Chrisma report – One of the most frequent questions asked related to missions is: How do I know that I am called?
It’s a question we hear all the time at Bethany Global University, since our school is dedicated solely to training missionaries. If you’re curious, you can learn more how you can earn your degree while doing missions at bethanygu.edu.
While there are many ways in which God leads and guides His people into world missions, there have been two classic answers that people tend to give: “You don’t need a call because He has already called you” and “You better know God has called you before you go.” I believe a combination of both is necessary.
The ‘Everybody Is Called’ Perspective
On one side of the coin, you have the often quoted line from the late singer Keith Green, who stated that “You don’t need a call. You’re already called!” Another person has stated that “You don’t need a call when you have a verse” referring to the multitude of Bible verses in the Old and New Testament that form part of God’s revealed will (the Great Commission) that we go to all nations and preach the gospel.
In another song, Keith Green wrote:
Listen to the full song here.
Keith Green had to go to the extreme end of the spectrum to balance out the Church that emphasized a need for a special revelation or manifestation to go to the mission field.
Think for a minute of what the world would look like today if every Christian literally embraced God’s command to go and sincerely said to God, “I am going to the nations to preach the gospel. If it’s not Your will for me to go, stop me!” I can hear many of you saying, “That’s too radical and extreme!” Yet to be truthful, we have gone to the other extreme, not bearing the spiritual fruit I believe the Holy Spirit desires.
I believe that as we get to know God’s character and study His Word, it becomes impossible not to know His will! We cannot be moved by a message that does not move us first; therefore, it is vital and necessary to understand God’s global plan and what He desires for His Church. Understanding where we fit in this plan is another thing altogether, and the best way to describe this, in my opinion, is that it is a process … read more