“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed Him (Matthew 4.19-20).
As a young Friend, I didn’t aspire to lead.
Didn’t feel qualified.
But I often found myself in leadership roles. Like Jesus did with Simon and Andrew, others saw something in me before God called me to be a pastor at 16. I wasn’t convinced, even after He tapped me.
Still wasn’t sure I wanted to lead.
He hounded me in my inadequacy and self-centeredness. He invited me again to become a pastor at 19.
Maybe that is God’s preferred way of raising up leaders for ministry: Call the ones who feel most inadequate.
What makes a man a minister, pastor, or teacher in the Church of Christ? How does he come to be one? We answer: “By the inward power and virtue of the Spirit of God which will not only call him but will in some measure purify and sanctify him.” Since the things of the spirit can only be truly known by the aid of the Spirit of God, it is by this same Spirit that a man is called and moved to minister to others. Thus, he is able to speak from a living experience of the things to which he is a witness. His words and ministry come from the inward power and virtue of the Spirit of God (Barclay’s Apology, pp. 178, 179).
I hope that through the Friends Preaching Initiative, you who are out there in the field preaching can hear God’s affirmation: “Yes, you’re right where I want you!” Many forces and factors militate against one’s call and the certainty of it, not the least of which are the spiritual forces of evil. Active preachers need affirmation now and then, although we do it for His pleasure, not for human recognition.
Jason Allen commented in Letters to My Students: On Preaching,
For the would-be preacher certainty in one’s calling is essential. In ministerial importance certainty of your call to preach is only surpassed by certainty of your saving relationship with Christ. You should not—indeed, you must not—pursue a pulpit ministry without gaining certainty in your calling (p. 3).
I would add that once you have answered the call to proclaim Christ, rest in that as you carry out your pulpit ministry and pastoral duties. The certainty of your call becomes a hitching post, a safe haven, and a source of confidence when the way is difficult.
(Interesting Sidebar: When people hear that FPI is up and running, they instantly hope it addresses the shortage of pastors in the Friends Church. We will touch on that subject as we go along.)
For further study, read Matthew 4.18-22 and Matthew 9.9-13.
ABOUT
Jeff Blackburn has been proclaiming Christ for over 43 years. He served Friends congregations in Indiana and Kansas. His most recent pastoral assignment was with Greensburg Mennonite Church, Greensburg, Kansas, where he enjoyed nearly 30 years of ministry before being called to coordinate the Friends Preaching Initiative in 2024. He works with aspiring preachers and ministry students on campus, often preaches in churches in the region. He developed three new courses for a preaching certificate offered through Barclay College, and he created a preaching lab for Barclay students to work on their communication skills.
Jeff grew up in small-town Indiana, attending Quaker Haven Camp every summer before counseling and directing camps. He is a graduate of Barclay College and Huntington University. He wrote for Adult Friend and The Fruit of the Vine (Barclay Press, Newberg, Oregon) for many years. Jeff enjoys music and singing, although he can’t read music very well. He continues to serve as the moderator for local schools’ spelling bees.
Jeff has written one book, Light at the End of the Funnel (Amazon, 2017) recounting the experience of surviving an EF5 tornado that devastated his town in 2007. He and his wife live in Greensburg where they are near enough to play with their grandchildren on a regular basis. The Lord put it in his heart to help train the next wave of preachers and to encourage active ministers to “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2).