Your Calling, Part I

by Steve Young, operations manager, MDiv

Καλέω or Kaleo (phonetic spelling: kal-eh’-o) is the NT Greek word that means “to call, to call aloud,…to be called”. I’ve only heard pastors use the phrase “he/she is called” followed by “to be a pastor/missionary” while everyone in the church excitedly claps. I’ve never heard an announcement made that someone has been called to be an electrician or a nurse!

One cold February morning in 2002, my business partner and I were headed to our shop. As we drove up the road to begin our day he said, “I’m ‘called’ to own a tooling business in the auto industry.” I was stunned! How could someone be called to something that was not full-time vocational ministry?

I pondered this thought for a while and then filed it away until attending seminary. It was there that I started to explore the theology of a “calling” being more than just for vocational ministers. In the coming months and years, I want to invite you to join me as we explore a “calling” for white-collar work, blue-collar work, and craftsmanship from a Biblical perspective. Some of you may have this concept settled in your mind and that’s fine, you might still find some of the things we dig up in God’s word helpful for your employees.

I will give you a hint that even though I have a BS, an MDiv, am a licensed pastor, and am a Certified Church Administrator; I have also been trained as a pipe fitter, learned the machining trade, was a welder, and was a carpenter. So, I hope to present a very balanced view of this theological concept and ask you to journey with me on this exploration.