God Calls All of Us
Amy Thompson God calls all of us. Throughout scripture, we are told about God's call on our lives to be in ministry. We hear these words in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, “There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; and there are different ministries and the same Lord; and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.” God calls all of us for ministry. We, the ordinary people, are called by God and filled with the Spirit to create extraordinary works for the Kingdom of God. Let me say it again. God calls all of us.
The Spirit nudges each of us in different ways. The Spirit will continue to nudge until we respond. Thankfully our uniqueness leads to various interests so that all areas of ministry can find leadership. The nudge may lead you to participate in a new small group or to serve at the homeless shelter. The nudge may lead you to start a new care ministry for your church. It takes willingness and courage to respond to the nudge. Have you ever felt passionate about something but didn’t know what to do with that passion? Have you ever had a spark to start something and needed others to join you but felt uncomfortable leading? Are you leading others in a ministry area but sometimes feel ineffective?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider attending Called on April 13 led by Rev. Dr. Ken Nash. This training will give you the tools for creating and training a healthy launch team of laypersons for any ministry opportunity. You will learn the pitfalls to avoid and the necessary tools to help each person find their place in the new ministry. If you or your church are considering a new small group ministry, a new worship service, a food pantry, a new school partnership, or still dreaming about a new ministry area, this training will support you in raising up missional leaders ready to lead the new ministry. This event will be live at Platte Woods UMC with at least one host site in every district across our conference. My excitement continues to grow as the new Missional Leader team and the district superintendents dream and pray for this event as it will influence our laity leadership across the Conference.
As laity, we have such power in making a difference in the lives of others. Through our words and our actions, we can touch the lives of many in our local churches and in our communities. God uses the ordinary to create the extraordinary as we seek to serve. I challenge you to register for Called before registration closes on April 5.
I challenge you to invite at least one other lay person with you to the training. Implementation of a new ministry and leading can be difficult, so having someone to talk through the experience with you can be helpful. I ask you to pray for willingness and courage to lead something new. I ask you to pray for the event that it may be the largest laity event hosted so that all communities across our conference may be touched by this work. God calls all of us.