JackHammer

How does someone know he supposed to pastor? Or for that matter, how does anyone know he is supposed to be a missionary, a Christian school teacher, a lawyer, or a doctor? Some seem to get what I call the “odd call” or “weirdo call.” I describe this as a cloud formation, the shutters on the window slamming back and forth, the furniture moving, or a billboard with an unusual message.  That is how God “called” him.  Or was it?  Is it possible that for a person’s entire life that he actually was supposed to be doing something else? How does God guide in this? Do we just decide on our own and then God comes along afterwards and puts on His stamp of approval or, hopefully not, disapproval? Does the Bible work like some kind of divining rod that will lead us to the correct “verse” that will give a clear cut answer? Are we chosen before time for a particular task, or perhaps while we are still in the womb? I often hear: “We know not everyone can or should be a pastor.” Perhaps instead we should say, “Not everyone is supposed to be a real estate developer.”

I realize that this is Christmas (in a kind of dominating-the-month-of-December kind of way), but this month was my choice of topic here at Jackhammer, and I wanted something to hammer on. I’m sure if I thought long enough, a text from the incarnational passages would have offered something to hammer with, but I’ll request that the shepherds and magi wait to swing at you some other year. If you want a place that is more seasonal, you can stay here, because we are going to put some festive pictures in the corner for you to look at while you read about “The Call (to the “Ministry”).” These photos probably won’t give you a Thomas Kinkade kind of warmth and seasonal cheer, but who wants heat with the global warming? See our pictures and get only marginal temperature increase.  Think comfort without the melted glaciers and rising shorelines.  That’s us at Jackhammer, striking this perfect balance between sentimentalism and political correctness and hard-hitting doctrinal expose.

So don’t leave this website!  Stay and read a month of Bible laced opinion about the call (to the “ministry”).

Last 5 posts by Kent Brandenburg

• The Musical Style We Offer to God: Can It Be Inherently Sinful? - July 19th, 2007
• The Place to Start in Evaluating Music - July 11th, 2007
• I Feel - June 28th, 2007
• What Do You Think Scripturally of Clarence Sexton Speaking at the National Fundamental Baptist Fellowship Meeting? - June 13th, 2007
• Can Someone Be Consistent in the Matter of Separation? - June 8th, 2007