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God's calling late in life.
Have you been called into Pastoral Ministry late in life? Share your story...the good, the bad and the ugly!
Here is an illustration. A young teenager experienced God's calling on his life at age 14 to be a Pastor. Through the process of telling family and friends, he was given the advice to not go into ministry. Why? Because of the hardships, the lack of money that could be earned, and the bullseye target that Satan would place one him should he follow through. He decided to run...like Jonah. He avoided his true calling at every turn. Thirteen years later, he met, fell in love and married a young lady. He only had mediocre success in most of the things he did for vocation, and was miserable. The young lady was not called to be the wife of a Pastor, but to be an executive in a Health Insurance Company. The had many blessings together including two wonderful children. But things were never quite right. Their relationship was lonely most of the time. He was drawn to church and she was drawn to business. Sixteen years later, while siting in a little neighborhood church, the Pastor of the church resigned from the pulpit. The church, which was at a membership of 525 members during it's "hay-day" had dwindled down to 18 members. They needed someone to step up, and all of a sudden the now middle-aged man could not deny the voice any further. It was deafening. This was the moment that God had planned to get him back to alignment with his calling. Amazing! Truly amazing! Over 30 years later, He had the man at the point where I could run no longer. Jonah was in the belly of the fish when his direction got changed and so was the man's! God used the man's gifts in that church to create a library, web site, promote/advertise, lead praise and worship time, open and teach 6 Sunday school classes, organize the church finances, take a leadership role in finding a trained Pastor, and opened the avenues for the man to go to seminary. The church grew from 18 back to 85 in attendance. The man decided to "test" the waters so to speak, once again. This time, everybody was on board. His wife's comments were, "well it's about time!" However, God does not call a man and wife separately...he calls them together to help each other, making them into "oneness" in Him. The man had married outside of his calling and within a year, the pressures of ministry were to much for the wife and she left him for someone else. She was not called to be a Pastors wife, but the wife of a businessman. It was putting a square peg into a round whole so to speak. Satan had his way, and they were easy pickings! Since the divorce, this man's ministry has gone to the streets and he has led over 100 people to the Lord. But he is alone. He wonders what could have been if he had heeded that still small voice when he was 14. The fruit is there, but so is the divorce. Oh to be 14 again!
Here is an illustration. A young teenager experienced God's calling on his life at age 14 to be a Pastor. Through the process of telling family and friends, he was given the advice to not go into ministry. Why? Because of the hardships, the lack of money that could be earned, and the bullseye target that Satan would place one him should he follow through. He decided to run...like Jonah. He avoided his true calling at every turn. Thirteen years later, he met, fell in love and married a young lady. He only had mediocre success in most of the things he did for vocation, and was miserable. The young lady was not called to be the wife of a Pastor, but to be an executive in a Health Insurance Company. The had many blessings together including two wonderful children. But things were never quite right. Their relationship was lonely most of the time. He was drawn to church and she was drawn to business. Sixteen years later, while siting in a little neighborhood church, the Pastor of the church resigned from the pulpit. The church, which was at a membership of 525 members during it's "hay-day" had dwindled down to 18 members. They needed someone to step up, and all of a sudden the now middle-aged man could not deny the voice any further. It was deafening. This was the moment that God had planned to get him back to alignment with his calling. Amazing! Truly amazing! Over 30 years later, He had the man at the point where I could run no longer. Jonah was in the belly of the fish when his direction got changed and so was the man's! God used the man's gifts in that church to create a library, web site, promote/advertise, lead praise and worship time, open and teach 6 Sunday school classes, organize the church finances, take a leadership role in finding a trained Pastor, and opened the avenues for the man to go to seminary. The church grew from 18 back to 85 in attendance. The man decided to "test" the waters so to speak, once again. This time, everybody was on board. His wife's comments were, "well it's about time!" However, God does not call a man and wife separately...he calls them together to help each other, making them into "oneness" in Him. The man had married outside of his calling and within a year, the pressures of ministry were to much for the wife and she left him for someone else. She was not called to be a Pastors wife, but the wife of a businessman. It was putting a square peg into a round whole so to speak. Satan had his way, and they were easy pickings! Since the divorce, this man's ministry has gone to the streets and he has led over 100 people to the Lord. But he is alone. He wonders what could have been if he had heeded that still small voice when he was 14. The fruit is there, but so is the divorce. Oh to be 14 again!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michael Galloway on -
Hi: My name is Mike and I`m 49 years old. As a child and into a young adult, I drifted in and out of the ( Church life ). At about 18 years old, I went into the ARMY. I never gave going to church a second thought. 25 years ago I had a chance meeting with my wife, we have been together for 25 years now. She grew up in a christian household, so when we first got together she had a good christian background. In 2001, I was diagnosed with MS. At first I was mad that GOD would do this to me. In 2009 I was in and out of the ER and Hospital most of the year. In September I gave my life to the lord. Early this year( 2010 ), I was sitting in church listening to the pastors sermon. He said not to be mad at GOD for what happens to you in life, use what happens to you as a witnessing tool towards others. It was like he was talking to me, but it was just part of his sermon for that Sunday. I have been reading more of my BIBLE, every day. I feel like GOD now has a purpose now for letting me have MS. until next time Mike
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Permalink Reply by Rev. Dr. Stephen "Chappy" Fuller on
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Thank You Mike that was an inspiring testimony. I hope you have, and take the opportunity to tell this story often. God Bless You.
-Chappy
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Lancaster on -
Stephen,
At 41, I was a go on Sunday and anything else was around my work, or recreational schedule kinda guy. Then I volunteered to chaparone our youth to a district meeting where 5,000 kids packed out a large sanctuary in the Seattle area. There was something that came awake in that atmosphere of praise and worship that I had not experienced before. Soon after I was convienced that there just had to be more of God's power than I was experiencing in my life. I took a more active role and started a mens prayer group only to be disappointed at the turnout, (2 to 3 avg) It didn't seem like anyone wanted to seek God anymore than what they were doing. Co-insiding with all this I was reading the book of Acts, and our pastor kept preaching about some miracle that happend 10yrs ago or another that happened 20 yrs back and so on. The question I could not get out of my mind was were was the God of the bible, that opened blind eyes and made the lame to walk, etc. I prayed that if I couldn't find that Jesus, I would just as soon play golf.
Well soon there after a former youth pastor we had helped move to a new place told us of a church that was in some kind of "revival" for lack of a better term. My wife made time and attended one of the evening services to which she implied I might benefit from the experience. I summoned all my courage with an I'll show you attitude and decided to go on a Thursday night! That night no one else could go with me, but I went anyway. To be honest I was a very insecure person left to my ownself and was quite nervous, especially when the worship leader invited everyone to PLEASE MOVE to the front as there was about 30+ in attendance. There was a woman who I witnessed weeping, then shouting praise, then weeping more, trust me this was all new to me. The pastor I assumed (correctly) grabbed a mike and took her to the platform where he explained that God had just opened the womens ears after 45 yrs of hearing loss. WOW! No one had prayed for her or layed hands on her, she was just healed! After that we attended those services 4 -5 nights a week for the rest of the summer. I witnessed all sorts of healing and deliverance by the power of God.
One night a visting speaker said he believed I was supposed to go to Kenya on a mission trip he was leading and would I pray about it. I did and the Lord spoke to me and confirmed the invitation. We ministered in a City wide Crusade and the leader asked if I would minister healing to the people at the alter call. I had prayed for healing for anyone beside my wife (headaches) one time where God had healed a friends thrown out back, and I had a digestive problem healed just before going. Interesting enough the first 15 persons had stomache problems and all were healed! Then backs-Healed! Then all sorts of conditions-Healed! The night ended with a blind girl that had no irises or pupils, just white orbs for eyes. As I wept for her the Lord told me he had healed a blind man with spit and clay. I knew that was somewhere in the bible (Jn 9:6) I did that as best I could being quite dehydrated and the girl was healed. Five days later having never led a bible study I preached my first sermon, "It time to Roar" . Upon returning to Seattle things were definitely different. My wife and I started an outreach at a local High School (after hours) and saw about 50 or so kids get delivered, healed and saved! Then I was asked to take over as the church youth pastor and now 10 yrs later I am a traveling Evangelist and missionary having been to many countries and 4 continents. "A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps" Prov 16:9 I hope this encourages someone.
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Jeff, what wonderful story. Thank you for sharing. I remember a quote I had heard from D.L. Moody and I will paraphrase it: "miraculous things happen when one man is totally given to God". If you would mind dear Brother, do me a favor? If you can, I want you to go on a Spiritual Genealogy quest...don't let it take you from your calling however. See if you can discover similar stories within the lives of people who have led up to your salvation experience. For example: the person who led me to Christ was named Dr. Howard F. Sugden...my first Pastor, he in turn was led to Christ from Evangelist Billy Sunday, who in turn was led to Christ by D.L. Moody, who in turn was led to Christ by a shoe store salesman named Gimbal. All of these men were dynamic personalities, and all but Gimbal were Evangelists or Pastors. All were soul winners. God works in patterns through History Ecclesiastics 3:15 to shape the future. For example, if you want to know what happens in Revelation, all you have to do is read Genesis 11 BACK to the beginning! You will discover that where we started...walking with God, is where we end up by the end of Revelation. Neat?! That same pattern is down several times through scripture as well. The pattern is the same in our lives...to walk with God just as it was in the beginning. Hopefully your quest will lead you to who you are Spiritually and help you understand and appreciate God's plan for your life and how he set out to accomplish it. I will leave you with this. God's greatest work is NOT creation, is NOT marriage, is NOT government. His greatest work is the work he is doing in you...and in me...and in every other human being who have given themselves over to be saved. Let the Word of God do the Work of God in your life!
- Chappy
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Permalink Reply by anne legaspi on -
oh praise the lord i think He just answered me...loveyah co-christians!
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Loveyah too!
God Bless You All
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