Remember the Call of God

God wants us to remember
When I meet with young worship leaders, I ask them to recount their testimony. It’s concerning how many leaders don’t remember when they became a believer in Jesus Christ as their Savior.  Instead, their reality is as if just growing up in a Christian family makes someone a Christian. This gives me the opportunity to share the gospel or ask questions to help them narrow down the time and place of their salvation. It is critically important for all of us to remember when Jesus called us to follow Him. When did you answer the Holy Spirit’s call to follow Jesus? I would love to have you share your story in the comments.
Next, I ask ministry leaders when God called them to ministry. Ministry is something you do because you are called by God and you can do nothing else, because it is vital work God prepares and calls people for. When young leaders know the time and place of their calling, I urge them to write it down and tell the story to others. If they remember it, they are more likely to stay and finish the work God has started in them. We all need to be reminded of Philippians 1:6:
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you 
will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Examples from the Bible
Scripture is full of examples of men and women God called to do His work. For examples, let’s look at Noah from the Old Testament and Peter from the New Testament. 
Noah - In Genesis 6, God called on Noah to build a giant boat, fill it with animals, his family and food, because it was going to rain.  The earth would flood and mankind would be slaughtered. That’s a crazy calling, but Noah obeyed God. Hebrews 11:7 says, 
“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent 
fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the 
world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”
It took Noah many years to build the ark for an event that nobody had ever seen before. He was to do an unbelievable task for God in a godless land. He would have been doubted and scoffed at every day. Can you imagine what it would have been like to spend your lifetime building a giant boat for a catastrophe that nobody could ever imagine happening? Yet, Noah’s faith in the living God gave him the strength and the focus to do God’s will. Noah fulfilled his calling.
Peter - One of the most controversial moves in the book of Acts was when the gospel moves from the Jews to the Gentiles. At the beginning, the new Christ followers believed one had to be a Jew to follow Jesus, because Jesus was a Jew. That was never God’s plan, so would the disciples be willing to take the gospel to the Gentiles? In Acts 10, God is speaking to a centurion named Cornelius and the apostle Peter. Cornelius sees an angel in a vision who tells him to send some of his men to get Peter, because he has a message for him. The next day, when the men were approaching Peter’s city, he went on the rooftop to pray. While waiting for food, he fell into a trance: “He (Peter) saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.” (Acts 10:11-16). The vision was a challenge to Peter to include those who were thought to be unclean in the kingdom of God. Jesus has broken down the walls that have divided us. Peter went with Cornelius’ men and Cornelius and all his household were saved. Peter heard the call to minister to the Gentiles and answered the call to serve God (also see Acts 15:6). Peter served God to the end.
To quote a Starr “It don’t come easy…”
Being in ministry is not for the faint-of-heart. Whether it’s a full-time job, volunteer passion, or somewhere in between, it’s hard work. There are hours of planning: fitting songs together by themes, keys and styles; putting the right band members together (if there is a band); staffing the tech team (sound, lights, computer, presentation software).  A worship leader’s job is never done, and it seems the minute Sunday morning is in the rearview mirror, one person’s complaint can knock the wind right out of you. Why do we let that happen?
This week-to-week grind is a reality for everyone in ministry, including the criticism that comes with it. We let the opinions of others gnaw at us until one day we question our call or even our very relationship with the living God. Satan uses the everyday grind to chip away at our calling, and sometimes he’s successful.
Answering the call
You’ve probably heard how trials are compared to gold being heated over a fire. As the gold heats up (the trial) it melts and the impurities (sin) rise up and are scooped off, leaving pure gold (a better relationship with God). The last time I heard that illustration, it occurred to me that “ministry” could replace “trials.” Ministry has been harder than any trial I’ve had, but it’s been more purifying. I’ve been in ministry for 43 years and in pastoral ministry for 33 years. Over those years, the ministry fire has heated up many times and the dross has been cleared off. Ministry is purifying, indeed. My challenge for young leaders is to stay in ministry. If you get out, you don’t purify to the point where you reflect the face of Jesus. Don’t ever give up. The goal is to finish well. 
“His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful 
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your 
master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21
We’re Here to Help
Please contact me at pastorjeff@arizonaschoolofworship.com for information on mentoring, coaching or if you need a worship consultant for your church. I’m also here if you feel like giving up. It’s much better to stay.