How does God ‘call’ teachers and preachers?
Our Apostle Paul says that God had put each member of the body of Christ here for a specific purpose…
1 Corinthians 12:14, 18-20
For the body is not one member, but many... But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.
Included in these members are men who are sent by God to preach and teach his word:
1 Corinthians 3:5; 1:21
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
The way God "calls" anyone is he uses his providence; that is, he indirectly intervenes in their lives thru his Spirit in them (given to them the moment they are saved), and his word in them (as they grow and mature in Pauline grace dctrine) to motivate them to serve Him.
So the way that God has "called" me to preach is thru His Word giving me the deep desire to preach and teach and lead others in these truths. He also motivates me as well thru other saints asking me to preach to them, and appreciating my labour in the word and doctrine.
God ordains men to leadership positions (called elders) to guide the saints in his word, and some of those men, God gives the intense desire and ability to teach/preach his word:
Titus 1:5
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
1 Timothy 3:1
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 Timothy 2:1-2
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
So I believe that I am "called" of God to teach and preach because over the years of being a believer I have had the intense desire from God's word to labour in studying the word of God.
Hopefully this
helps!
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