From Calling to Separation: Lessons from Bob Yandian’s 'You Have A Ministry'

I love the way Mr. Yandian defines calling and separation in his book You Have A Ministry.

A long time ago, I was told by the pastor’s wife that I was to marry a ministry gift (I'm unsure what kind). She said that I needed to start spending time with her so that I could prepare (she, of course, was married to a ministry gift and was willing to share with me what I needed to know). I needed to be separated. So I started attending preparation classes for marriage, but I was so anxious, and when he didn’t come right away (or at least me knowing who it was), I grew weary, gave up, and moved away.

I doubt that the calling can go where I go (out of God’s will), and I’ll always wonder what my life would have been like. That’s why the answer can be yes when asked if we know our calling. But the question should be, are we able to fulfill it? I think most people with a calling are so anxious for it to be fulfilled that they don’t want to wait and prepare for it so that they can serve God’s kingdom to the fullest.  

That may be why the body of Christ is in the shape it is now - we don’t want to wait. How many men have been legitimately called by God to be pastors of churches but decided to go ahead of God and start their own churches? How many women have been married to ministry gifts and left them while they went through seminary school, and now another woman is reaping the benefits? 

I also loved when Bob Yandian said that you are not promoted if God doesn’t promote you. I can’t promote myself, and you can’t promote yourself. Only God can. That’s why whenever something good happens to us, we praise God.  The only thing that man can do for us is have favor on us. I don’t know about anyone else, but God is my increase. 

I loved the way Mr. Yandian defined qualification and faithfulness. Many people seem to think that because they have been to seminary school, are called by God (or their daddy), or have been saved for 30 years, they should be first in line to get a promotion.

I looked at the type of personality that a faithful person has according Bob Yandian I realized that my personality fits that, meek or teachable. I was told that along time ago by the pastor’s wife from my Florida church. She said I’m teachable because I don’t have all of the junk from being in a traditional church. Unlike others in the church, they didn’t have to spend years getting out what someone else had put in. I have a teachable spirit.

When I first started attending church, I was a bench warmer (there’s no need for me to lie), but when people love the Lord, they show it by being faithful, doing things for Him, and spending time with Him. It’s just like when a man likes a woman. He’ll do things for her. Sometimes, it’s for no particular reason at all. He may have seen something, and he knew that she would like it. The point is that she was on his mind. That’s how we should be with God: wanting to spend time with Him. 

Mr. Yandian gave some reasons for not getting into ministry full-time. One reason was that it looked glamorous. One in 10 people in ministry are in it for that reason. But God will deal with those people when the time comes. The point is that those of us in this ministry should be about God’s business. 

Overall, the book opened my eyes to what my calling was. 

Higher Calling (Video)

Many people do not realize that those in ministry may also have another career. We automatically assume that pastors spend all of their time studying the Word and praying in the spirit. 

We don't stop to think that they may have two callings - one natural and one spiritual. 

God Will Honor Your Obedience

 

God will honor your obedience by giving you the love, ability, and lack of fear to do it. We will be uncertain at first, but then it will seem like we always do it.

 

That’s how I felt when I started cleaning the church. Thoughts ran through my mind like,

“Am I cleaning everything?”

“Are we cleaning the pastor’s office this week?”

“Did I forget something?” 

“Did we get the children’s room or the finance room?” 

“Let me see if I can get someone else to clean the men’s room.”

 

But after a while, cleaning the church became second nature.  

Amongst the Sheep

 

Some in leadership are so good at hiding among the sheep that they could skip service, and the sheep do not even know they were not there. And often, even the shepherds don’t know the elders are not there.

 

I think about some people in leadership who scream and holler on Sunday mornings, but they are nowhere to be found for bible study.

 

I remember when I worked the second shift, and I was always able to make it to church on Sundays, but I would crave the teachings and fellowship of bible study during the week. My manager usually gave me a day off in the middle of the week twice a month, and you better believe I was at church.

 

And that was when I was still, a visitor, long before I even became a member.

 

I noticed that then and I notice it now.

Are You an Eye Pleaser?

 

Some people place a higher honor on one office of ministry over another. 

It’s like no one wants to work behind the scenes with the children, but they wouldn’t mind being upfront ushering.

 

Churches sometimes have to beg people to help clean the church, but I bet if they said that needed someone to fill in for the pastor while he’s gone on vacation it’ll be a stampede.

Some people are just eye pleasers and don’t realize it (or they do and they do not care).

The Needs in the Ministry

 

Sometimes, people will get a “drip” of the anointing, raise their hands to volunteer in the ministry, begin having second thoughts, and then back out.  

I remember when I volunteered to clean the church partly to stay busy while looking for another job, partly because there was a need in the church and partly because it was time for me to stop being a benchwarmer.

And it was the greatest decision that I ever made. I started receiving blessings from God and favors from man.

I also caught a glimpse of the needs in the ministry. It broke my heart at the gaps and made me realize that God's will and plans were being carried out by me being obedient, and I was apart of it.