Discovering Our Calling

All of us at one time or another will try to determine our purpose, asking why God has created me. I am certainly no different. In recent years, much has been written about "Vision Statements" or "Mission Statements" either as an individual or an organization. The vision statement for Servant Christian Community Foundation http://www.servantchristian.com/ is to "Create a Culture of Generosity" with the ultimate purpose of funding God's work throughout the earth. I heard our ministry president challenge our board with the thought that SCCF would process the last gift that would fund the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20.)

Then there is a "Mission Statement" and many of us, myself included, are not sure what the difference between the two are. Someone once told me the difference: The vision statement is "Where" we are going and the mission statement is "How" we are going to get there. The mission statement of Servant Christian Community Foundation is "To Inspire, Educate and Facilitate Revolutionary Biblical Generosity." I suppose you can compare the "Mission Statement" as the “Map” of where we are going and the "Vision Statement" as the “Compass” to keep us on target.

Why is all of this important? I think we can draw many examples from the Bible, such as Jeremiah 1:4-7; " Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak."

Clearly, Jeremiah had his lifetime calling and from the scripture we can clearly see that the calling was ordained before he was born. We can also see this same scene played out in the life of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11-17) or Joseph (Genesis 37:5-10) and most importantly, our Lord Jesus Christ, who had the all-encompassing mission that was fulfilled at the cross.

Then the church that was born out of the resurrection now has its mission: Matthew 28:18-20 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. "

As the man of God and great Olympian Eric Liddell said concerning his running for Great Britian in the 1924 Olympics, "When I run, I feel His [God's] pleasure." I think this statement simplifies what our calling should be about and the question I should ask myself: Are the things that I am doing bringing God pleasure? I guess this is the greatest barometer to determine God's calling for my life. My calling will bring God pleasure as well as myself by doing the things that God has wired me to do. Am I bringing God pleasure by what I have put my hand to in life and ministry?