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Calling

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The Shape of Calling

Your personal study guide on discerning the call of God.

Calling has become somewhat of a loaded word. For some, it creates a sense of excitement, vision and possibility about their future. For others, calling can be confusing and raise more questions than it answers. It may raise feelings of hurt, anxiety, or disappointment.  

Perhaps you’ve wrestled with the way calling has been presented to you in the past? Or, maybe you have received a clear call from God but don’t feel confident about the journey that lies ahead? You may carry a feeling of guilt, wondering if you have missed the opportunity you once saw so clearly? 

What if there was a way to explore the mysteries of calling in a life-giving way? What if there was an opportunity to revisit some of the old and narrower definitions of calling, and expand them to capture a fuller sense of God’s intention? 

This study guide has been designed to help navigate you through some of the more nuanced aspects of calling, such as:

  • How do we accurately define calling?
  • Why does the image of God we hold onto, and the metaphors we use when relating to God, have such a profound impact on our choices and sense of freedom?
  • What problems occur when we try and discern a call?
  • Is there a way we resolve an inner tension of not wanting to embrace a call from God?
  • How does calling practically outwork in our lives, and what responsibility must we take to see it come to fruition? 
  • The discerning process of testing a call. 

A bit about Calling...

For some, calling is a helpful word to express what God is doing in their life, for others the idea of calling can be unsettling and at times confusing. Here are a few common questions and some answers to help you on your journey.

WHAT DOES CALLING MEAN?

Throughout Scripture, calling refers to the activity of God, whereby God asks, draws, or invites us to do something or to go somewhere. Therefore, we can simply say, calling is an invitation extended to us by God to go somewhere, or do something.

It is an invitation into a God initiated activity that requires our response. It could be for a short time or it could be a lifelong call.

HOW LONG DOES CALLING LAST?

While we are all called to help and love others for our entire lives, a specific ministry call may vary in time. Some ministry seasons may be for a number of years, while other ministry calls can last for decades, or a lifetime.

HOW DOES CALLING OCCUR?

Calling can happen at any time: in prayer, when you’re reading the Bible, at a sacred space or in a holy moment. It may be something you just naturally grow into or discover through conversation. While we may all desire a great experience, God usually calls people during the rhythm of their everyday lives.

THE HEART OF CALLING

  • First, we are called into a relationship with God, everything flows from that (2 Tim 1:9).
  • Second, we are called to reflect Jesus and grow in holiness (1 Pet 2:9).
  • Third, we are all called to active service – to share the love of Jesus with others (Matt 28:19-20).

WHAT SHOULD I FOCUS ON IN REGARDS TO CALLING? 

All calling flows out of our relationship with God: "People with the strongest and healthiest sense of calling are not obsessed with their calling but with the caller" – John Ortberg.

It’s helpful to cultivate an attitude that remains open to how a calling will develop and unfold. The Apostle Paul had a specific calling, but it did not unfold in a predictable way.

It's also healthy to remember that calling is not an end in and of itself. We don't arrive at Christian maturity when we perceive a call. Rather, calling should create greater dependency on the work and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

We can all share the love of Jesus with others no matter where we are in our Christian walk.

DOES EVERYONE HAVE A CALLING? 

Yes. As a movement, we believe in ‘the priesthood of all believers’, whereby everyone has equal access to God, and everyone has equal opportunity to be involved in ministry.

It’s not for the chosen few, we are all called to come alongside others and share the love of Jesus.

We are all called to love God, and to love our neighbours as we love ourselves, and we are all called to share the gospel with others.

DOES EVERYONE HAVE THE SAME CALLING? 

No. Scripture informs us that we all share in a general call – that is, our Christian witness, namely the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

We also read about specific calls, when a person is invited to carry out a specific ministry role, task, or are lead to a specific region, area, or ministry.

STUDY GUIDE

Looking for more information around calling, please visit The Shape of Calling study guide and gain access to your free eBook.