Reading: The Calling

Section 5 - The Calling and You

Two Kinds of Calling

From my personal perspective there are two types of a calling.  The first and most important is a direct calling from God, like YHWH speaking to Moses at the burning bush.  This is when God speaks directly to you and His command is undeniable.  This doesn’t necessarily mean you will hear His thunderous voice in your ears, but His message will be clear – The Great I AM requires something of you.

The other form of calling is when someone from the church asks you to become their new pastor, music director, become a deacon, join the choir, etc.  This type of calling seems more like a job offer, but nonetheless it is a calling, and you need to pray about it to discern if this is truly a calling from God, and whether or not you should accept.  It’s ok to decline if The Spirit leads you so.  Think about how much time will be required of you, and if you can meet this demand.  Your schedule might not allow for it, so don’t make a commitment you cannot keep.  Making a commitment is easy.  Keeping a commitment is another story altogether.  Either type of calling is a genuine calling as long as the latter is bathed in prayer.

Calling Examples in my Experience

I had three music director callings to share as examples.  The first was when our pastor wanted to start Wednesday services and asked if I could provide music, just me and my guitar.  I agreed.  It was that simple.

The second began as a direct calling from God to go to my buddy’s church and ask what I am supposed to do there.  There was a strong feeling in my heart for about a week or so, and one day without thinking about it I just rode my motorcycle there and said to the pastor, “God told me to ask you what am I supposed to be doing here?”  I wound up serving in a semi-pastoral capacity and played in the band for a couple of months.  After taking a spiritual gifts test, and lots of prayer, we concluded that I should serve as the new praise band leader.

The third was a calling as Director of Contemporary Music at my former church in the job offer style.  Our pastor suggested we create a position, with me in mind, to introduce contemporary praise music to our worship services that, after praying about it, I accepted.  I put a band together that played once or twice a month, and I often played guitar and sang solo.  When COVID hit and our worship services were online only we used music I recorded at home by myself, and with the band.  It was a wonderful experience.  Getting paid was really cool, but I kept my heart focused on serving God and the church, and this alone was fulfilling.

It’s ok if your calling is a paid position for Jesus said, “A worker deserves their wages,” and musicians are workers.  The issue is about where your heart is.  If you are providing praise music the first and foremost concern should be worshiping God and bringing congregations closer to Him with song.  Consider the paycheck to be a blessing on top of a blessing.  It is certainly no sin to seek an income with your talents so long as you are not prostituting the church for a source of income.  Then again, if the position is not for money, know that the benefits are out of this world.

So a calling can come two ways.  One is directly the voice of the Almighty, usually to your heart.  The other calling is when someone asks you to do something for the church.  Both types of calling must include deep prayer, especially the latter.