Send me!
Spring 2024
One of the most delightful yet dangerous questions Christian ministers get asked is, “How do I know if I am called to preach?” It is delightful because it shows an interest in the kingdom of God. It is dangerous because, if the counsel given is inaccurate, it will not only do harm to the one asking, but could have catastrophic ramifications for God’s people. As such, I feel a burden considering this and trying to guide those who may ask this question.
I have read and heard many answers to this question. Some just focus on the internal aspects; however, I wish to look at the subject holistically. There are five steps. Only once you complete all five steps can you definitively say to someone, “I have been called to preach.”
I. INCLINATION
Are you inclined to Christian ministry? Is there a desire to serve the Church as a pastor? This is commendable (1 Timothy 3:1). A man has no business entering the ministry who has no deep inclination for it. This inclination should not simply be a feeling, but founded upon God’s Word. Paul's call to preach did not solely depend on his experience in Acts 9, but upon Isaiah 52:15 (Romans 15:21). He was gripped by this text so that it motivated to bear every form of suffering (2 Corinthians 9:24–28). Over time, this inclination for ministry becomes an inescapable burden (1 Corinthians 9:16; Philippians 2:13); however, inclination is not enough.
Charles Spurgeon spoke of a young man applying to enter Spurgeon’s Bible College: “Application was received some short time ago from a young man who had a sort of rotary action of his jaw of the most painful sort to the beholder. His pastor commended him as a very holy young man, who had been the means of bringing some to Christ, and he expressed the hope that I would receive him, but I could not see the propriety of it. I could not have looked at him while preaching without laughter if all the gold of Tarshish had been my reward, and in all probability nine out of ten of his hearers would have been more sensitive than myself.”
Assuming there is no obvious impediment, we can move to the next step.
II. QUALIFICATION
By qualification, I mean all the natural traits, qualities of character, and capabilities necessary for a gospel minister. We are not looking for the finished article, but whether a young man has the tools necessary for the work. Is he spiritually minded? Does he possess a natural speaking ability, even if it is rough and unrefined? Is he interested in people? Is he comfortable in one-to-one situations? How about in a crowd? 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 place an emphasis on character, with one gift, the ability to teach. If a man cannot convince people that he possesses the characteristics mentioned in these chapters, he has no business attempting to enter the ministry. It does not matter how well he can teach. If he is greedy, impatient, contentious, etc., he is disqualified.
Even his general disposition to melancholy or joy is a factor. One minister remarked, “A disheartened man takes the heart out of everybody else. Unless he is resisted he will drag the whole parish under his juniper tree.”
It is a searching question to ask, “Am I qualified?” A man may be qualified to teach, but because of personality, he would best employed as a seminary professor. Others have tremendous qualities one-to-one and in small groups, and might be more effective as elders than occupying a primary teaching role.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Have you come to terms with the fact that the ministry promises a more severe judgment (James 3:1)?
Are you comfortable with scrutiny regarding your words, behavior, love, attitude, faith, and purity (1 Timothy 4:12)?
Will you work to improve every aspect of your craft (1 Timothy 4:13–15), especially when a weakness is highlighted by an experienced elder (Titus 1:5)?
Do you possess the humility of teachableness (1 Peter 5:5) with the strength of character that will not wilt when ignorantly opposed (2 Timothy 2:3)?
Do you manifest a patience when you teach that will work hard to explain the truth simply, meekly, and with a recognition that God changes hearts, not you (2 Timothy 2:24–26)?
Are you prepared to not only hold, but declare truths that become increasingly unpopular and cause you to be hated (2 Timothy 2:9; 4:1–5)?
Do you have the heart to work long hours when the circumstances demand it (Luke 6:12), and do you have the faith to go to sleep because you trust God for success more than yourself (Psalm 127:2)?
Can you work with others (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10) and value men who will not mindlessly agree with everything you say (Proverbs 27:17)?
Do you have the fortitude to do the right thing, have people misrepresent you, say nothing except to God, crucify your self-pity, and carry on into the battle to war a good warfare with a heart filled with love for God, His truth, and people (Exodus 5:20–23; 1 Timothy 1:18; Philippians 1:15–18; 2 Corinthians 12:15)?
Will you endure when your own familiar friends go after you (Psalm 41:9) and even try to replace you (Numbers 14:1–10)?
Are you ready to feel a crushing sense of your own shortcomings (Numbers 11:14–15; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 1:6) knowing that the only thing worse is not feeling it at all (John 15:5)?
Why do I pose these questions? Because as Charles Spurgeon framed it, “Do not enter the ministry if you can help it.” If these thoughts (which are only the tip of the iceberg) are enough to put you off, I have done you and the kingdom of God a favor. If you are willing to proceed, let me be brief with the remaining steps.
III. EDUCATION
If you still feel a divine compulsion to pursue the ministry, it is at this point you talk to your pastor and/or elders. Perhaps they see what you feel, or perhaps they see something else. It is important that these men be optimistic regarding what you can become by God’s grace, while remaining realistic regarding deficiencies. Speak to them, since you will need their approval in order to begin your education.
It is not uncommon for a man thinking of the ministry to ponder whether education is necessary, and to reference others with no formal training, like the aforementioned Spurgeon. Such men would be disabused of the notion if they spent any time reading Spurgeon. It would quickly become apparent to him that he does not possess one tenth of the scriptural knowledge and mental powers of that unique man. Spurgeon started “Pastor’s College” because he knew, not that he could make preachers, but that those called by God need help (2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:9).
The Bible assumes a face-to-face education (discipleship), so seek that kind of environment. This is why the character qualifications are so important for the elder. It is expected that those he leads and disciples will know him personally.
IV. AUTHORIZATION
Upon completion of a man’s theological education, he must be examined by other pastors with an aim of being authorized, i.e., licensed to preach. While we believe each local church has a right to choose their own oversight, it is often the case that the pastor is relatively unknown. Even if a man grew up in the congregation, there is the danger of partiality. It is a matter of kingdom stewardship for pastors to test candidates for doctrinal weakness and disqualifying character flaws. While it is impossible to guarantee a man will be faithful, it would be a reproach for experienced men not to do due diligence and test a candidate for the ministry.
Licensing may differ between denominations, but the process is crucial. By this, current pastors stand as references for the would-be pastor. He has proven himself by passing exams and maintaining a public testimony of Christian character.
V. INVITATION
After progressing through each of these steps, a man is now ready to be considered as a candidate for the ministry. Churches looking for a pastor may vote and extend a call to the man. If he accepts the invitation, he is ordained to the Christian ministry by other ordained men. It is only once a constituted church calls you to be their preacher, that you can say for sure, “I have been called to preach.”
There is no embarrassment if a man does not become a minister of the gospel. I have far more respect for the man who wrestles with the question and somewhere along the way learns it is not for him, than for the Christian man who will not allow the thought to enter his mind.
Seek the Lord, listen to godly counsel, be prepared to wait, keep serving while you wait, and be open to your future looking differently than you imagined (Acts 16:6–7).
Rev. Armen Thomassian | Minister, Faith FPC, SC