When I was in college, I quickly realized that the highlight of my week was preparing for my little Bible study of teaching underclassmen. Whether it was through Hebrews and other books of the Bible. I was just devouring the chance to explore the Bible in a way I never had before and to teach it to them. And that’s the first time I sensed that maybe God was calling me to some kind of vocational ministry. I didn’t know exactly what that would look like. When I graduated from college, I went overseas as a missionary for a couple of years. I thought maybe that was the form of ministry that God was calling me to. It was actually while I was overseas that I had this unshakeable sense that God might be calling me to pursue pastoral ministry in the states. I desired to teach God’s word publicly, to disciple young guys, and shepherd the flock of God. So, I continued to follow that calling by pursuing a seminary degree, serving in my church, eventually becoming an elder, and preparing to plant a church in Richmond, Virginia.
When I think about calling and this is not original to me, I think of three components: Affinity, ability, and opportunity. Affinity is the question, do you want to do it? Do you like it? Paul tells Timothy, “anyone who aspires to the office of elder desire’s a good thing.” So the first question is do you have that internal desire? Ability, that’s the question of can you do it well? And that’s not a question you should answer while you’re staring at yourself in the bathroom mirror. That’s a question that those around you, specifically leaders in your church, should be speaking into. If affinity has to do with internal desire, ability has to do with external affirmation. Then the third component is opportunity, so affinity, ability, and opportunity. Is God opening a door? We hear the cliché if God closes a door, he opens a window. Well, not always. Sometimes God closes the door because he wants you to know you have the wrong address. He’s not calling you to that particular thing. If those three components are in place, affinity, do I want to do it? Ability, do others think I can do this? And opportunity, Is there an open door? Then I think you have what constitutes a biblical call. The last thing I want to say is to almost double click on that middle one of ability. Do not seek a call outside of the context of a healthy local church. Defer to, submit to, seek the wisdom and input of your leaders, particularly your elders. That is how you’re going to receive clarity on whether God Almighty is calling you into a particular area of ministry.
My name is Matt Smethurst and this is my called to story.