I'VE BEEN CALLED TO PREACH

For most of you the title of this post is no real suprise. I've been preaching at some of you for a long time now. (yeah, I meant it to sound that way). In fact, I've been been in youth ministry and preaching for over 15 years now. I'm an ordained elder in the church even. Well, all that to say it has taken a VBS to remind me that I have been called to preach. This week, as I have for the past three years, I have been preaching to a group of 4th-8th grade students at a Nazarene church in a neighboring community. Last night's lesson was about how God shines in our lives brightest when we obey him. (the theme they choose was "shine" from the Newsboys). I choose the two stories Adam and Eve and Johah to try and explain to them how God wants us to obey him when he asks us to do or not do things blah, blah, blah. Well, I got to the part in the lesson that I stated that at the age of 12 God began to speak to me and call me to be a preacher. For two whole weeks I told him "NO". I had better plans for my life and I was too young to be a preacher. The last night that I "heard" God speaking to me about it all, I specifically remember him stating, "If you turn me down tonight, I am done speaking to you!" My curt response was "Fine, I'll do it, but I don't want to!" I felt his love and his reassurance that I was only 12 and he just wanted to see if I'd be willing. Well, as I reminenced about that part of my life with the kids last night, I was reminded that, Yeah, I have been called to be a preacher. But, I've actually been running away from that call for quite some time now. Not that I've not been preaching or not that I haven't been fulfilling that role to some degree, but I've avoided the title or the position of preacher. Being a "youth pastor" was/is different from being a preacher in my eyes. The picture of a preacher that I've had and don't want any part of is the one who has to know it all and do it all in a church. Everything from preaching, to the finances, to the hospital calls and everything in between. That's not what I think that a preacher should do nor do I want it. I want to preach the Gospel of Jesus and Him Crucified, but I don't ever want to get to a place that I have to do it alone. I don't think it's the pastor's responsibility to do all that stuff mentioned above, instead it's the body's responsibility as we are on this journey together. I'm in no place in my life to even think that I've got all the answers nor do I ever want to think I do. I do have some insights, I do have the ability to lead, but I do need others around me who are willing to be on the journey with me.

Anyway after the lesson and I started heading home, the reality of God speaking to me was running though my head. Is he calling me to start a church? Am I supposed to be a preacher? etc etc etc. Then all of the sudden a White dove flys up from the side of the road and crosses in front of my car and I kill it. No I don't kill it, but it's just like you would see in the movies of what the Holy Spirit would look like when portrayed as a dove. I've never seen one out of captivity before. Was this confirmation? I'm not positive, but it's what I thought when I saw it. So, I'm called to preach and this is the beginning of a not so new journey for me. God may I preach as if they are your very words.