Why You Can't Ever Become a Church Minister

Church Ministers are Called by God

Becoming a church minister is a noble pursuit, but it must be approached with great caution. I’ve come across other websites offering advice on how to become a church minister, and while their guidance is commendable, they often overlook the most crucial question: “Is this a work God has called me to?”

What you read here might change your perspective on becoming a minister. If God has not called you to this work, you should reconsider your path. Years ago, I was in your position, searching for answers about something I wasn’t particularly interested in but felt compelled to pursue. So, what’s driving you to this work? Don’t just ask the question—seek the answer earnestly.

One significant issue facing the church today is the topic of ‘gender identity.’ Some people believe they are a gender other than what they were born as. The Bible clearly states that God created male and female, yet there are even church leaders who don’t believe this! I bring this up because, just as a person’s desire to be a different gender doesn’t change the truth of what God created, the desire to become a minister doesn’t make you one if God hasn’t called you.

By “calling,” I mean a direct assignment from God. Your desire to preach the Gospel and serve as a church minister may not align with God’s plan. Let me be blunt: you were either born to be a preacher/minister, or you weren’t. Just like the gender issue, your desire doesn’t alter God’s plan. Why live a lie that will never please God?

Defining a Holy Spirit Called Minister

Let’s start by defining ‘minister’ and then examine how this term is understood. A minister is simply a ‘servant.’ In the church, the term is often used interchangeably with ‘preacher.’ However, online, you’ll find varying interpretations of what it means.

Many years ago, I worked at the Denver Rescue Mission in Colorado, an organization providing services to the homeless and rooted in faith. The staff there claimed to be followers of Jesus Christ.

As in the church, not everyone who claims to be a disciple truly is. One leader, in particular, turned out to be one of the cruelest people I have ever met. Sure, he did great works, but he was the epitome of a ‘fence-sitting’ Christian. His name was Steve Walkup, and I’ll always remember him as someone who acted like a minister but served no one. He provided resources to people all over the world but sacrificed nothing of himself.

While Steve sacrificed time, talent, and some treasure, his heart was never truly surrendered. How do I know this? We’ve all met someone trying too hard to be different and better than they were before. Their effort appears phony and contrived. True transformation through Jesus doesn’t require manufactured effort. While we must work, that work should produce the “fruits of the Spirit.”

After working for Steve for several years, I saw no consistent demonstration of these fruits. He did good deeds and blessed many, but at his core, he was a cruel man who bullied people. In his effort to be a minister/preacher, Steve harmed countless lives. He was never truly called by God as he imagined. By pretending to be ‘Christ-like,’ he hurt and destroyed people.

Have you ever had a boss everyone feared—not out of respect, but because of their cruelty? Steve was that guy. What true minister of the Gospel inspires fear in others? Steve was a Vice President in the organization with almost unlimited power, partly because he oversaw a division and partly because, no matter how out of control he became, he was never disciplined by his supervisor.

Brad Meuli, the CEO of the mission, also considered himself a pastor and preacher/minister. While Brad was more of a servant than Steve, they were two sides of the same cruel coin. Steve would “punch you in the face” and explain why, while Brad would send someone else to do it and never take responsibility.

As I reflect on those times, I am filled with sadness, not out of self-righteousness, but because I watched two men who claimed to believe in something they did not understand. If you pursue a life that God hasn’t intended for you, the harm you cause will far outweigh any good you think you’re doing.

Church Ministers Are Not Hirelings

A minister truly called by God doesn’t hide behind pretense or false behavior.

We are among the most transparent people you will ever meet. The thought of “living a lie” is abhorrent to us, and we expose ourselves to God and His people.

Here’s something else you should know: most of us don’t want to be ministers! Yes, you heard that right. Did God “call you” and command you to ‘go,’ or did “you call God” in an effort to make a difference in the world?

Using Steve and Brad from the Denver Rescue Mission as examples again—they called God and, by their own admission, began this work after careers in corporate America. Both men had grown tired of corporate success and felt empty. They turned to God and ministry in search of meaning instead of offering themselves as “living sacrifices.”

The point is—seek the heart of Jesus Christ to determine whether you should pursue ministry at all! How can you righteously serve God while living a lie? A just life cannot be lived without being directed by the Spirit and truth.

A few decades ago, a contestant named William Hung auditioned on American Idol by singing “She Bangs.” His performance was abysmal. William got the words right, but his lack of singing talent turned his audition into a joke. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Whitney Houston, whose singing gift was so extraordinary that it’s hard to find anyone better.

For fans of country music, Whitney’s rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” featured in the 1992 movie The Bodyguard, is unforgettable. The point is: God gives us gifts according to His will. Anyone who steps outside His will endangers not only others but themselves as well. Are you certain that becoming a minister of the Gospel is what God is calling you to do? Is this interest driven by the Holy Spirit, or is it just a passing interest?

I Know False Church Ministers

I know several church ministers whom I am certain are not compelled by the Holy Spirit.

Again, “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” I am anointed to “judge righteous judgment.” At the Denver Rescue Mission, there were also former leaders from corporate America. One of them was the aforementioned CEO, Brad Meuli. Brad believed that his leadership experience in corporate banking qualified him to lead in the church.

Yet, Jesus Christ, whom he claimed to follow, did not believe such ‘previous experience’ was necessary. Instead, Jesus called twelve men with no relevant skills to launch a worldwide movement (the church) and anointed them to lead!

Like Steve, Brad would stand before the entire organization and deliver sermons. As CEO, he certainly had the authority to do so. But the question is: was he preaching by his own authority or God’s? Several ‘called preachers’ at the company shared the same sentiment: “Brad had words but no power.” Here’s the dilemma—God has blessed the Denver Rescue Mission under Brad’s leadership! I’ve witnessed it firsthand.

But he will never accept that God is “blessing not because of him, but despite him.” Do you really want God to bless something in spite of your disobedience? Brad was more convincing than Steve—more eloquent and obviously educated. Brad was the upper-middle-class kid from the suburbs, and Steve was the inner-city street brawler.

African American employees often compared their partnership to that of a ‘slave master’ and a ‘plantation overseer.’ The slave master was seen as a ‘gentleman,’ better educated, spoken, and more presentable than the lower-class overseer. If there was ever a perfect example of a slave master and a plantation overseer, Brad and Steve were it. However, despite Brad’s superior qualities, he had no more power in speaking God’s Word than Steve. You cannot fake an anointing that God never gave!

Conclusion

Everything I’ve said here is true, and I have the evidence to back it up. My intention is not to disparage anyone, but the truth must be spoken! The Apostle Paul did the same, naming people in his epistles who had gone astray from the Lord Jesus.

Know this—when you are out of place and desire to be a minister when God has not called you, someone will one day write about the damage you’ve caused as well.

Talk to Jesus and ask for guidance. You know what my greatest fear is? That I might be harming someone by walking in something I’m not called to! No, I’m not talking about preaching as a minister. I have never felt more comforted in my calling.

This doesn’t mean I am ‘comfortable.’ What will you do? Are you bold enough to ask God the question?

Photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash