Lecture One: “Know Your Call”

Antioch School of Ministry at Open Book Fellowship

1) The body of Christ as a whole is called to a ministry. However, every person in the body is NOT called to an office.

a) ( Romans 12:6–8). (6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.)

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ro 12:6–8.

b) (1 Corinthians 12:13–14) (NKJV) 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

c) (Ephesians 4:11–13) (NKJV) (11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;)

d) We don’t believe in Gnosticism in the Christian church. [1] We don’t believe in secret knowledge. We are not going to cover “secret preacher or pastor” knowledge that is only for special people. all people are specail. All the people who ever lived and are living now are crated in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26) (NKJV) (26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”)

e) The whole body is gifted. The “Clergy” are not the most gifted people in the body. If you find that you are not called to preach, please know that you are still called and gifted. You might find encouragement in this workshop that will help.

f) Further, you might find that you are called to be a prayer partner to a preaching elder. (the scripture where the apostle paul asks for prayer for boldness.)

2) Old Testament Ministry is the priest standing before God on behalf of the people. At the same time, New Testament ministry brings truth in teaching and ministry in other gifts and offices to encourage believers to draw near to God. (Exodus 20:19-21)

a) Moses stood before the people on behalf of God. Moses also stood before God on behalf of the People.

b) In the New Testament, the preacher stands before the people and declares the truth of God. In Acts chapter 3, Peter stood boldly and declared the truth of the resurrection.( 2 Timothy 4:1–5 (NKJV) 1I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers4and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.)

c) (1 Peter 4:11 (NKJV) (11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.)

d) Please remember where we started; we started with everyone having a gift. Furthermore, everyone is called to a ministry. Everyone is not called to be responsible for the church.

3) Know your calling and election.

a) (Acts 9:15–16) (NKJV) (15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”)

b) (1 Corinthians 1:1) (NKJV) (1Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,)

c) Romans 1:1 (NKJV) (1Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God)

4) What are some ways that I can know that God is calling me to ministry?

a) We Need a hunger for God’s word. (1 Peter 2:1–3) (NKJV) (1Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.)

b) We need to have a love for the Lord. (Deuteronomy 6:5) (NKJV)( 5You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.)

c) We need to have a love for the people of God. (Matthew 22:37–40) (NKJV) (37Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”)

d) We should have a desire to move people forward in their relationship with the Lord. Romans 12:5–6 (NKJV) (5so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;)

5) All gifts and callings are not the same. You may not be called to preach or elder, but you are called! Those who are called to teach and lead desperately need the rest of the body.

[1] gnos•ti•cism \ˈnäs-tə-ˌsi-zəm\ nounOften capitalized 1664: the thought and practice especially of various cults of late pre-Christian and early Christian centuries distinguished by the conviction that matter is evil and that emancipation comes through gnosis[1]Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003.