1. GOD’S CALL I TIMOTHY 1:11-12

2. CHAIN LETTER “Simply send a copy of this letter to six other churches who are tired of their ministers. Then bundle up your pastor and send him to the church at the top of the list. Add your name to the bottom of the list. In one week you will receive 16,436 ministers, and one of them should be a dandy ….. Have faith in this letter. One man broke the chain and got his old minister back!”

3. Comments as People leave…… “That was a nice little talk, preacher.” “You always manage to find something to fill up the time!” “If I’d known you were going to be good today, I’d have brought my neighbor.” “Did you know there are 243 ceiling tiles?” “We shouldn’t make you preach so often!”

4. GOD’S CALL 1.God’s Call to Pastors 2.God’s Call to Parishioners

5. THE CALLING of A PASTOR I Timothy 1:11-12 “......that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.”

6. OTHER BIBLICAL EXAMPLES I Timothy 3:1 “Here is a trustworthy saying: if anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” Romans 1:1 “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—”

7. Advice when I felt God’s call….. “If you can do anything else with your life, do it!”

8. TWO ASPECTS OF GOD’S CALL 1.The Work “If any one sets his heart on being an overseer (PASTOR), he desires a noble task (A GOOD WORK). I Timothy 3:1

9. TWO ASPECTS OF GOD’S CALL 1.The Work. 2.The Authority. * I Timothy 5:17 - “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” * Hebrews 13:17 - “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

10. THE CALLING OF A PARISHIONER Two Assumptions/Distortions 1.We’re free to do whatever we want! 2.Whatever we’re doing is God’s call!

11. We’ve All Been Called The Great Commission 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

12. How to Discern God’s Call for You! It involves dying to self! You can know and respond to God’s Call IF YOU ARE WILLING!

13. THINK OF IT THIS WAY: General Call Build Airplanes Specific Call Task determined by the boss’s best judgment!

14. Our Shared Calling as Christians General Call The Great Commission – Matthew 28:18-20 Specific Call Unique to each one – based on one’s gifts, talents, experience, assets, location, etc.

15. BEING PULLED OFF COURSE TEMPTATION to focus elsewhere! POSSESSIONS POPULARITY POWER

16. THE MISSION REMAINS UNFINISHED! Answering God’s Call is the very reason you were created! Look around you – what do you see? What is yours to do?

17. MOST IMPORTANT CALL The Call to become a follower of Jesus “God’s call is for you to be His loyal friend, for whatever purpose He has for your life.” -Oswald Chambers

18. What should you be doing? Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

19. TWO CALLS WORKING TOGETHER Pastor Doug = Under Shepherd/General Contractor Hillcrest Congregation = Flock/Workers for Jesus Christ Blueprint = The Word of God

20. EPHESIANS 4:11-12 “It was he who gave some to be……. pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…..”