Discovering Our Calling in God’s Global Mission
A road in England’s Lake District
You have a calling in your life and it is as unique as you are. As sure as you are made in God’s image, God has given you a calling in this world. God has created a role for each of us to play, one specifically tailored to who we are. God has also made us in such a way where we can’t sort out our own calling by ourselves. We need others to talk this through, to pray, to ask questions of God, as well as to lead and encourage us. Community is a requirement.
In popular culture we are told that our calling is for us to discover by ourselves. Films, books, TV all present a certain version of the hero story, with us at its centre. Following this path can leave us in an endless search for something more, never arriving and never satisfied. We can unwittingly live this way and contort the process of discovering our calling into a selfish endeavour. As Christians we are called to orientate our lives differently: around God, His mission, within the context of community.
Thankfully, God hasn’t left us to sort our calling out ourselves. We have many ideas, passions, thoughts, and hopes in this world. We need to know: what aspects are actually parts of our calling? And if they are, what does it look like to respond and follow through?
This helpful and loving God is also one who saves us from our small missions to His big mission: of the whole earth reflecting more of heaven. Our global God has a role for us to play in the context of this global mission.
With this reality come more questions. You might have an idea to work in a context different to the one you were born into. You might have questions and interests for other countries and people groups. There are these big vision based questions, but then also the practical questions of moving to a new country, fund raising, connecting with partners…how do you move from a good idea to boots on the ground?
What we need in our calling is clarity. The gift of clarity allows us to act and follow through. Calling without clarity leads to frustration, but calling plus clarity leads to God’s good work. Calling with clarity means we can actually follow through and act. This is what God has created us for, it’s work that makes a difference, it’s something we do well—and we enjoy it!
Missionary Launching is a 9 month programme created to do just this. It enables people to discover God’s unique calling in their lives in the context of God’s global mission. Through remote video calls and a week long residential intensive, you will be part of cohort of people unearthing their calling, asking the big questions, and getting the practical followup needed to be a part of the earth reflecting more of heaven. Each session has tried and tested exercises to help get the clarity you need in order to live more into how God has created you and how you fit into His global mission.
At the beach in Cornwall
Over the past 8 years, I moved to a new country with my family, planted a church, and have helped others move for ministry as well. I’ve been specifically trained to help coach people in this area of calling and gifts through People Launching. Over all my years in ministry I have also seen people try and live outside their calling. They often don’t perform well, feel stuck, and it leads to a less enjoyable life overall. It’s not a fun place to be and God’s mission slows down because of it.
But for those who take the time to discover and ask God these questions, God has delivered every single time, without exception. It might just be that He puts these questions in our hearts so that we will discover more of Him in the process.
Let’s start that process together. Read more about Missionary Launching and let’s set up a time to chat.