The Concept of Being Called

Dr. Mark Hooper

Director of Recruiting and Training

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

And he said, “Who are you, Lord?”

And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

Get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.”

Acts 9:4-6

Throughout scripture, God has called people to Himself and often given them specific tasks to do within His mission. Noah, Abraham, David, Gideon, Deborah, and all the prophets experienced calls from God to actively take part in His story of redemption. That is what “history” really is: it is “His Story” of God’s redemptive acts to save a fallen world and humankind. The Bible is a story, the story, inspired by God Himself, to reveal this ultimate meta-narrative.

And the story does not end with the last verse of Revelation. God continues the story of redemption down to the present. You and I are part of the story. So, the next question to ask is, “What is God calling you to do in His story?” In the broadest sense of this theological rationale, we are all “called” by God. However, we all admit not all of us are called to the same things. We have various gifts, talents, opportunities and interests. God uses those in His story. What is He specifically calling you to do? (There is no wrong answer, just personal conviction of how He shaped you and how you should follow God’s call).

Not everyone is called to be a cross-cultural witness of God’s redemption through Christ. However, some are. In fact, many are called but some do not “hear” or “heed” this calling. The Great Commission passages seem to “call” disciples to bear witness, wherever they are. But that means some need to go to the “uttermost parts of the world” where the story has not been told. Jesus recognized the need for more workers when he encouraged his followers to “pray to the Lord of Harvest to send forth more workers into the harvest.” (Luke 10.2) God may be calling you to be part of the answer to this prayer. But how do you know for certain what God’s call is for you?

At Mission Resource Network, we are in the “discerning God’s call” business. We are walking with people every day who are determining what, how, when, where, and with whom God is calling them into His Mission, the redemptive story. Many are being called to the peoples of the current world who have never heard of God’s story. These people are often referred to as “unreached peoples.” MRN feels especially called to these people who are in desperate need of the hope of Jesus. Maybe you feel called to share Him with unreached people as well. We would love to talk together and discern with you about your calling.

In future posts, we will address discerning God’s call and what that means for you and me. God’s call comes in various ways and with various meanings. Your calling is not my calling. They might be similar, but each of us is unique and God calls us in various ways to various ministries at various times. Join us as we explore this further (fill in the simple subscription on the right to get an email when the next blog is posted). In the meantime, meditate on what you may be hearing from God. What is God calling you to do?

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