Next in Line:  What you’re about to read is an excerpt from an amazing book called “Is God Calling Me” by Jeff Iorg.  Jeff is an amazing author, speaker, and President of Golden Gate Theological Seminary.  He has graciously allowed Next In Line Ministries to publish five excerpts from this book that was published back in 2008.  We are very thankful to Jeff and pray that  these excerpts help you explore God’s call in your life and the lives of the students that you teach.  If you want some more information on Jeff or want to see other resources from Jeff, click here.

Discerning God’s Call

My new book, Is God Calling Me?, is available now.  Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing some excerpts from the book.  Here are some of  my insights on discerning God’s call from the new book.

How do you know you are called to ministry leadership or to some specific ministry assignment?  God calls through dramatic experiences, reasoned decisions, and the prompting of others.  That sounds so organized!  Usually, God’s call is a combination of these experiences.   In hindsight, they often seem very clear.  But when you are in the middle of discovering God’s call, things are not always so orderly.  Life is dynamic, often murky, and not always crystal clear.  Discernment is required.

You are in a relationship with God, an ever-changing process of learning from him, understanding his ways, and discovering more and more about him.  This means a call process can often be confusing.  You struggle to be sure you are hearing from God because you know the life altering consequences of your decision.  This is one issue we all really need to get right!

Inner Peace

We have already emphasized the definition of call as a “profound impression from God.”   This is an inner work of the Spirit touching you deeply.  A call is an experience with God, an inner experience difficult to quantify.  In plain terms, you simply “know it in your heart.”

The importance of inner peace cannot be underestimated.  When God calls, you must come to a core conviction you have heard him speak and you must obey.  You will move steadfastly forward, buffeted against opposition and turmoil resisting your call, with quiet confidence God is leading you.   The peace of God “which surpasses every

thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).   An inner conviction about your call can give you strength to endure anything – from verbal abuse to financial struggles to martyrdom.

Part of this inner peace is developing security in Jesus Christ.  When you were saved, you were made eternally secure.  You do not become eternally secure when you die.  You are as secure today, in Christ, as you will ever be.  One evidence God is calling you is a deep, settled, inner conviction about the call.  God will give you unexplainable peace as you hear from him and obey his will for your life.

Confirmation by Others

Since one of the ways God calls is through the prompting of others, it might seem like needless repetition to include this as an evidence of God’s call.   God calls through the prompting of others but he often confirms his call, no matter how it comes, through other people.

Sometimes, this can be a direct message like the story of people coming to me about my call to Golden Gate.  But most of time, this confirmation takes other forms.  Sometimes it’s informal confirmation.  For example, a friend or church member will compliment your effectiveness in ministry and ask if you have ever considered God might be calling you.  Or, perhaps you go on a mission trip, do a really good job relating to people of a different culture, and the host missionary challenges you to consider a call to missions.  These informal comments are often the way God first gets our attention about considering his call.

Other times this can be a more formal process.  Seminaries and mission boards require extensive references for candidates who apply for admission or appointment.   Part of the reason for this is to gauge the validity of a person’s call by asking others for their perspective on it.   After all, why would a church send someone to seminary or the mission field if they had not observed some evidence of God’s call in that person’s life?