5 THINGS TO

CONSIDER ABOUT
YOUR CALLING
Casey Cease God Church Calling

People often ask how they can really know they are called
to vocational ministry. Casey Cease shares wisdom hes
gathered from others and his own experience over the
years.
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one
has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who
live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died
and was raised.
2 Corinthians 5:1415
The call to vocational ministry is a true joy and privilege. God calls us in various
ways and it often takes time to think through, process, and discern. There are
often great cost and sacrifice that go along with a calling that shouldnt be taken
lightly. For some people, they mistake the apathy in their current life situation as
a sign that they should do vocational ministry, but this often ends badly for the
individual and for those whom they exercise their calling on.
When I was 12 years old, there were two things I swore I never would do: preach
and teach. Although I seldom attended church, I knew that preachers and
teachers were broke. I wanted to be a wealthy lawyer or businessman. Its not
that I was passionate about law or business, but I was passionate about not being
poor.
Things drastically changed after a fatal car crash I was involved in when I was 17
years old. At the time I was not a Christian, but following all of this, Jesus saved
me. When I went to court a few days after I graduated from high school and was
placed on probation, I asked the judge if I could do some of my community
service speaking to students. He agreed that speaking could be a small percentage
of my time. The next day I was on the front page of the Houston Chronicle and
right away started to get calls.

If God is calling you, he will give

you all you need.
At the time, I was a baby Christian and was speaking everywhere, sharing my
story and warning teens of the dangers of drinking and driving and the
importance of making wise choices. But over the course of a few years, I began
wrestling with a vocational call to ministry. I realized that while there were other
vocations that I could excel at, my true desire was to pastor Gods people and
preach Gods Word. In 2011, we launched the church I currently pastor. I still
have the joy of traveling and speaking, and now I can preach about much more
than my accident.
People often ask me how they can really know they are called to vocational
ministry, and over the years Ive gathered wisdom from others and my own
experience.
Here are a few things to think through when considering your calling to ministry:

1. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I WOULD

RATHER DO?
This is an important question because as the psalmist says in Psalm 37:4,
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. If
you are truly seeking God and you love sports, then it doesnt make you less godly
to go and be a coach or an athlete.

2. DO THOSE AROUND ME AFFIRM MY

CALLING?
If you talk to people in your church community about your perceived call to
ministry, and they are hesitant to affirm you, this doesnt immediately mean that
you are not called to ministry, but it may mean that it may take some time for
them to see what you are sensing.
It is helpful to have a time where you are tested and approved, so dont be
discouraged. On the other hand, if the people around you are saying things like,
I couldnt imagine you doing anything else, then its time to gird your loins and
get into the game!

3. VOCATIONAL MINISTRY IS NOT A NEXT

STEP IN SPIRITUAL MATURITY
Many people assume that as they are growing with God, the next level of maturity
is vocational ministry. This is fallacious thinking. Just because youre
experiencing a strong season with the Lord it doesnt automatically mean that the
next level is surrendering to the ministry.
If you are having a spiritual high then grow in the Lord, but be slow and steady in
discerning his long-term will for your life. Im convinced we would see fewer
pastors fall if they didnt think that vocational ministry was the next logical step
in their spiritual growth.

4. THE GRAVITY OF THE INVITATION

The good news is that we serve a sovereign God who is able to take the ordinary
and use us for the extraordinary, by the power of his Spirit. If you are hesitant
about pursuing the ministry, you can rest well knowing that God isnt biting his
fingernails waiting for you to say, Yes. He delights in using his children for his
work, but his plan isnt ruined if you decide not to pursue vocational ministry.
5. ITS COSTLY, BUT ITS WORTH IT
At the end of the day, if God is calling you to the ministry, he will give you all you
need and he will care for you. The ministry is a sacrifice, but being a part of Gods
redemptive plan is worth it.
If you are being called, and your community affirms it, then count the cost, trust
the Lord, and get after it!

Are We Missing the Point of Frozens Let It Go?

The bright spot in this insufferably cold winter has

been the success of the movie, Frozen, considered one of the best Disney films in decades.
We took the family to see the film on Thanksgiving weekend, fully expecting the common, tired
storyline of a princess being true to herself and finding salvation through romantic love. It is the
Disney dogma, after all.
Suprisingly, the movies storyline takes us in the opposite direction. The princess who is true to
herself wreaks havoc on the world and leaves shattered relationships in her wake. Her devoted sister
pursues her, even at great personal cost. And when all seems to be lost and you hope a prince will
save the day with romantic love, there is instead a stunning portrait of self-sacrifice, described as the
only kind of love that can melt a frozen heart.

Its not hard to see the redemptive sketches in this movie. If you believe that love is more than just a
feeling, that true love is expressed in self-sacrifice (which flows ultimately from Christs willingness
to give His life for the world), and that true change can only take place through redemption not self-
discovery, then you will find this movie delightful. More importantly, you will find ways to connect
this movies theme to the gospel. We loved it.

The Success of Let It Go

Four months later, were still talking about Frozen. It has earned close to a billion dollars at the box
office, surpassing the studios all-time best moneymaker, The Lion King (in inflated dollars). For
months, it has been in the top five, and the soundtrack has spent considerable time at the top of the
Billboard charts.
Let it Go is the stand-out song on the soundtrack due to its beautiful melody and memorable lyric.
The music video has been viewed more than 88 million times. But the success of this particular song
leaves me scratching my head, especially when you consider its place in Frozens storyline.
If there ever was a song that summed up the Disney doctrine of being true to yourself and
following your feelings no matter the consequences, its Let it Go. Take a look at some of the
lyrics:

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside.

Couldnt keep it in, Heaven knows I tried.
Dont let them in, dont let them see.
Be the good girl you always have to be.
Conceal, dont feel, dont let them know.
Well, now they know!
Let it go, let it go!
Cant hold it back any more.
Let it go, let it go!
Turn away and slam the door.
I dont care what theyre going to say.
Let the storm rage on.
The cold never bothered me anyway.
Its funny how some distance,
makes everything seem small.
And the fears that once controlled me, cant get to me at all
Its time to see what I can do,
to test the limits and break through.
No right, no wrong, no rules for me.
Im free!

Thousands of little girls across the country are singing this song a manifesto of sorts, a call to cast
off restraint, rebel against unrealistic expectations and instead be true to whatever you feel most
deeply inside. Whats ironic is that the movies storyline goes against the message of this song. When
the princess decides to let it go, she brings terrible evil into the world. The fallout from her actions
is devastating. No right, no wrong, no rules for me is the sin that isolates the princess and freezes
her kingdom.

Its only after sacrificial love saves her from the effects of the curse that the princess is free to redirect
her passion and power not in turning away and slamming the door and expressing herself but
in channeling her powers for the good of her people.

If there is a moral to Frozen, its that letting it go is self-centered and damaging. Whats needed is
for our distinctive gifts to be stewarded and shaped by redemptive love.
Perhaps thats why Im flummoxed by the popularity of Let It Go (the song). Not from an artistic
standpoint; its a gem. But Im afraid its popularity drowns out the bigger and more beautiful point of
the film.

Rebellion vs. Rule-keeping

A popular idea in our culture is that there are only two ways to live:

1. Through authenticity, expressed in rebellion against cultural constraints

2. Through an ordered life, expressed in rule-keeping
Many people see these as the only options. And sometimes, Christians are assumed to be lumped in
with the second group the rule-keepers of religion. To the stodgy, religious types, Let It Go is an
anthem to the beauty of spontaneity and freedom.

But Christianity doesnt see morality in either of these ways.

We dont believe we are most true to ourselves when we embrace our deepest desires. The heart is
deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. We need deliverance from our deepest instincts,
not celebration of them.

Neither does Christianity say we are most true to ourselves when we conceal our sin as if by
willpower, we can control our terrible tendencies. Some religious people may put forward the image
of a rule-keeping, behavioral checklist. But thats not true Christianity. The gospel frees us from the
curse of the law.

The Glory of Self-Sacrifice

Christianity teaches explicitly what Frozen only hints at: salvation comes not through self-discovery
or self-restraint, but through self-sacrifice.
All across the country, little girls are singing about self-discovery. Lets make sure that after they see
this wonderful film, they are given songs about self-sacrifice.

Katy Perry and Why Pastors Kids Fall Away

7:00AM EST 2/14/2014 DALE HUDSON

49.6K

176

17

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 Katy Perry (center) and her
parents. (Facebook)

Katy Perry is currently the highest-profile pastor's kid (PK) that has walked away from her
faith. In a recent interview, she said she is no longer a Christian and doesnt believe
in heaven, hell or an old man sitting on a throne.

Perry represents a host of PKs who have struggled with their faith. Recent stats from Barna
Group research says that:

o 40 percent have gone through a period where they significantly questioned their faith
o 33 percent are no longer active in church
o 7 percent no longer consider themselves a Christian

What causes this? Pastors who were asked answered:

o Unrealistic expectations were placed on them (28 percent)

o Negative experiences in church (18 percent)
o Father or mother were too busy at church to spend time with them (17 percent)
o Faith not modeled at home (14 percent)
o Influence of friends or peers (9 percent)

When pastors were asked what theyve done best in raising their kids, their responses included:

o Introduced their kids to Christ and maintained a Bible-focused home (37 percent)
o Spent time with them and supported them (21 percent)
o Loved them (12 percent)
o Taught them good values (10 percent)
o Allowed them to make their own choices and be themselves (9 percent)

Here's what pastors said they wish they had done better:
o Spent more time with their kids (42 percent)
o Been more understanding (8 percent)
o Given them more Bible teaching (5 percent)
o No regrets; wouldnt change anything (19 percent)

I have a special place in my heart for kids who are PKs because I am one. I grew up to serve the
Lord and live for Him. Looking back here are a few reasons that happened for me:

1. My parents practiced what they preached. I could argue with what they believed, but I
couldnt argue with how they lived what they believed.

2. My dad and mom spent time with me. My dad spent hours with me in the backyard,
practicing pitching with me when I was in Little League. When I got into high school and played
basketball, he was there in the stands cheering for me. My mom poured her life into me and was
always there for me.

3. I was able to see past the negative side of ministry. Yes, there are negative sides to
ministry. Sheep bite, and people are not perfect. At times there are politics. The church is made
up of peoplepeople who struggle and have weaknesses like we all do. But I was able to see
past that and see the bigger picture.

4. I made a personal choice to follow Christ, and my faith became my own. I came to Christ
when I was a young child. It was a very real experience that I can still remember to this
day. When I was in high school, God begin to speak to me about being a pastor.

My parents had never asked me about being a pastor. In fact, they had mentioned several times
that I should consider being a schoolteacher, and I had personally told God I would never be a
pastor. Yes, I would be faithful to church and serve Him, but not working for a church.

But when God calls, you have to make a choice. You can say yes or you can walk away from His
will for your life. After struggling for months, I made the choice to say yes to Gods plan for my
life.

I say that to say this: At the end of the day, each person must decide for themselves if they will
follow Christ or not. Yes, godly parents do make a difference and help cultivate the soil, but they
cannot make the decision for their child.

Do I blame Katy Perrys parents for the road she has chosen? No. She picked this path. I could
have just as easily chosen to go down a path away from God.

If your pastor has kids in your childrens ministry, I want to encourage you to do the following:

o Love them. They are just like the other kids in your ministry. They want to know you care
about them, not because of who their father is, but because of who they are as an individual.
o Let them be kids. They are not perfect. They are going to misbehave at times and make
mistakes. Dont say, You should know better. You are the pastors kid! This places
unrealistic expectations on them.
o Dont mistreat their parents. When you talk about the pastor or cause strife in the church,
you not only bring hurt to him, but you hurt his kids as well. Even if they dont know the
details (hopefully their parents are protecting them from the negative side of church), they
sense when there is strife and division in the church.
o Pour into their lives. Just because their father is the pastor, that doesnt mean they dont
need other people to teach them, mentor them and speak into their lives. Yes, my parents
were my primary spiritual influence, but there were also lots of godly leaders who poured
into my life over the years. They all had a part in my decision to follow Christ.
o Dont place unrealistic expectations on their father that causes him to be gone from
home all the time. Help protect their fathers time. They need a father at home just like other
kids. Dont contribute to them resenting the church because it took their father away all the
time.

What are your thoughts about PKs? If you are a PK, share your experience growing up.

Are you a pastor or staff member in ministry who currently has kids at home? What are some
other ways we can support and encourage PKs? What are some other reasons why you believe
some PKs walk away from God?