Response:

Thanks for writing.

This is a difficult question, particularly since I do not know you or the details of the situation. However, I can give you some general principles.

First of all, I believe there is a difference between a burden and a call. Several years ago God gave my wife and I a great burden for the province of Newfoundland, Canada. The need there was (and still is) tremendous. I was contacted by a church there, candidated, and was called. Everything was great except for one thing: God didn't want me there. It was a wonderful opportunity, but the Lord made it clear through His Word that I was not to take that position. So, even though I had a burden, I did not have a call. I remember hearing a pastor in Michigan several years ago state how he had begged God to let him go to the Philippines as a missionary, but God wouldn't let him go. He had a burden, and God used that burden to start a mission board and encourage many to the mission field, but that brother was never called to go.

Secondly, I don't believe God has called you to two different places at the same time. The one exception could be if God wants you to go to the church in Ohio temporarily while you prepare for missions, but it doesn't seem to me that God would send you to one ministry while at the same time giving you a genuine desire to get out of that ministry and into another. That WOULD be confusion! While both of these opportunities might be acceptable, at most only one is God's will for you now. Therefore, it is not a question of which call you should surrender to, but rather a question of what one specific call is God giving you. God's will is not cafeteria style. He has a specific plan for your life, and you need to determine it.

Third, you need to determine whether or not you are Scripturally qualified to take either of these positions. You apparently desire the office of a bishop (I Tim 3:1), but do you meet the qualifications established in the verses following? I obviously do not know your situation, but based on your letter let me ask you a couple questions. You say you are not in a financial position to accept either ministry. Are you blameless in your finances? Do you have a good reputation among those outside the church (bill collectors, creditors, tax collectors, etc.)? You are concerned about your children's spiritual welfare. While this is commendable, is this an indication that your children are not in subjection to you as they should be? Are you ruling your own house well? You are confused about the Lord's direction. Does this mean that you are not vigilant, which means that you are "unmixed with wine", in other words, able to be calm, circumspect, and rational in your decision making? Are you a novice? Please don't take offense at these questions. My purpose in asking them is to give you things to think about, which is what you asked me to do.

Fourth, what is your financial situation? Would you be willing to work a job while you pastor in Ohio? There is nothing wrong with that, although it will take you away from your family. As far as the mission field is concerned, supporting churches will help to supply your need there. However, if you have a large amount of debt, no mission board, nor most sending churches, would consider sending you out to raise support. They would want you to put your financial house in order first, and then go.

This brings me to another point: what does your pastor and your church think? In Acts 13 the local church, led by its pastors, sent out Barnabas and Saul. They didn't just wake up one day and go on their way. The local church is the institution that God uses to proclaim His gospel, and He will lead them, as well as you, to these decisions. If your pastor wouldn't send you out as a missionary, you can't go. If the church wouldn't send you out representing them as their ambassador, you can't go.

Fifth, are you sure this church will close if you don't go? With all due respect, is it up to you to save it? Perhaps God has someone else in mind. Perhaps He is taking away their candlestick (Rev 2:5). Again, a burden and a need does not necessarily constitute a call.

Lastly, let's look for a moment at how to determine the will of God. In Psalm 25:9 the Bible says that God will "guide the meek". Are you meek? The word means to have "tamed the will". One man said this verse refers to "those who have no will of their own". Are you honestly surrendered completely to the will of God? Romans 12:1-2 commands the believer to become a sacrifice unto God. The believer is also commanded to be not conformed to the world, but rather to be living out what a Christian really is (transformed). Only then can he "prove" (approve, examine, discern) what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. Is this you? What direction is God giving you from His Word on this matter? Psalm 119:105 states that the Bible is the "light unto our path". II Tim 2:15 tells us to study the Word so that God will approve of us, including our decisions. It has been said that the will of God is never contrary to the Word of God. I believe that if you have a genuine desire for God to give you direction, and you are right with Him, that He will show you His will through the pages of Scripture. Ask God for His leading. Ask Him to show you from the Book exactly what you should do. He said "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not". You don't know His perfect will. That is a great thing He can show you. By the way, if you know from the Bible what decision you should make, that will be a great source of comfort to you in the tough times. If you get to Guam, and the work is difficult, and you get discouraged, and you start to ask yourself, "Why am I here?", it is a much better answer to say, "Because God led me here by giving me such and such a verse of Scripture in response to my prayers", then to say, "Well, Pastor Montgomery thought it was a good idea". Godly counsel has value (Prov 11:14), particularly that of your pastor who will be sending you out. However, it can not take the place of the Word of God. Finally Eph 5:17 states, "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." "Unwise" means "without sense, reflection, or reason". Understanding means "to join together in the mind". In other words, give some careful, Spirit-led thought to this decision. Don't jump to a decision without considering exactly what this means for you and your family, and without KNOWING that this is God's plan for you.

I have a pastor friend in Ontario who puts it this way. When determining the will of God, look for three green lights. These are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God the Father is Providence. He works in our circumstances to lead us in a certain direction. God the Son is the Word. Get into the Scriptures, and find out what the Bible has to say to your heart about the decision. God the Holy Spirit is the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit, and giving us internal leadership as to what we should do. Circumstances are not enough. Emotions and desires are not enough. But, couple those two things together with the Word of God, get three green lights, and you probably have the will of God.

I hope this is a help. May the Lord bless you as you make this important decision.

By Dr Mark Montgomery Ambassador Baptist Church 1926 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412)477-3210