CALLED TO SERVE

Someone asked, how does one know that one has received a call from the Lord to full-time Christian ministry?

Christian A loves the idea of being in charge. It's very difficult for him not to be in control, because he knows he has so many good ideas that would increase God's glory if others would just listen. He feels so amazing when others praise his good works. Sure, he gets in a few arguments over how to accomplish certain goals, but it's not his fault if others don't understand the vision God has given him. He never shrinks from correcting those around him who he knows are in doctrinal error.

Christian B loves the idea of serving others. He's willing and able to serve under authority to accomplish his leaders' goals. He is not interested in receiving compliments, and does a few charitable works in intentional secrecy, looking to a heavenly and not earthly reward. When disputes arise he is quick to seek others' forgiveness for his own faults, and looks over hurts given to him. He answers doctrinal questions when they are raised to the best of his Biblical knowledge, but admits his limitations and is gentle with those who disagree.

God can use Christian A to accomplish a few things in leadership. Virtually all of them according to that person's natural gifts and abilities. Hopefully few young believers will get run over and shipwrecked in the process.

God can use Christian B to do just about anything, far beyond that person's talents and strengths. For the last will be first and the first shall be last. If you seek to serve others humbly, giving sacrificially of your time, talents, and treasury to see the needs of others met, leadership will find you. Guaranteed.

Probably the majority of clergy I have known do have a testimony similar to this: One day within a year or two after their conversion experience, they got a strong impression in their minds that God wanted them to go into full-time ministry. In their hearts it was something so strong they could not ignore it, and the believers and leaders around them confirmed it and encouraged them.

If you're not sure, don't worry about it! Just get busy doing those things you know are God's will for your life! As a wise person once said, it is much easier to change the direction of a moving vehicle than a stationary one. Your character, and in particular your willingness to serve and not be served, is much more important than the specific role you play in the kingdom.

When you're seeking God's will for your life, remember that it is the Father's responsibility to communicate clearly to his children so they can understand him. We don't speak to our natural children in riddles and puzzles, or withhold guidance that is crucial to them.

Also I think we expend a lot of unneeded worry on whether God is trying to deliver a supernatural message to us, when he has given us such specific instructions in the Bible, and able minds to help us apply them in the specific circumstances we find ourselves already.

If there is a burden on your heart to serve, to teach, to counsel, to win souls, to feed the hungry, to bind up the wounded, then go do it. Get started where you are now. Don't wait for a Holy Spirit lightning bolt. Don't wait until you've finished an M.Div. Feed his sheep.

With my earlier post I was trying to get across the idea that there are thousands of people, even Christians, running around everywhere trying to be leaders and build 'successful' ministries, but very few seeking to have the character of Christ formed within them. We have a desperate shortage of the latter. Be holy as he is holy, and leadership, guidance, positions, and all the rest will come so much more easily.

Doug Stringer said, "While men reach for thrones to establish their own kingdoms,
Jesus reached for a towel to wash men's feet."

NARAL FOOLISHNESS

The message is: if you're a conservative, pro-life woman, you allow yourself to be dominated by pig-headed right-wingers. You no longer think for yourself, and are shutting down freedom of conscience for others. You're a traitor to all women, everywhere. You've sold us out!

Laura, Karen, Ann, Lynne, Condi, Katherine - they're successful professors, lawyers, librarians and novelists. They have minds of their own. Yet, they unquestioningly support President Bush even as he robs women of the right to make private decisions about their personal lives. Even worse, they’re masking Bush’s record of restricting women’s rights – convincing women across the country to vote for Bush in November.

You're not the only one who finds this disturbing... and you can be part of the growing number of Americans who are ready to do something about it.

Imagine what President Bush will be able to restrict, what choices he'll take away, if any more of us let our ideals of women's rights and equality take a back seat to his ideology. A lot can happen in four years – enough to take our right to choose away completely. Help us elect the only president who will fight for a country where we're entitled to think, question, express our views, and make our own private decisions... John Kerry.

Based on results from the most comprehensive survey of women (Adobe Acrobat Reader required) I could find, done by Princeton Survey Research Associates on behalf of the Center for the Advancement of Women -- definitely not a bulwark of conservative thought -- NARAL holds a very low opinion of quite a large segment of American women (emphasis mine):

Of 12 issues investigated in this study as possible priorities for a women's movement, only abortion generates sharp differences of opinion. Half of women (49%) say keeping abortion legal should be a top priority of the movement, but 24 percent assign it a lower priority, and 25 percent reject it outright as an issue that should concern a women's movement. In a different context, 55 percent of women say "reproductive rights" is a public issue that is very important to them personally, ranking lowest out of eight public issues tested.

Women's opinions on the issue of abortion itself are sharply divided, and entrenched. Only one-third (34%) of women say abortion should be generally available to those who want it. Forty-five percent hold the opposite view and want access to abortion limited: 31 percent want it limited only to cases of rape, incest and to save the woman's life and 14 percent say abortion should never be permitted. Nineteen percent of women prefer a middle ground, saying abortion should be available, but under new limitations. These might include limitations, for example, on the timing of abortions, or on the steps that must be taken before a woman can have an abortion.

The clear implication by NARAL is that the half of American women who do not regard "protecting the right to choose" abortion as a top priority, are either morally deficient or are unknowingly helping to subjugate and repress their fellow sistahs. In fact in this Princeton Associates survey, even "increasing the number of young women who study math, science and technology" and "reducing drug and alcohol addiction among women" were much more often cited as a top priority for women's advocacy, compared to "protecting reproductive rights."

I guess the Bush/Cheney Diabolic Mind Control technology works better than anyone imagined, since women by nature can't think this way!

DEAR YAHOO:

Your online store is profiting from one very offensive piece of merchandise:

http://store.yahoo.com/ppfastore/ihadabt.html

(Google cached version here)

The implication of this "Wearable Message" seems to be that having an abortion is nothing for a woman to feel guilt or shame about. Millions of Americans including myself believe that an abortion, while technically not illegal according to United States judicial fiat, in reality violently snuffs out an innocent human life.

I've used Yahoo Mail since 1998 and continue to use it. I also use a customized My Yahoo page nearly every day. Unfortunately I do not wish to support companies that support abortion or profit from its merchandizing. If I find that this t-shirt or similar items are still available for sale in 10 days, I'm ending my association with Yahoo. I will recommend that my friends and family not use Yahoo DSL or other services you provide.

Thanks for listening,

-- David E. Stewart