Calling is an area of Christian life that can be complicated and confusing, but it doesn’t have to be.

In our work, we’ve used three questions to help people understand how God may be calling them. This isn’t an exhaustive diagnostic, but if you can answer all three affirmatively, you are well on your way to becoming a cross-cultural worker:

“What are you willing to do?“

This question, although obvious, is important. The Spirit prepares us to serve in Christ’s Kingdom. Not many of us are willing to leave home, raise support, live in a different culture, and learn another language. All these things make us feel weak. If you are willing to do those things, do not discount that willingness as something other than God working in your life.

“What do others say you are good at?“

Just being willing isn’t everything. We may be willing and eager to do things we are not gifted at. All of us thought that we could be artists and doctors and the President when we were young. We needed our parents and our teachers to speak into our actual talents and gifts.

Similarly, it is important to ask people we trust in our local church community how they see us gifted to serve. This can be an uncomfortable thing to do but the Spirit works through the words of others.

“Could you be content if you stayed?”

I talk to many who are willing and gifted, but unfortunately, their desire to go is based more on dissatisfaction with their present circumstances than it is a heart to see the Kingdom grow in another part of the world.

Any faithful Christian will see parts of their own culture and circumstances critically through a lens of Christ’s Kingdom, but when we look at the stories of Yahweh and Jesus calling people in the Bible, the pattern is people who could have very well stayed where they were.

Moses could have ended his days as a shepherd without complaint. Paul was happily pursuing Pharisaical righteousness before Christ called him on the Damascus road. Each of us needs to carefully ask ourselves if our sense of calling is away from something or to something.

Talking with Us

In our assessment process, we start a relationship based on a lot of listening and discerning to come alongside what the Holy Spirit is doing in your life. We would love to talk with you as you explore your calling.

Fill out a Go Form and get the conversation started today.