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You Don’t Have to Be Clergy to Be in Ministry:

There are those of us who have heavy callings on our lives from God but face challenges of sometimes feeling unworthy to complete those callings for the following reasons. We haven’t been ordained as ministers in the church. We have not been accepted by the in-crowd of the church elite. We are not popular. However, none of these are qualifications in the eyes of God to be used by God in ministry. These are the traditions and expectations of man.

All traditions and expectations of men aren’t bad; they are simply what they are. God is not confined to work within the structures of what man expects. God is the one who calls men. He is the one who promotes one and sets another down (Ps 75:7.) With this understanding, we ought not to avoid walking out our full calling for fear of not being accepted in the right circles by man. Our acceptance, worth, value, and confidence to be obedient to God should come from God, not man.

Please, understand that I am not promoting rebellion or heresy. There are various structures of authority God has ordained and will work within, but God is unconventional. He doesn’t need man’s permission. Perhaps God may have provided some with a gift of teaching to work outside of the church as life-coaches, who honor God and draw others to God. While others may be called to act and use their acting platforms to share the gospel. Do not despise your spiritual call of God because you do not traditionally communicate your call.

In the Bible, God used several ministers of His who weren’t clergy, but it was clear they loved God. Esther was called to be a queen of a non-Jewish nation. She was groomed from childhood and placed into a position where she was used by God to minister to and intercede for others.
David was called to be a king. A true non-traditional call of God. This call carried great weight as King David points to the lineage of Christ. He was a godly man used to keep a nation’s heart turned toward the Lord.

Jesus Christ, himself. He is the Son of God, but he was despised by the religious structure. He was a simple carpenter, who traveled sharing the message of the kingdom of God. The Bible never shows Jesus ordained in a church. If anything, he fit in with practicing the Jewish customs but stood out by his unique interpretations of the law. However, Jesus not only spoke with the authority of his Father in heaven, but he being God in the flesh spoke upon the authority of himself. The key to walking out non-traditional callings by God is to remain humble under the one who gives us authority Jesus Christ.

Another key is to remain committed to God and to hear and follow his leading. God will give us men and women along the way who remind us of who we are and what we are called to do. The confidence that comes from God should allow us to block out any ideas that would make us feel unworthy to be used of God because we aren’t clergy. I honor all clergy and am thankful for their sacrifice. However, this isn’t the only way God calls us to minister. We are all ambassadors for Christ―Whether we are a carpenter, like Jesus, a political official, like Esther, or David.

We need to be faithful and give God 100 as He is the one we are living to honor. He deserves to get out of us what he has invested in us—similar to the parable of the man who hid his talents instead of investing it and getting a return. God expects a return on his investment of purpose and giftings in all of us—not just clergy.

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