What is vocational ministry?

Without such exercises- of heart, produced by the Holy Spirit, the realization of the divine calling, and some measure of gift for it, no Christian should venture forth into the public ministry of Christ. For it is not given to us to choose our place or service in the Body of Christ; this prerogative belongs to the Lord alone. Our place is to learn His will for each of us individually and to fill the place assigned us. If one goes forth to preach or teach and is not Called of God to this holy work, he will not be sustained of God in it and will break down sooner or later, or fail in accomplishing the Lord's work. Those whom the Lord calls He fits and qualifies for service, and without this divine fitting the ministry cannot be Performed aright.

The nature and extent of the call to public ministry greatly varies. The Lord of the Harvest will make it plain to every exercised servant whom He calls, just where, how, and to what extent he should serve. One may be called to labor locally, another to travel about in the homeland, and another to go to distant heathen lands. One may be called, after due preparation and training in God's school, to give all his time to the work of the Lord, while another may be called to continue in his daily vocation while preaching and teaching in his spare time.

It is a mistaken idea that one cannot carry on an earthly vocation for his livelihood and still be a minister of Christ, or that it is only those who devote all their time to the service of the Lord who are His ministers. There is no such thing in Scripture as the division of Christians into the two classes of "the official clergy" and the "laity," as is commonly known today, or the thought that the ministry is a kind of honorable profession to be taken up for a living, as are other professions. It is rather a holy calling and a heavenly service to be performed as a labor of love to Christ in dependence upon Him for sustainment therein. While it is true that "The laborer is worthy of his reward" (I Tim. 5:18), and that "'they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel" (I Cor. 9:14), yet we also have the example of Paul, the great apostle, who labored night and day making tents and preaching the Gospel without charge (Acts 18:3, 4: I Thess. 2: 9).

In this connection we would quote the weighty words of C. H. Mackintosh: "We are Convinced that, as a rule, it is better for every man to work with his hands or his brains at some bread-winning calling, and preach and teach as well, if gifted to do so. There are exceptions, no doubt, to the rule. There are some who are so manifestly called, fitted, used, and sustained of God, that there can be no possible mistake as to their course. Their hands are so full of work, their every moment so engrossed with ministry in speaking or writing, teaching publicly and from house to house, that it would be a simple impossibility for them to take up what is termed a secular calling-though we like not the phrase. All such have to go on with God, looking to Him, and He will infallibly maintain them unto the end."

It is not a question of abandoning our proper calling in life, as in Simon's case. Few indeed and far between are the cases in which such a course of action is fitting. Many, alas! have assayed to do this, and have entirely broken down, simply because they were not called of God to it, or sustained of God in it. We are convinced that, as a rule, it is better for every man to work with his hands or his brains at some bread-winning calling, and preach and teach as well, if gifted to do so. There are exceptions, no doubt, to the rule. There are some who are so manifestly called, fitted, used, and sustained of God, that there can be no possible mistake as to their course. Their hands are so full of work, their every moment so engrossed with ministry in speaking or writing, teaching publicly and from house to house, that it would be a simple impossibility for them to take up what is termed a secular calling — though we like not the phrase. All such have to go on with God, looking only to Him, and He will infallibly maintain them to the end.

I admit there is such a thing as Christian priesthood: still ministry is wholly distinct. All Christians, without exception, men, women, and children, are priests; for the priest is one who has a divine call and qualification, which gives him access to the presence of God. Priesthood, in a word, gives the title of the soul to draw near to God. This is always its distinguishing character. On the other hand, ministry in the word is a varied service; but it is only by particular members of the body that Christ thus acts for the good of all. Hence while priesthood is universal, and no person can be a Christian without being a priest, it is only a few among the many who are what Scripture calls ministers of the word or public servants of Christ. I am not speaking of the vague sense in which all ought to be serving Christ every day of their lives; but the question now is of proper ministry in the word; and it is plain that all have not the power to preach the word of God profitably for the souls of others. The great mass of God's children require to have the path of God pointed out and difficulties removed, the right handling of which things depends upon, or constitutes, ministry in one form or another.

There is a material difference between the parable of the talents and that of the servant in Matthew 24:45-51. In the latter, we have ministry inside the house. In the former, on the other hand, we have ministry abroad in the world. But in each we find the grand foundation of all ministry, namely, the gift and authority of Christ. "He called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods." The servants are His, and the goods are His. No one but the Lord Christ can put a man into the ministry, as none but He can impart spiritual gift. It is utterly impossible for any one to be a minister of Christ unless He calls him and fits him for the work. This is so plain as not to admit of a single question. A man may be a minister of religion; he may preach the doctrines of the gospel, and teach theology; but a minister of Christ he cannot possibly be unless Christ calls him to, and gifts him for, the work. If it be a question of ministry inside the house, it is "whom his lord has made ruler over his house." And if it be a question of ministry abroad in the world, we are told that "He called his own servants and delivered to them his goods."

But, on the other hand, we learn the urgent need on the part of all who take the place of workers, whether in or out of the assembly, of keeping themselves perfectly free from all human influence, all looking to men, in any shape or form. They must have to do with God in the secret of their own souls, or they will, assuredly, break down, sooner or later. They must look to Him alone for the supply of their need. If the church neglect them, the church will be the serious loser here and hereafter. If they can support themselves by the labour of their hands, without curtailing their direct service to Christ, so much the better; it is unquestionably the more excellent way. We are as persuaded of this as of the truth of any proposition that could be submitted to us. There is nothing more spiritually and morally noble than a truly gifted servant of Christ supporting himself and his family, by the sweat of his brow or the sweat of his brain, and, at the same time, giving himself diligently to the Lord's work, whether as an evangelist, a pastor or a teacher. The moral antipodes of this is presented to our view in the person of a man who, without gift, or grace, or spiritual life, enters what is called the ministry, as a mere profession or means of living. The position of such a man is morally dangerous and miserable in the extreme. We shall not dwell upon it, inasmuch as it does not come within the range of the subject which has been engaging our attention, and we are only too thankful to leave it, and proceed with our chapter.

We would shrink from attempting to send forth any labourer, but we can pray fervently that THE LORD may do it. If He does, He will send the right ones and support them in it, whether wholly dependent on the Lord for their maintenance, on the lines of the ordaining of the Lord that “they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14), or self-supporting by taking suitable employment. The latter makes the servant more local and restricted in his sphere; the former gives the opportunity for greater scope.

As to an occupation, it is a question of circumstances. If the gift of the Lord's servant is not sufficient to occupy his whole time, he does well to work in order to gain a livelihood. But if God has called him to labour in His work, and especially if he is an evangelist, then business is an obstacle to his service, and hinders him from following the Lord's call, and from fulfilling what the Lord has called him to do. These are my thoughts, dearest brother, as to the Lord's labourer. We need to take counsel with the Lord in order to know if He has called us: faith is needed to enable us to follow His voice; but He is faithful in enlightening our minds, and giving us the strength needed to walk according to His will. I have seen it thus after forty years, and more, that He is faithful and never fails us; He never has failed. I know that brethren are disposed to do all they can while you and other brothers labour faithfully in the Lord's field according to the truth of the gospel, and to leave you free in your work. I believe in the faithfulness of the Lord; man can neither do anything, nor promise anything, if the Lord does not give him strength for it. But I know that the path of faith is the path of peace and of joy. I hope to get news of you.

Whether a school teacher, a mechanic, an executive, a nurse, or a common worker, every Christian ought to serve the Lord faithfully to his or her full capacity. The call to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God that we might prove His good and acceptable and perfect will (Rom. 12:1-3) goes out to every believer.

Therefore, the doctrine of the clergy — of some taking the place of being spiritually and positionally above the “laity” — found no foothold among them, for they knew all such distinctions were gone with the end of Judaism. All believers at present are recognized as priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9) and are expected to function in unity together with one another as “a holy priesthood,” with Christ alone in authority.

Thus filled, satisfied, and strengthened, we are called to dedicate ourselves, spirit, soul, and body, to the service of Christ; to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. We should have nothing else to do in this world. Whatever cannot be done as service to Christ ought not to be done at all. This simplifies the matter amazingly. It is our sweet privilege to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, and to the glory of God. We sometimes hear people speak of "a secular calling," as contrasted with what is "sacred." We question the correctness of such a distinction. Paul made tents and planted churches, but in both he served the Lord Christ.

All that a Christian does ought to be sacred, because it is done as service to God. If this were borne in mind, it would enable us to connect the very simplest duties of daily life with the Lord Himself, and to bring Him into them in such a way as to impart a holy dignity and interest to all that we have to do, from morning till night. In this way, instead of finding the duties of our calling a hindrance to our communion with God, we should actually make them an occasion of waiting on Him for wisdom and grace to discharge them aright, so that His holy name might be glorified in the most minute details of practical life.

The fact is that the service of God is a much simpler matter than some of us imagine. It does not consist in doing some wonderful things beyond the bounds of our divinely appointed sphere of action. Take the case of a domestic servant. How can she serve the living and true God? She cannot go about visiting and talking. Her sphere of action lies in the shade and retirement of her master's house. Were she to run about from house to house, she would be actually neglecting her proper work, her divinely appointed business. Harken to the following sound and wholesome words: "Exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again: not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." (Titus 2:9-10)