Solving the Puzzle of Calling

In the conversation with Bill there were some handy lessons for people considering a call to make disciples from where they are to the ends of the earth.

1. Step out

Bill heard God’s call on a mission trip to Nepal ten years ago. When Peter heard the call to go to Cornelius’ house and reach Gentiles he was away from Jerusalem on the edge of what God was doing, open to change.

2. Begin here and now

Bill’s response to God’s call was to begin making disciples and planting churches immediately where he was in Florida.

3. Find your tribe

Bill and Sue partnered with Troy and Rachel Cooper in making disciples and training others. They joined the team headed for Southern California.

4. Put the time in

To succeed in any human endeavor you need 10,000 hours of practice and experience. Bill and Sue put in the hours connecting with people, sharing the gospel, forming new disciples into churches, training and mentoring workers, dealing with all the problems and challenges along the way.

5. Seek God in the fog of unanswered prayer

They had to learn to trust God during years of infertility.

6. Hear his voice

They knew they were called one day, to go after unreached people groups. They identified possibilities. They fasted and prayed and sought input.

As they prayed, Central Asia would not let them go.

7. Watch God confirm

Two weeks after the decision to head for Central Asia, God confirmed their calling when Sue became pregnant with their first daughter. A nice confirmation that they’d made the right choice.

This is another example of what we call “movement to mobilization”. The most effective way to mobilize workers is out of an existing movement. The alternative is to go from mobilization to movement, that is mobilize people who have no experience of making disciples and expect them to make it happen in a strange place.

This is what to look for:

• Calling from the Lord

• Character developed (in tough times)

• Competency (pioneering, training and networking)

• Community in the work (disciples, peers and mentors).

These elements don’t guarantee results, but they make them more likely. When troubles inevitably come, you have people who know their calling, are used to persevering, know what needs to be done and are not alone.

Interview: 338-NoPlaceLeft Central Asia