Called to PREACH? Pondering God’s Commission for Your Life, by Dr. John R. Sittema

Called to PREACH?

Pondering God’s Commission for Your Life

by Dr. John R. Sittema

Introduction 5

Preaching: What’s the Big Deal? 7

Preaching in the Old Testament 7

Preaching in Jesus’ Ministry 9

Preaching and the Apostles 10

Preaching and the Church Today 11

The Badge of Ordination 14

Anointing in the Old Testament 15

Anointing in the New Testament 17

Are You Called to Preach? 19

The Idea of “Calling” 19

What Does the Bible Say? 20

Seminary Training: Why and How? 24

Introduction

I feel for young men who wrestle with whether or not they are called to the gospel ministry. Such wrestling can be an agonizing experience: it can cause emotional torment; it can become an occasion for your closest friends (who know you only too well as a sinner) to doubt your sanity or question your integrity; and it can make your wife or girlfriend think twice about what she’s gotten herself into. How do you know if you’re called? It’s a tough question. I remember well a spiritual mentor trying to convince me not to become a pastor, believing that if he could dissuade me, I would not be truly “called.” I also know of others who have been encouraged, nudged, or even pushed into the ministry against their wishes. An acquaintance was told by family members since his earliest remembrance that he was destined for great things in the ministry, following as he would in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, both well-known preachers and authors. The poor fellow was trapped. He left the ministry a broken man only a couple of years after seminary, unable to handle the pressures in large part because he was overwhelmed by doubts about his calling. While it is not easy to remedy the problems of pastors already in the ministry, some simple “preventive reflection” may help those pondering entrance into the gospel ministry. I’ve written this essay for anyone asking questions like these:

• What does it mean to be “called”?

• Why do I need to be ordained? I’m already serving effectively as a layman; isn’t that service valid?

• I get nervous praying at men’s Bible study; I get the cold sweats making a five-minute “speech to inform.” I don’t know if I could ever preach a sermon.

• I’m thinking about just being an ordinary pastor. I don’t want to be a professor of theology. Why do I need to attend years of seminary and learn Greek and Hebrew?

Obviously, not all of the possible questions are covered in this list, but you get the idea. I hope to help you sort through the pitfalls and keep a clear focus on the important issues you must face as you consider whether God has called you to the gospel ministry. I’ve divided this essay into four areas: the priority of preaching, the meaning of ordination, “calling” to the ministry, and the shape of seminary training. In each case, I’ll walk you through the issues with Scripture as the guide to our understanding and as the norm for our practice.

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Called to PREACH_Pondering God’s Commission for Your Life_by Dr. John R. Sittema.pdf

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Called to PREACH_Pondering God’s Commission for Your Life_by Dr. John R. Sittema.pdf

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