Defining the Call — What Scripture Actually Teaches
There are few subjects more misunderstood in the modern church than the call to pastoral ministry . For many, “calling” has become a vague spiritual feeling, a personal dream, or something someone “just knows deep down.” But Scripture paints a very different picture. God’s call is not sentimental, self-selected, or rooted in personal preference. It is holy , weighty , divine , and always aligned with His purposes for His people. As someone who has spent more than two decades in ministry—preaching, mentoring, training, and walking with pastors—and who has stepped away and returned to spiritual leadership with fresh clarity, I have learned this firsthand: God’s call is not casual. It is costly. And yet, when He truly calls, there is nothing more life-giving or joy-producing than obeying Him. This first post in our series seeks to define the call as Scripture defines it—not as culture, ambition, insecurity, or romanticism defines it. If future pastors are to discern God’s voice, they mu...