The Call of God

by James M. George

The call of God to vocational ministry is different from God’s call to salvation and His call to serve issued to all Christians.  It is a call to selected men to serve as leaders in the church.  To serve in such leadership capacities, recipients of this call must have assurance that God has so selected them.  A realization of this assurance rests on four criteria, the first of which is a confirmation of the call by others and by God through the circumstances of providing a place of ministry.  The second criterion is the possession of abilities necessary to serve in leadership capacities.  The third consists of a deep longing to serve in the ministry.  The final qualification is a lifestyle characterized by moral integrity.  A man who fulfills these four qualifications can rest in assurance that God has called him to vocational Christian leadership.

By W. A. Criswell

The first and foremost of all the inward strengths of the pastor is the conviction, deep as life itself, that God has called him to the ministry.  If this persuasion is unshakable, all other elements of the pastor’s life will fall into beautiful order and place.