Pastoral Ministry 2023/2025 Discussion Board 1

[femionas]

Apart from the case studies of calling and separation as taught in this course, choose a case study of any Bible character whose life and ministry display a calling and a separation and discuss the concepts of calling and separation.

Case study: Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 1:3.
Nehemiah 2:6
Nehemiah 12:27
Nehemiah avoided distractions and remained committed to God’s calling, reviewing his priorities to ensure his alignment with the core mission. We should follow Nehemiah’s example in our Christian calling and separation, by:
• Allowing our hearts to be captured and broken by the needs that cry out to us
• Believe and act upon God’s promises.
• Boldly act when the time is right
Nehemiah served in the trusted position of cupbearer to the king while in exile. He was to be an agent of God’s intervention for the remmant, to use his gift as an inspiring leader, his administrative gifts to manage a huge project and the people, to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem in the face of strong opposition. Nehemiah was called and separated for this purpose.
To be Called means : To be invited or appointed: coming from a root word that means to call aloud, to summon. While Separation is to set off by boundary, excluded or to divide. It has a dual meaning, separating someone from something.
The above definition shows us some simple truth about ministry.
i that the call of God is loud and designed to be heard by the one who is being called.
Ii The higher you go in Ministry, the lonelier and more separated it becomes
The key points to note here are:
• There is usually a time lapse between calling and separation. During this time qualifications may also be acquired. This period could be short or long, just like in the case of Nehemiah, his time in exile, specifically in the Persian court is significant as it highlights his continued loyalty and duty to the Persian empire. And the favor he held with King Artaxerxes, eventually allowed him to obtain leave to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city

• Just as a believer is called to an office, so also at the time of separation is the believer separated to a particular place or assignment: Nehemiah understands his leadership as a calling from God. (Nehemiah 2:12b) He listened and came to see the need.

• The timing of both calling and separation are positionally set by God. right from the womb. Therefore, when a believer is experientially separated from the Ministry, it can be likened to when the end of something was set before the beginning. Galatians 1:15
• The time of separation is not necessarily a function of qualification. But more, a function of keying into the grace of God. Ecclesiastes 9:11

[Wechie]

Thank you for drawing my attention to Nehemiah, it didn’t even cross my mind until now.
His story is definitely one that shows how God uses a man to fulfil his purpose.

Moses was the first name that came to mind

Case Study : Moses ( Exodus 2,3)

Moses was born at a time when there was a decree by the King to kill all male children ( Exodus 1:15-22). However , his parents by faith hid him for 3 months and they did this because they perceived that he was no ordinary child and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. Hebrews 11:23.

Acts 7:20 – At that time Moses was born—a beautiful child in God’s eyes. His parents cared for him at home for three months ( NLT).

The parents of Moses took a step of faith, they believed His life would be preserved even though they didn’t know how. They must have perceived Moses had a purpose to fulfil.
They chose to risk everything to protect their ,by so doing preserving God’s purpose

Moses was later found and taken in by Pharaoh’s daughter. He was raised as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; the kings grandkid.
He at some point began to sense the call of God ; he was inclined towards his purpose even though he didn’t fully understand it. He was Jealous over the Israelites to the extent he became overzealous and killed an Egyptian in attempt to protect an Israelite. In another incident he tried to make peace between two Israelites .
Purpose was beckoning.

Hebrews 11: 24 -26 : When he grew up he refused to be identified as the Son of Pharaoh’s daughter .
He was born into wealth however he willing denounced it. He chose rather to share in the oppression of the Israelites – talk about a man driven by purpose.

Though God had placed a calling on his life , he didn’t enter into it’s fulfilment from the get go, he underwent a process of growth, self denial e.t.c.
In Exodus 3 We see God separating Moses for the very assignment he predestined for him ; to deliver Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians and into the promise land. Hebrews 11:27-29.

– Calling precedes separation.
Separation ushers us into the begining of the fulfilment of God’s purpose for our life.
In Acts 13:1-2 We can see the tenses used ;
Called ( past tense), separate ( present tense).

Before the foundation of the world, God already knew what Moses was going to do. Before Moses was conceived in his mother’s womb, God already placed his call on him.
Same applies to each one of us . Jeremiah 1:5.

-The Principle progression is at play here

A mango seed is a potential Mango fruit, it first needs to be put to the grown before it can sprout, though it has the potential to become a fruit bearing tree it would never happen if it doesn’t fall to the ground and die. It’s purpose has already been predetermined but for the fulfilment to occur it needs to pass through different stages .
Everyone’s call and purpose predates their birth

-There’s usually a time lapse between calling and separation in which the key of faithfulness is being discovered while qualification may be required .

-The timing of calling and separation is set by God. He knows the end before the beginning. Before God starts He already finished.
The timing of separation is not necessarily a function of qualification but more a function of keying into God’s Grace .
Moses didn’t even consider himself qualified.Despite this, all God needed was for him to key into his Grace.

God does the calling as well as the separation and he does them at his own time . What is required us is that we are faithful wherever God places us in each season and key into His grace when He ushers us into the next phase.

Reference: PM 503-C lesson 5

[femionas]

My response to Wuche
You wrote “The timing of calling and separation is set by God. He knows the end before the beginning. Before God starts He already finished. The timing of separation is not necessarily a function of qualification, but rather a function of aligning with God’s grace”. This is a profound statement. It suggests that timing and success in life especially about significant changes in separation are not solely determined by one’s qualifications or effects but rather, by aligning with the grace and timing of God. This also emphasizes the idea that divine intervention, purpose, and guidance can play a crucial role in shaping one’s path. Most times, it was that which went beyond human understanding or preparation.
Moses’ separation and calling is a powerful example of how timing and God’s grace play critical roles in one’s purpose and journey in life. It unfolds in phases each of which aligns with God’s divine plan, despite his limitations or qualifications Throughout Moses’ journey, his separation wasn’t just physical but also spiritual. His encounters with God, the miracles, the struggles with Pharaoh, and the wilderness journey all of these were moments when Moses was drawn away from normal life and set apart for a higher purpose. His calling was never about his qualifications, but about his willingness to trust in God’s plan and timing.
Moses’s life demonstrates that God’s calling often comes at unexpected times and in unexpected ways. His qualifications were not what made him the leader of Israel. He could align with God’s will and embrace his grace that made the difference.
This reminds us that our calling, readiness, and qualifications may not always be in line with God’s plan. God often works through our weaknesses and prepares us in ways we don’t expect. His grace, not our abilities, is what equips us for the calling he has for us.

[Ben]

Replying Wechie
Indeed, we see alot on calling and separation from the life and ministry of Moses. Here are more things to look at in that direction.
Moses: A case study of calling and separation

His calling
Exodus 2:12, Acts 7:23-28.

1. His call came as a strong burden or desire in his heart. Moses, received the call of God to be the deliverer of Israel before being separated into it. The first call came when he was 40 years old. He was then the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, with several privileges and opportunities to become anything asides a deliverer of Israel. He was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was a man of power in both words and deeds. According to “Antiquities of the Jews” by Josephus, he was also a general with a good track record, and had once saved Egypt from the Ethiopians. So he knew he was good. He had always been at the top of the heap, always been adequate for every situation and had proven his ability to command, to lead, and to combat.

2. He had little knowledge about what to do with the burden in his heart. So when God comes to him at forty years of age, at the height of his power and prowess and says, “You are to be the deliverer of Israel,” it is quite natural for him to go out in his own skill, his own strength and his own resources and seek to do the kind of delivering he could understand naturally. He answered his call from God when he killed an Egyptian while rescuing an Israelite. When he did, he was not only rejected by the Israelites and the Egyptians, but he became a target of Pharaoh and had to flee.

3. The period between receiving the call and being separated is the preparation phase. Faithfulness in one’s present assignment will bring about promotion. He fled across the Sinai Peninsula to the other side of the Gulf of Aqaba, and we find him there as a shepherd among the Midianites. Moses spent forty years as a shepherd. God used his seasons as a shepherd to develop him for the role of a deliverer unto his children.

His separation
Exodus 3:4, 10, 12, 14.

1. Separation demands that you leave your present assignment and be set apart unto your new role. Moses left being a shepherd for 40 years to becoming a deliverer by God to the children of Israel.

2. The right resources will come when separation takes place. While in Pharaoh’s house or away from Egypt as a shepherd, that was not the ultimate goal of God’s call on his life. So with his resources then he couldn’t fully step in as a deliverer. Way beyond what he had acquired, he was called into God’s best and was given the necessary resources for his assignment (God used Aaron and his rod).

[Pchris]

My reply to Ben
To further buttress the points yous made concerning Moses’calling and separation , I totally agree to your first point where you stated that His call came as a burden in his heart. This confirms the fact that when God calls you, it is confirmed in several ways one of which is dissatisfaction that keeps growing in what one has been doing and where one has been.
Also you stated that the period between one’s call and separation is a period of preparation. This is true because when one is called he is first separated to the Word. This is a phase where one builds capacity by keying into the Grace of God made available for his call. God is always there to walk you through and He makes all Grace abounds towards you. The period between one’s call and separation could either be long or short and it is positionally set by God. This is a period where qualifications may also be acquired ( Galatians 1:15-20)

[Pchris]

CALLING AND SEPARATION
CASE STUDY – JOHN THE BAPTIST
John was the son of Zecharias a Priest of the division of Abijah, his mother who went by the name Elizabeth, she was of the daughters of Aaron and also a relative to Mary the mother of Jesus.
HIS CALLING
Luke 1:13 – 17
The miraculous conception of John came after long years of barrenness and this happened shortly after his father Zacharias was visited by Angel Gabriel.
It is important to note that everyone’s call and purpose is as timeless as God which means it predates the time of conception. The revelation of John’s calling was made known to His parent’s before his conception . The call of John was quite similar to that of Jesus, by this I mean , he was literally born into his call leaving no room for transitioning or rather what I call a pre-call life. In contrast to the calling of Saul (Paul) , his call was made known to him after many years of persecuting the people he was called to serve. By the reason of his call he had to transition.
The case of John was a unique one and pretty straight to the point because he had a very important role to play in the life and ministry of Jesus.
John was a great prophet , who I like to describe as the last great prophet before Jesus. He was the prophet who prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance and baptizing people in the Jordan river . By these, he fulfilled prophecies from the Old testament about a messenger preparing the way for the Lord.
HIS SEPARATION
Luke 1:80
” So the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts thill the day of his manifestations to Israel. ” ( NKJV )
The timing of the separation of John the Baptist was positionally set by God right from his mother’s womb .
We see In the above scripture that John grew and became strong in spirit. This talks of building capacity by keying into the grave of God . There is always grace available to everyone called by God .
John lived in the wilderness, wearing camel’s hair and eating locusts and wild honey before begining his ministry . He preached about repentance and baptized people in the Jordan river , symbolizing a cleansing and preparation for the coming of the Messiah.
John the Baptist , also known as the fore runner of Jesus consistently pointed people to Jesus while emphasizing that He(Jesus) is greater than him and would baptize with the Holy Spirit not just with water .
John the Baptist courageously paved the way for for the promised saviour of the world. By the reason of his call and separation, he walked this earth leaving a powerful legacy.
THE CONCEPT OF CALLING AND SEPARATION
This concept is very crucial for every believer to have adept understanding of. This is because there is a widespread abuse of the concept of calling . Many believers and shockingly unbelievers, misuse the actual concept of God’s calling . Many believers hide under the guise of “I am called ” to perpetrate despicable and misleading dogma’s in the body of Christ.
To be called means – to call a loud , to summon, to call towards.
It is important to state that the call of God is designed to be heard at least by the one been called . It is not hidden neither is it whispered .
Every ministry office begins with a call from God. When God calls you, you are first separated to the Word.
To be separated means to exclude, sever , to set off by boundary. It has a dual meaning of separating someone from something while separating them to something.
Calling and separation works in tandem, there is usually a time lapse between the both. The time lapse could be a long or short period, with God being the major determinant ( Galatians 1:15).

[Paulpraze]

My reply to Precious Chris.

The story of John is an interesting one. His ministry was quite unique as a Prophet in that he was the prophet whose ministry was about identifying or pointing out the Messiah, whom other prophets in the Holy Scriptures had spoken of to the nation of Israel. John 1:29-34.
You posted out how that John had a calling that was similar to that of Jesus, and like Jesus, very little information was given about his childhood.
However, one of the things that I find interesting from what you have pointed out about John concerning his separation. Luke 1:80.
Living in the way that John did in the deserts was not something that was common place at the time or even in these times. The kinds if food that he ate (Matthew 3:4), the kinds of clothes that he wore (Matthew 3:4), and even the message of repentance that he preached was not a common message during his time.
What all of these things show to me is that a man’s separation is really a function of God’s grace. A person who has received God’s call and has become aware of God’s plans and purposes for his or her life really has to learn to lean into and depend upon God’s grace for their separation and eventually fulfilling their ministry. Little wonder the Apostle Paul spoke about the grace of God in the way that he did. 1 Corinthians 15:10.
Ultimately, being called is a matter of grace because no man takes this honour upon himself (Hebrews 5:4), and being separated required the called to lean into and depend upon the grace of God.
By the grace of God, he was called, separated, and when the time finally came for him to step aside for the One he was sent to identify and introduce to Israel, he was able to step aside.
There is always grace available for all that God has sent us to do.

[Paulpraze]

DEFINITIONS
1. Called: invited, appointed; coming from a root word that means to call aloud, to summon, to call toward.
2. Separated: to set off by boundary, exclude, divide, separate, sever. It has the dual meaning of separating someone from something while separating them to something.
The meaning of the word “called”, suggests that by God’s sovereign act of a call, the one being called comes into a consciousness or an awareness of the truth of his or her calling from God. In other words, he or she comes to knowledge of God’s call upon their lives.
We can also see from the definition of the word “separated”, the idea that a person, after He or she has been comes to a point where they are separated from whatever they may be doing as at the time of their separation, and separated unto what God’s call upon their live requires them to now be doing.
CASE STUDY: MOSES
THE CALL
When we look at the story of Moses, one may argue that Moses became aware of his calling in Exodus 2:11-14. While he may have gone about it in the flesh, which suggests that the appointed time by God had not yet come, his response to the plight of his countrymen could be interpreted as a sign that he had to come to know about his calling to do something about the situation of the Jews in Egypt at the time.
However, when we arrive in chapter 3 of Exodus, we see a distinctive call of God to Moses during his burning bush experience in Horeb, where God gives him some details about his calling and ministry.
THE SEPARATION
While we may not see know how much time passed between the burning bush and Exodus 4:19-23, and while this time may seem short, this can be seen as the separation of Moses because God was now separating Moses from the work of shepherding of animals that he had done for the last forty years of his life, and separating him unto the work and ministry of shepherding His people of Egypt into the promised land of Canaan.
In Hebrews 11:24-27, the writer of this book highlights for us this principle of separation that Moses experienced and we can see this text, that not only was Moses separates from shepherding animals, he also had to be separated from Egypt and all that she represented.
It is interesting to note that during the conversation between God and Moses at his call, Moses comes up with a number of reasons and excuses for which he did not think that he could do what God was calling him to do. God’s response to Moses’s excuses shows us very clearly and encourages us very strongly that God is more than willing to helps us deal with whatever challenges or difficulties that we may perceive to being able to do the work of the ministry that God’s call on our lives requires us to do.

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