In part two, we looked at the first characteristic of those with a genuine divine calling: their inner confidence in their call. Today we look at the second:
2. Other believers who observe their lives will see the calling on their lives and affirm it.
I once knew a pastor who thought he was called to pastor [...]

Popularity: 42% [?]

So how do you know if you’re called by God? Good question.
People who are genuinely called by God to ministry have two things that are true of them. Today we’ll address the first.
1. They are certain of their own calling.
There is a bit of mystery to how this works. God speaks and moves in mysterious [...]

Popularity: 43% [?]

I approached seminary with many of the common illusions seminary students have. I thought it would be a spiritually vibrant and intense time, full of people who were overflowing with passion for Christ.
Boy was I surprised. My first semester, I enrolled in Hebrew class, like many beginning M.Div.-ers. I made friends with some other young [...]

Popularity: 48% [?]

One of the dangers of seminary to your spiritual life is that so much emphasis and time is spent on the expansion of your knowledge base. Hidden within the academic environment is the deadly assumption that knowledge is what qualifies you for ministry.
It’s not. What qualifies you for ministry is the life of God in [...]

Popularity: 19% [?]

Ok, time for an ugly reality check. Seminary does not prepare you for ministry.
Or, at least, it does not prepare you in all the important ways you need to be prepared. How many times have you heard pastors remark about some issue they’re facing, “They didn’t teach us that in seminary?” You’ll be saying it [...]

Popularity: 16% [?]