It's not always a matter of calling . . .

Greg and I know God has called us to go in the direction we're going. There's a settled peace about it. Not everything thing placed before us has been so definitive. Like you, I'm sure, we've had our times of wondering, "Should we or shouldn't we?" "This way or that way?" "Could we?" "How?" We seek God but sometimes feel we're not getting an answer at all. We wait, we look for signs from friends, sermons, books, radio, the Bible, but nothing comes. I'd like to clear up one area that doesn't need an answer from God, because you've already gotten it in His word. It has to do with who we minister to.

Someone may say, "I don't feel called to minister to those people." By 'those people', they're referring to anyone unlike themselves. It may be the poor, the homeless, the doctor, the lawyer, the uneducated, or those from another country.

Is who we minister to really a matter of calling? No. Quoting from Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church by Mark Deymaz, and referring to Acts Chapter 10, "When we consider these early stories of conversion featuring the Samaritans, an Ethiopian, and the Roman soldier, Cornelius, they should cause us to ask, If God himself does not show partiality in reaching out to others, why is partiality allowed to exist within the local church today? Indeed, if God welcomes men and women of every nation, tribe, people, and tongue into his kingdom, why is it that the vast majority of churches in the United States are not likewise welcoming diverse people into their local fellowships? (He's mainly talking about churches, but the point is the same for individuals trying to figure out who to minister to.)

Mark Deymaz goes on to talk about local churches not making an effort to de-homogenize their congregations by adapting their ways to muliple ethnicities. I don't need to go there. I believe churches evolve to become homogeneous because they don't have a diverse leadership team and a concentrated effort to go in this direction. But that's not the point of this article. The point I'm trying to make is that it isn't a matter of calling as to who we are called to minister to and who we leave behind. Matthew 28 says to go and make disciples of ALL nations.[emphasis mine]

Greg and I felt led to the westside because Greg has always had a desire to minister to those who need it the most. We didn't say we didn't feel called to minister to white, middle-class individuals with college educations, we welcome them and will do everything to make sure they feel just as welcome as the Hispanic, the Sikh, the African-American, the Asian, the homeless, and the addicted who comes through our doors.

I think too often we look for specific answers to general questions. Much of what we're searching for is located right in the Bible. They're called Biblical principles. It's not "Should I marry John Smith, an unbeliever?" It's "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" 2 Cor. 6:14

It's not "Should I minister to those people?" It's "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Mat. 28:19-20.