How Do I Know If God Is Calling Me Into Christian Ministry?

How do I know if God is calling me to some kind of Christian ministry or study? 

When you love God and want to follow God faithfully, you are likely to ask if God might be calling you to be a pastor, missionary, or teacher. These are wonderful vocations to aspire to, even though one job is not holier than another. While God calls all of us to share God’s love with others and talk about our faith, a Christian ministry job may or may not be the best way for you to do that. God has given each of us different strengths and weaknesses; some fit well with ministry and some don’t. 

When considering how God is calling you, it’s helpful to talk to people about which gifts and skills they’ve found necessary in their specific position and what they’ve found most challenging. Following God and leading others takes wisdom, courage, and self-awareness. The Bible warns that those who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). A lot of damage can be done by well-meaning people who focus only on their gifts and are unaware of how their weaknesses might get in the way of caring for others.

This has been a hard season for the church, and it would be a blessing for more people to serve the church. Some words of caution as you consider: God doesn’t need us, whatever our role, to save the church. God is already taking care of the church. God works in and through us and sometimes even despite us. You can trust that if you are committed to the gospel and the love of God, God will use you. 

Perhaps God is inviting you into an official ministry role. But perhaps God is inviting you to share God’s love in a different way, entering places and meeting people that wouldn’t normally visit a church. People within the church and outside the church are hurting and struggling. I pray that God would use all of us, young or old, ordained or not, to be part of bringing hope and love to all those who are hurting.