Called
“Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (Mark 3:13-15).
Twenty-two years ago this summer, Jesus called me into the ministry. I was a PK (Pastor’s Kid), and my mom was my youth pastor. She took our youth group to the Branded by Fire Conference in Pensacola, Florida, hosted by the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry. #IYKYK
Jeanne Mayo, a student ministries legend in our Fellowship, the Assemblies of God, preached about being a bondservant of Christ on Monday. At the altar, Jesus asked me, “Will you stay with Me forever? Will you be My bondservant for life?” I answered, “Yes!”
Chad Varga, a professional basketball player turned evangelist, preached on denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Jesus on Tuesday. (Varga had a slide in his presentation of him dunking on Allen Iverson when they were in college. He was quite proud.) At the altar, Jesus asked me, “Will you surrender your goals and dreams to me?” I answered, “Yes!”
Michael Rowan preached on choosing a lifelong covenant with God on Wednesday. His text was 2 Chronicles 15; he was the first youth pastor I had ever seen preach through an entire chapter of the Bible in one sermon! That passage of Scripture is about King Asa of Judah’s last years of life and leadership. The title of his message was “Diseased Feet.” I’ll never forget it. At the altar, no questions—a call. Jesus said, “Preach My Word to My people!” Same answer: “Yes!”
I’m thankful for moments like these. That retreat atmosphere, when Jesus communicated with me more clearly than He ever had before, has sustained me and strengthened me many times over the years. But more than moments, I’m thankful for how God has molded me as His Son and shaped me for His call on my life, in the past two decades-plus.
And the longer I follow Jesus on this journey of life in ministry, the more excited I am about investing in others who are called, the way so many have invested in me. More and more, my prayer is that no matter the season, no matter the assignment, no matter the question, no matter the call, that I keep saying “Yes!” to Jesus!
That’s the clincher, by the way. The X-factor. The key ingredient to the secret sauce of stewarding our lifetime calling. Saying “Yes!” to Jesus.
Not “Yes!” to a ministry post.
Not “Yes!” to a deacon board, presbytery, or a group of denominational officials.
Not “Yes!” to the expectations of others.
Over and over again, He is faithful to remind me of two pivotal truths:
1. My original Call is to Jesus. To come to Him. To be with Him. All so that then, He can send us out to preach and to operate in spiritual influence and authority.
2. Jesus calls us to be with Him, but He does not call us alone. Our twenty-first century western culture is individualistic (read: narcissistic) and atomized. We often subconsciously assume that our relationships with God exists in a vacuum. As if what God is doing in my life has no impact on the lives of those close to me, and vice versa.
We are called to Christ. We are called to community, in Christ. This is true for us as disciples of Jesus. It is also true for us as ministers of the Gospel. Jesus shared the journey of life in ministry with His disciples, and His disciples shared the journey of life in ministry with each other!
In recent weeks, I’ve been contemplating my calling. I was grateful that, this year, my summer began with a few days at the beach…with my wife…without my children. (I’ll forgive you if you’re a little bit jealous. I would be, if I were you.) While we were away, we each asked ourselves a couple of questions. Then, we compared notes. These conversations always feel like mountainside moments with Jesus, even when we’re in the sand!
1. What is Jesus inviting me into? How will that impact my discipleship journey over the next 12 months?
Remember, my first Call is to Him. To come to Him. To be with Him.
2. How should the work Jesus is doing in my soul affect the work I’m doing in the ministry?
Putting those questions in that order provides a spiritual framework for the next year of my life in ministry. It also ensures that my doing flows from my being—and not the other way around.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of equating ministry with discipleship. It’s easy to find my identity and my sense of value from how I perform in ministry. That leads to spiritual schizophrenia. I start listening to voices that either aren’t real, or if they are, they certainly aren’t from the Lord!
But when I come to Him, when I am with Him, I find rest in Him. And when I minister from a place of rest—when I do out of the overflow of my being—my calling is secure. Because I am secure. (Again, not the other way around.)
Another thing I love about this summertime rhythm is that it helps me share the journey of life in ministry with other ministers. A few days after I returned from my beach vacation (with my wife…without my children…you remember), I got a call from a pastor-friend from another state. One of the first things he said was, “How are you doing, bro? I’ve been worried about you!”
Yeah. Get you a friend like that.
But because I’d just gotten back from a retreat-atmosphere, because I had taken time to evaluate my soul and assess the next stage of my calling, I was able to clearly communicate what’s going on in my life and in my ministry to a fellow disciple of Christ.
In Christ. In community, in Christ.
Why not let this summer become a checkpoint for you too? You may not make it to the beach, and you may not have access to a mountainside. But can you take a day and go to a local state park? Can you do a three-day silent retreat at a monastery in your state? Can you house-sit for a friend while they go on vacation? Maybe they have ice cream in the freezer…
You get the idea! The same Jesus who first called you is still calling you—to Himself. Come to Him. Be with Him. First, foremost, always.
And take stock of your community. Who has Jesus surrounded you with on your journey of life in ministry? There is someone in proximity to you who can add strength to you—and you can add strength to them. Type out a text, or better yet, pick up the phone and call. Schedule coffee. I met a pastor-friend for breakfast at Waffle House last Friday. (C’mon, somebody!) We are better together because Jesus has called each of us, but He has also called us together.
In Christ. In community, in Christ.
You have been called, and you are still called. He has called you, and He is still calling.
May we keep saying, “Yes!”
EDITOR’S NOTE: The author, Tyler Crowder, lives in Erlanger, KY (Cincinnati area) where he serves as Director of Christ’s Chapel Academy and is a member of the pastoral staff at Christ’s Chapel in Erlanger, KY. He has B.A. in in Church Leadership from Central Bible College and an M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Evangel University. He is married to his wonderful wife Traci. The Crowders have two outstanding sons, Jase and Sawyer. To relax, Tyler enjoys reading, solving Sudokus and crosswords, enjoying movies, and spending time with his family. He is also a Journey member.
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