THE CALL
By Paul Mallard and Trevor Archer
10 Publishing. £2.99
ISBN 978 1 910 587 508
This is a super little book on how to explore whether God is calling a person to full-time gospel ministry. Trevor Archer and Paul Mallard have done a great job. It would be the first thing I would put in the hands of anyone asking if gospel work might be for them. In fact, I already have!
The book charts a biblical route between the extremes of objectivity (a call to ministry is only about whether you are appropriately gifted) and subjectivity (it’s all about mystical inner feeling).
Deeply sensible
It is full of warmth and deeply sensible. If you are wondering how to build up a picture of God’s guidance that relies not only on your own sense of calling but brings in wise clarity from other people and public recognition from the local church, this will tell you. An excellent checklist of 12 marks to look for in someone God is calling is worth the purchase price alone.
The book slightly betrays its Free Church roots in places but there is nothing tribe-specific that anyone from another tradition wouldn’t also find helpful. It looks past the romance of ministry to the reality of real churches and real people seeking God’s will for their lives. It doesn’t expect perfection from future church leaders and is full of encouragement to be empowered by God’s grace and have a heart that is happy in him.
A short, highly recommended read.
