The Call of God

Gracing our cover this month is a heartwarming photo taken during a Global Outreaches Unlimited mission trip this past summer. GOU is one way Open Bible is providing opportunities for our young people to experience God’s call in their lives.

If you have not heard God’s call on your life yet, read Paul Canfield’s article, “Is God’s Call Real Today?”(page 4) for practical ways we can attune our ears to hear the call of God. You will also enjoy reading the real life experiences of others who have heard God’s call (page 6).

I was three or four years old when I first felt God’s direction. A missionary couple who had just spoken at our little country church had been invited, along with our family, to the home of a church member for dinner. Amidst the friendly chatter someone stooped down and asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. Enamored with the kind, older lady who had just shared tales about her experiences overseas, I answered, “A missionary.” (To me it was an obvious choice.) From that moment on, missions was the only occupation I considered. When we played “house,” I wasn’t a movie star or a famous singer...I was a missionary. My sister got sick of it.

Growing up, that goal helped determine my priorities. I knew I had to go to Bible college, which encouraged me to get decent grades in school and stay out of trouble.

Thankfully, God’s call was not a one-time event. Circumstances and some of my naïve choices have forced me to occasionally reassess God’s call as He guides me through different seasons. Although I haven’t made it to the “mission field” yet, missions has always fascinated me.

In recent months, I have not been able to get youth off my mind; it was a “persistent burden,” as Paul Canfield would say. Imagine my joy at seeing God unite my two passions: youth and missions. I am now privileged to serve as youth pastor in a multi-cultural church. Who would have thought?

Leaders need to listen to God’s direction for their organizations as well. Paul Leavenworth warns us in “Organizational Life-Cycles and the Fivefold Ministry,” that even good church organizations can fade into nothing more than non-innovative, bureaucratic institutions. We can, however, break that trend (page 8).
My oldest daughter cannot imagine not being called. “The need is the call” in her mind. If that is true, many people will be called to Uganda. In this nation still recovering from the devastation caused by the dictatorship of Idi Amin, AIDS has reached epidemic proportions. Thousands have been orphaned. Nonetheless, the gospel is bringing hope to these people (page 12).

Hope has reentered the lives of the Corns family from Ohio. Steve and Tonya had endured a parent’s worst nightmare, the abuse of their young baby, shaken so violently he suffered severe injuries, unable to even breathe on his own. However, God had other plans for this little guy (page 9).

God can use you to bring hope to people through your workplace, your school, or possibly a special ministry. Dare to ask Him.

Andrea Johnson,
Managing Editor
Message@openbible.org