Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 7/25/2005

Question
I'm asking a question that you probably don't normally see on here. One of my questions is about where I'm going in life. I have a decision to make and I have to make in the next week or so. I have two upen doors before me. One of them is to go to Oak Hills Christian College for camp ministries, the other is to go to jobcorps to get into computers and have a career and help out my church. I have no idea which one to go to and I need to make this decision quickly. Please help me as to some guidance between fulltime christian service vs. having a full time career and helping in the church whenever I can. Thank you very much for your consideration of my question and I hope to hear from you soon.

Answer
Hi Jeromy,

I am sorry for this late response.  Let us look at a biblical model for entering into Christian service:

Acts 13:1-4


Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

The Apostle Paul was already serving in the local church when God the Holy Spirit moved among the church leaders to show them that he should be sent into the ministry.  So.....the best person to ask in YOUR pastor. Ask him if he sees any indication that God has called you into some kind of full time vocational ministry....  I believe that God shows the shepherd where the sheep need to be.  I hope that this helps.

In Christ
Pastor Don