What does it mean to be called to a lifetime of ministry? 
Well, there is a common duty (or call) to all Christians to be ministers, to impact others and help to change lives. Yet, there is also an individual call to serve that is uniquely personal for each and everyone. What is fantastic about this is that how you are prepared and choose to serve is completely different from others. It will be different from how your pastor, your friends, your co-workers, your children or anyone else will serve.
Bob Shank recently shared at a Convene Conference: In our career we are “paid for”, in our calling we are “made for”. In our job we are “hired”, and for our calling we are “wired”.
Certainly these are helpful distinctions. Each of us are being “made for” and are the result of God’s “wiring”.
The Bible says:
“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples of the flock.” -1 Peter 5:2-3
At Envoy we act on this belief by helping people to understand that in order to serve for a lifetime, and in order to help and support all those in need or who have not as of yet heard or understood the message, that it is imperative to plan at the first opportunity for the years when the paycheck stops. In other words, we need to fund our future and put dollars away now for all the additional years of ministry ahead.
What a blessing it could be to respond to God’s call to action, without being fearful of not having enough money to carry out His call!
One theme I see throughout the Bible is preparation was always a key part in God’s plan. Consider the Israelites preparing a feast on the night of Passover that will allow them to flee at a moment’s notice. Or how about John the Baptist crying out to everyone around, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!” And we have read the words of Jesus when He promises his disciples, “I will go and prepare a place for you.”
In fact the entire Christian life can be looked at from a perspective of preparedness. Our ministries, our service, our lives are in fact all preparing for the glorious day when Christ returns. But while wait for His return we must prepare ourselves to continue our ministry for as long as our life allows.
Are you, you and your spouse, your fellow workers in ministry, active participants in that stage of preparation? That ongoing process of learning skills and understanding basic principles that will make a difference in how you live for the rest of your life…as part of God’s call?
What a blessing to know that we can continue to learn and grow and what joy it brings when we do.
Living only for the “now” diminishes the joy in the future.
Future Funded Ministry…being able to fulfill an exciting future.
I encourage you to head over to www.futurefundedministry.com and download a free copy of my newest eBook: Live with Meaning: Understanding the Power of Future- Funded Ministry. The book will challenge the way you view retirement and give insight into why it’s important to plan for the years ahead where the paycheck stops but the call to ministry continues.
Discovering our future together,
Bruce