Dr Paul Allen

It’s a question many Christians wrestle with at some point in their life of faith. Not just in adolescence or early adulthood , but sometimes midlife, or even in approaching so-called retirement age . The New Testament doesn’t draw neat and distinct lines between “full-time ministry” and so-called “secular work.” In whatever God , by his providence, leads us into for our day job, he calls us to do our work “not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord” ( Colossians 3:22 ). Christ ’s apostle charges all workers,  “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” ( Colossians 3:23–24 ; also Ephesians 6:6–8 ). The fundamental divide is not between full-time ministry and non-ministry jobs, but this important distinction: church office. Perhaps the better question to ask — or at least where we have some s...

“So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran .” ( Genesis 12:4 ) It is not clear from the text just how God made Himself known to Abram when He called him to go to Canaan . The language would imply that there was an audible conversation of some sort—far different from what you and I might expect today. At the time of this calling, Abram was a not then a follower of Yahweh , yet the circumstances of God’s intervention were enough to persuade Abram to uproot his family and start the journey. Abram’s calling and initial response ( Genesis 12:1-5 ) are analogous to an “awakening,” the initial faith to “see” God ( Ephesians 2:8 ). There were no specifics in God’s promise, only broad terms of blessing. Abram’s response was all that he knew to do at that time, to respond in obedience (non-resistance) just as the Scripture implies we are to do ( 1 Thessalonians 2:13 ; Titus 3:5 ; 1 Peter ...

But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God (2 Cor. 6:4). Paul gives one of the most eloquent and specific descriptions of a blameless ministry. As we examine some of the points Paul makes, ask yourself whether you exhibit any of these qualities in your own life.  Can you say that you have endured afflictions with patience?  Have you manifested the fruits and gifts of the Spirit and remained committed to the Word of truth at all times?  Can you say with Paul that no matter what people think of you, you can rejoice in the Lord because you possess all things in Christ—happiness in the midst of sorrow, honor in the midst of accusation, spiritual riches in the midst of poverty?  Ask yourself these things as you study this testimony of the “least of the apostles.” Paul divides his marks of a blameless ministry into three categories: manifold trials (vv. 4, 5), graces and gifts (vv. 6, 7), and circumstances of evil and good report (vv. 8–1...