. Is this the way you see your life?
Now before you run to church and ask to become a full-time staff member, let me encourage you with this thought: While we are called to serve the local church, sometimes our ministry extends beyond the bounds of our local body. Some are involved in various ministries that cross denominational borders. This is part of Kingdom work and is just as important as work within the local church. So, to that regard, ministry does not just mean serving the church that you attend.
Furthermore, most of us cannot afford to quit our jobs and focus solely on church work. We need that money to support our families. Therefore, we’re stuck at our office for at least forty hours a week. If that’s the case, let me encourage you to pray that God will begin or continue showing you ways that your workplace can become your ministry. This parallels what we talked about earlier on in the series in regards to worship. Every opportunity can be an opportunity to worship just as it can be to serve and build up the body of Christ.
On this point, I want to make a special emphasis on ministering to Believers, as that is what it means to edify the Body. We need each other. You may know of a Believer or two at your office. Let me encourage you to spend time with them at your workplace. Maybe you can have lunch or commute together. Maybe you can mimic the smokers and take breaks together whenever you please to get that encouragement fix.
Your full-time work is not whatever vocation you have that pays you. You are first and foremost a servant in the Kingdom of God. In your living sacrifice journey, I urge you to be faithful in your service. Part of that is seeing every opportunity as an opportunity to be a minister of the Gospel of Christ. Let that define who you are.
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