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September 2, 2009
I always wanted to be a pastor. My brother is 10 years older than me. He led me to Christ. He discipled me. He fathered me. I wanted to be like him, and he’s a pastor. I always figured that being a pastor was “first string”. If you’ve played any team sports you know that there is first string, and then the rest of the team. First string plays the most and they’re the best players. I was a first string kind of guy. I always had the idea, rightly or wrongly, that if I couldn’t play first string then I didn’t want to play. I couldn’t stand the thought of watching someone else play knowing that I didn’t have what it takes to play at that level.
And it was with that attitude that the Lord led me into the marketplace. I always felt like I was second string. I just couldn’t cut the starting line-up – I wasn’t a pastor. I was a teacher – in public schools and in a Christian school – for a period of time. I have been in sales and marketing. I founded my marketing agency 12 years ago, following a period of time as a sports marketing specialist in the National Hockey League.
Strangely, it was during my time in the NHL that the Lord spoke to me about the lie I had believed.
I felt like He asked me, “Did I call you – or anyone – to serve me with part of your life, or do I call everyone to give me their whole life?” The answer was pretty obvious – “Lord, you call each of us to surrender totally to you and serve you with our whole life.”
“Well then, full-time ministry is an attitude, it’s not a position.”
You see, we are all called to be first string. There is no “Plan B”. We are “Plan A”. Jesus called each of us to give Him our whole life – not just part of it. We are all called to serve Jesus as full-time ministers, whether that is in the church or in the marketplace.
Are you in full-time ministry? Remember, it’s an attitude, it’s not a position.
Colossians 3:23
“Whatever you do work at it with all your heart like working for the Lord, not for men.”
Strength and courage,
David MacLean