Slow Down, Step Back, and Rethink.

Once one has discerned a true calling and also has been deemed as qualified by godly peers, then one must formulate a plan of action.

Too many Christians mistakenly think that because they love Jesus and nothing seems to be going right for them in the secular world, then that must mean that they are being called into ministry. This just simply isn’t the case, especially for a man. Unless he has been gifted with singleness and celibacy, a man’s first priority is to figure out how to get a mate, provide for that mate, and also provide for the children that they’ll have. To some, this may sound like an unrealistic, out-dated idea, but it really is Biblical, logical, and full of common sense as well.

To be clear, Paul spoke of singleness as a gift, and a useful one at that. But if a person hasn’t received this gift, then they might as well spend a good deal of time praying, planning, and preparing for the inevitable - marriage. This means that you need to find a decent, stable job with benefits. You need to be able to provide for yourself, your wife, and your kids - heck, maybe even your in-laws too. This means the whole package, including health benefits, life insurance, etc. And your family can’t be expected to live with your parents (remember that whole “leave and cleave” part of Genesis), which means that you’ve also got to be able to provide a roof over their heads.

This is a harsh wake up call for many man-boys between the ages of 18-38, living with their moms or various roommates, playing Call of Duty (or Madden), jumping between jobs, and just barely “getting by.” Before you even consider entering into ministry, you need to first take stock of your life, figure out where you are at, formulate a plan, and most importantly - GROW UP!! Become a man and leave aside boyish ways. Unfortunately, many women/girls out there are equally deluded into thinking that your current lifestyle is “normal and acceptable” and they will settle for it instead of demanding a higher standard in the mate that they choose.