Why I Feel Called to Full Time Gospel Ministry

4 years ago this wretched young man had his eyes spread open to fully see the Gospel in it's true beauty. It was not as if I never heard it, because I was in church twice a week as a youth and didn't neglect it my freshman year. But even though I was amidst the Gospel, the Gospel hadn't changed me--because I didn't want it to. I wanted my life the way I wanted it. My mindset was: Jesus would be #1 when I'm dead, but I'm #1 now. Would my soul have been demanded before April '06, I would've never known the Gospel and an eternal separation from God in hell would've been the just and true consequence for my disobedience to God. I committed cosmic treason, sinned against an infinite God which brings his holy wrath. I can say with Paul in Titus 3 that I was foolish, disobedient, led astray, in slavery to various passions and pleasures, passing my days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another (v. 3). But God, being rich in mercy as Paul states in Ephesians 2, for reasons unknown to me, made me alive with Christ, His grace appeared and saved me according to His own mercy--having regenerated me to seeing my sinfulness and His holiness, and sending me the Holy Spirit whereby I became His adopted son. God granted me repentance, leading me to repent of almost 19 years of iniquity and raising up my filthy hands to reach out in desperation to a great Savior.


Overlooking the past 4 years, I have seen God's hand in removing that which is unpleasing to Him and planting that which glorifies Him. Upon my adoption, the Father sent with the Holy Spirit gifts that would encourage & serve the Church and glorify Him. And throughout my tenure so far in sanctification, I have seen passions grow inside me that lead me to believe God has gifted me to be in church leadership (Eph. 4:11-12), to minister God's word to sanctify God's people. I stand with John MacArthur that the offices of an apostle and prophet have ceased since we have God's Word as our source for knowing Him, and that they've been replaced by the evangelists, shepherds (pastors), and teachers*. To be honest, I know I'm called to at least teach; from early on in my reading and studying the Word, my mind would always seem to default to: "Okay, now how would I be able to teach this to someone else?" and I would imagine myself standing at some lectern presenting it. Granted this isn't concrete evidence in and of itself, but it shows at least the desire to teach (James 3).

I have the personal experience of not only teaching in the context of Bible studies and various meetings, but along with that, I have more experience in sharing my faith with others. Thanks to Campus Outreach I learned early on how to study the Word and share the Gospel with the lost. Both teaching the Word to the saints and sharing the Word with the lost are both pleasures of mine that I hope to always be doing. A good question someone may be thinking: now Travis, you don't need to be a full-time minister to be doing those two things; you're correct. Every Christian no matter what career God has placed him/her, he/she should be in some way, shape, or form teaching the saints (formal or non-formal setting; Colossians 3:16) and sharing their faith with the lost (Matthew 28:18-20). But why this calling to work with the Church full time? The following are my burdens (not in any particular order):

1) The importance of the local church

2) Proclaiming the true Gospel

3) Denouncing the numerous heretical teachings that do nothing but harm

4) The spiritual health of the saints

5) Pointing sinners to the living water.

6) Passing on the Reformed faith.

A door has been opened for me this summer to teach the adult Sunday School class at my home church, Kirk 'O the Isles. This is an answered prayer, since my desire is to start seminary next year, I want my gifts to be looked at and discerned by the leadership and the congregation. And it's imperative that they see not just my teaching, but my lifestyle. If the qualifications are strict even for the deacons, how much more strict for those who desire to shepherd God's flock?

Please be in prayer with me as I seek out the will of God. I want what God wants, I signed my will over to Him 4 years ago--it isn't about me anymore.

P.S. Please don't think this blog was about me puffing myself up to get your approval or praise. I'm only revealing what God has placed on my heart, to share with my brothers and sisters in the Lord of the joy that is in me.
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*If you feel the need to question my interpretation of the cessation of these 2 offices, please do so via e-mail and not a blog comment. Opening up such a debate here, I feel, would not be edifying.