I Heard the Call but Ran Away!
By Kay Panovec, director of communications
for the East Ohio Conference
of The United Methodist Church.
There was a moment in my life when I was convinced that I had received the call to ordained ministry. It was, however, a brief and fleeting moment.
In preparation for my new career path, I began taking religion classes. During one particular class, the professor challenged each student to prove that God existed. When the student began to explain why they believed what they believed, he would chide “But, WHY do you believe that?” Student after student defended his or her belief. I began to get angry, realizing that my turn was coming. But, unlike the others, I was prepared. I was ready! At least, that’s what I thought as he approached me.
“So, Kay, you say you are Christian. What does THAT mean?” He said.
“How do you know God exists?” the professor said.
I went on to explain how I accepted Christ at church camp.
“Nice story, but where’s the proof? Sounds like that was just a mountain top experience of a young teenager. Where’s the proof that God exists?”
I attempted to answer yet the professor continued to interrupt me.
“But where’s the proof? Prove it to me.” Every time his voice got louder and louder.
Frustrated, angry and a bit confused, I shouted back: “Because the Bible tells me so THAT’S WHY!”
Defeated, I went back to my seat and decided if I couldn’t explain faith better than that, how could I possibly explain it to a congregation of people. That one confrontation completely changed my vocational path or so I thought.
In retrospect, it wasn’t that experience that changed my mind, it was the recognition that I was not called to ordained ministry but I was indeed called to a life of full-time Christian service. Confidently, I now know that if confronted by someone who questioned my call, my answer would be: “Quite simply, my life and career are grounded in faith, nurtured by the church and expressed through my work and family. All those puzzle pieces fit together in a divine way that simply needs no further explanation.”
If you are feeling called by God to serve the church, please use this magazine to help discern what direction God may be calling you toward.
The Message states it this way: God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful.
The variety is wonderful from elders to deacons to laity and everything in between. Don’t run away, run toward it!
