Calling

This past week was different than a typical week in the office. After hearing a spectacular sermon from my fellow intern, we all left for Catalyst in Atlanta. 

Catalyst is a spectacular leadership conference. In 2 days we worshipped and heard from 13 top notch speakers about leadership, calling, and organizational structures. The theme for this year was

MAKE

What makes us into leaders?

All in all, it was a great conference! I'm still processing through what all I actually learned in those 2 days - many of my favorite quotes I wrote down on my "worth remembering" page.

While a lot of different ideas ran through my head, one stuck out prominently in my mind...

Calling
What is God calling me to?

I think about the idea of calling a lot...
I feel like God has called me to ministry
I feel called to share the love and grace of God with students
I feel called to preach God's word

I feel called to work in a church...

This past week I came to a somewhat disconcerting but certainly enlightening realization...

My idea of calling is too narrow for God.

Craig Groeschel preached on one of my favorite texts in Acts. 
Acts 20:22-24

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not know what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardship await me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me. If only I may finish the race and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus - to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 

(In case you didn't know, Acts 20:24 has been my life verse for years - hence the name of my other blog)

For years now, I've felt like God has called me to work in a church and minister to students. This isn't necessarily wrong - I still love students; I love the local church; and I love doing ministry in the local church. 

But these things are not calling - they are passions. 

I'm passionate about the church, and passionate about students.

I'm also crazy passionate about social justice. Delivering those who are broken from our society. A society which would rather throw broken people in prison (or even kill them) than help them become a better person.

I realized my calling from God is 

to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

As to how that calling will play out - I don't know. Right now, it's student ministry at Mountain Christian Church. When I graduate in   a year and a half - who knows. I know God will use my passions and compel me to go to the place do the ministry I've received. But it may not be "being the youth pastor in a local church." (*gasp*)

(That was to make you laugh, but seriously, the idea that God may compel me to do something other than localized youth ministry kinda freaked me out)

Or God may compel me to do just that. 

Who knows.

I only know that wherever I end up, God has called me to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Moments of certain uncertainty but uncommon clarity