Calling

We brainstormed on what it means for a pastor to be called into ministry. Elements of a calling that were jotted down on the blackboard were:

• Scripture
• Affirmation of our community
• Circumstances
• Personal gifts, passions and experiences
• Rarely, special visions or "fleecing" (Judges 6:36-40)

We had Pastor Tanya as a special guest. She shared how her calling came about. With her help we clarified the points on the blackboard.

How does a pastor's calling relate to us working folks? We concluded that there is a single calling applicable to all. The implications and applications are obvious.

The original definitions of the words "profession" and "vocation" are rooted in our Christian faith. We looked at Eph 4-6 and Rom 1:1-7 which showed all are called. 1 Cor 7:20 asserts our calling is for our current situation and thus implicitly states we don't have to all be pastors to fulfill our calling.