You've Got To Preach

You know those times when you realize, “This is what I was born to do! I’m loving this moment. I’m completely fulfilled when I am ________” You fill in the blank.

That’s how I feel when I’m standing in the pulpit preaching the Word of God. (There are also times with my grandchildren when I feel the same way! Only grandparents will understand what I mean.)

This weekend at Church Alive two young men acknowledged The Call of God on their lives. They boldly stood before the congregation and said “God has called me into the ministry.” I cannot tell you how much this touches my heart!

At the tender age of 14 I heard the voice of God (not audibly) speak to my spirit in the privacy of my bedroom. He said, “You’ve got to preach.” It has taken me many years to realize that what the Spirit of God was depositing in me that day was the identification of my “sweet spot”, the “one thing” that – when I’m doing that under the anointing – I’m the best me I can be!

Make no mistake, I believe every Christian is called into ministry and we teach that strongly at Church Alive. Actually, most of my ministry now is dedicated to teaching and training leaders who are in all walks of life, but have accepted the challenge to influence and disciple others for Christ. Every believer a leader; and every leader a leader of leaders is our goal! As Pastor Bill Wilson so profoundly declares, Christians do not have to receive a direct “calling” from God in order to get involved in Christian ministry. Just look around for the need – and fill it!

Notwithstanding, there is that Call of God that changes you forever. These two young men experienced that this weekend. Now everything in their lives will have to line up with The Call. Every decision they make will be framed within the backdrop of The Call.

I tried for years, especially in college, to cover up The Call on my life. There were no Joyce Meyer’s on TV in 1972. It was not popular for a woman to acknowledge a Call to ministry, especially not to preach! So I skirted around the issue, only confessing it to the dean of the Bible college I attended. She was a bold, consecrated, educated, Spirit-filled, preacher-woman. My mother was a fiery-yet-feminine preacher as well, so my life became surrounded by godly role models of women in full-time ministry.

Finally, my last year of college, I could hide The Call no longer. I had been taking courses that would lead to a degree in music; but I confessed to the dean that I needed to take ministry classes to fulfill my Call into the ministry. I enrolled in Homiletics that semester, and entered the class as one of two women in a male dominated course.

When we delivered our sermons at the end of the semester, I chose a sermon I had heard my mother preach years before. It had moved me and I hoped I could deliver it with her passion and fire. I made it my own, adding a point here and there, then stood before my male professor and all those male faces and began to preach. When you are doing what you are called to do, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, you are the best YOU you can be! The anointing fell in the room that day. The professor gave me an “A” on my sermon but more than that, he affirmed The Call on my life. I’ll never forget him announcing, “The Harrell family has another preacher!”

In a very dramatic way about a year later, God called my husband to be a pastor. We have taken wrong turns and stumbled around during our 37+ years together. But The Call has stayed on us, as it always will. The Call has led us to make decisions that I’m sure looked stupid to others. Leaps of faith. But here we are, doing what we love to do, with a bunch of crazy-wild, faith-filled Christians in Southwest Virginia!

And now teenage boys are hearing The Call. I’m overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude to our God!

So pardon me please, but I’ve got to preach!

“But the Lord said to me, Say not, I am only a youth; for you shall go to all to whom I shall send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Be not afraid of them (their faces), for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.” Jeremiah 1:7-9 (Amplified Bible)