When I first sensed a call to the ordained ministry, my intention was clear: to serve the Church part-time while continuing my work as a secondary school teacher. Teaching was fulfilling and provided a regular income. I thought that combining both vocations, teaching and ministry, would allow me to support the Church without losing financial security.
With that conviction, I drafted my letter of application to serve in the ministry, specifying “part-time” service. However, my bishop, a discerning shepherd of souls, returned the letter to me and firmly instructed that I delete the word “part-time” and replace it with “full-time.” That moment felt stern, even unreasonable, but in obedience and trust, I did as he asked.
My desire to serve part-time was not merely about maintaining a stable income; the teaching salary I was receiving at the time was not only regular, but significantly greater than the stipend typically offered at the entry level of ministry, as a catechist. Moreover, I was deeply concerned about staying close to my widowed mother, thinking that being part-time would allow me the flexibility to care for her.
Yet, again, my bishop responded with spiritual insight: *“It is not you who has been helping her, but God, and He will continue to help her even with you in full-time ministry.” That statement reshaped my understanding. Today, I can testify that God has indeed looked after her, and through full-time ministry, I may have supported her more meaningfully than I could have as a classroom teacher with a regular salary.
As the years have passed, it has become evident that the bishop’s insistence was not just ecclesiastical direction but divine orchestration. Full-time ministry has opened doors I never imagined, spiritually, socially, and even materially. The fulfilment, honour, and privilege of ministering to souls, preaching God’s Word, and shepherding His people cannot be compared with any worldly engagement. The apostle Paul reminds us: “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). God’s calling comes with His enabling. He does not send and then abandon; He accompanies, empowers, and supplies.
I have also come to understand and now affirm what I once heard from a preacher: “Where God gives a vision, He will also bring a provision. Where He gives an assignment, He will bring a consignment. And where He locates His children, He will bring to them an allocation for such location.” This is no mere cliché, it is a spiritual truth I have lived. Young men who are discerning a call into full-time ministry should not fear.
God is not unjust to forget your labour of love (Hebrews 6:10). Many who serve part-time are making tremendous contributions to the body of Christ, and such service is honourable. But if God’s call on your life is to serve Him full-time, obedience is the path to joy, fulfilment, and fruitfulness.
In conclusion, my journey from the classroom to the altar has taught me that the will of God is always for our good. Initially, I thought I was letting go of financial security, family responsibility, and personal comfort, but what I gained in return has far outweighed what I feared to lose.
Today, my stipend is not only sufficient but surpasses what I once received as a teacher. More importantly, I stand as a witness to God’s faithfulness. To every potential minister wrestling with uncertainty, I say: follow the mind of God, not your fears. “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5). God’s call may stretch you, but it will never fail you.
We are not alone.
God is with us.
