“God Doesn’t Call the Equipped. He Equips the Called.”

Can we just talk about this for a few minutes?

Years ago, when I was doing my undergraduate work in Psychology, I was heavily involved in empirical research, data analysis, and traveling to conventions to do research presentations. I had a passion for what I was doing, and I wanted to do it with excellence. My drive for excellence came from a desire to do everything as for the Lord. Additionally, I was driven by a work ethic instilled in me at a young age, which insisted on good, quality, thorough work.

I recall during this season of working long hours with my professor, running studies with students, and working late at night in the data analysis lab, a friend of mine chastising me for my schedule and my drive. This friend inquired of me something that sounded much like this: “Why do you work so hard and push yourself so much? Don’t you know that God doesn’t call the equipped? He equips the called.”

As I looked at this friend sitting there completely relaxed with guitar in hand, casually composing a song with the T.V. on in the background, not intent on doing any schoolwork that evening, I was actually filled with disgust. I thoroughly enjoyed what I did, thank you very much. Not to mention, I was good at it.

This friend’s opinion carried a lot of weight in my life back then, though, and shortly after the conversation, I allowed the words to cause doubt to creep in.

Was I striving too much?

Was I trying to push something to happen that God actually didn’t want me to do?

Was I supposed to just wait for His call on my life before putting forth effort to be equipped?

Over the years, as I have grown and have had time to analyze that moment in my life as well as that friend’s mindset and motives, I have new perspective as well as answers to those questions.

Of course I wasn’t striving too much. No way was I pushing something to happen. I realize now that this individual and I were at two very different stages in our lives. I already knew my call for that season, and I was becoming equipped, whereas this individual had not yet had that revelation and was projecting that experience onto me. We were in two opposite situations. In no way was I supposed to wait for equipping. The university was my equipping!

Please hear me. If you have been called into vocational ministry and you are enrolled in the Oaks School of Leadership, then understand that this is an equipping moment for this season of your life! Everything you do in this program needs to be done with excellence — from the coursework that you submit to the way you serve in ministry, from how you decide to use your time and money to how you communicate with those around you.

You are in a program unlike any other, and you will be surrounded by students whose coursework and expectations will be much different than yours. Many times you will have greater expectation put on you simply because of the nature of OSL. The program is built intentionally to equip you for what you have already been called to do.

Don’t let naysayers and misguided individuals discourage you from your hard work. Moments will arise when you will wish your schedule were more lax and your coursework lighter. In these moments, decide to live with excellence. You never know who is watching you, and you never know when God will use what you are learning and experiencing today to propel you and open doors of opportunity in the future.

God doesn’t call the equipped?

Actually, He does.

God equips the called?

Absolutely.

One of the many wonderful things about God is that if you really seek Him and sit and listen to Holy Spirit, then He will let you know excatly what to do and when. Rest easy in knowing that God calls the equipped, AND He equips the called.

The Oaks School of Leadership is a leadership training school in Dallas, Texas at The Oaks Fellowship church. It partners with Southwestern Assemblies of God University, which is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees.

Geared to helping students navigate through leadership opportunities during their college or university experience, OSL offers thousands of dollars in scholarship money in addition to the low price of $269 per credit hour + an OSL Site Fee.

By the time a student graduates, not only do they have an accredited academic degree but also 4+ years of leadership experience in a specialized field of ministry.