It is easy to rejoice with someone who has surrendered their life to the Lord, but this is a critical time in their life when they desperately need more than our rejoicing, they need our guidance. We know that Satan will discourage them, and human nature causes people to doubt God has really called them to ministry.

A lot of the times a person who surrenders their life to the Lord needs help in preparing for genuine surrender. They may have heard an exciting message about surrendering their life to the Lord and the thought being in ministry sounded wonderful. Even when someone surrenders their life for full time service based on an emotional decision, we can view this as an opportunity to help that person in their walk with the Lord. Our help and guidance may very well lead to a genuine surrender decision.

How do we help a person who feels called to ministry?

We can work with them on an individually designed path called Life’s 6 Great S’s.

This chart will help you help the person who feels like God has called them to full time service. Go through each of the six decisions they need to make to see where they are on the chart. They will probably have some work in more than one of the decisions.

1) Salvation.

  • Make sure the person is saved. If you already know them and their testimony this may not be needed.
  • Make sure the person has been baptized. Baptism is an outward sign that a person has a desire to be obedient to God’s commands.
  • Make sure the person has joined the church. The church is God’s institution to reach the world. If they are not willing to join God’s church, they will not be able to plant a church on the mission field.
  • Help them with their story of becoming a Christian.

2) Study of the Word – refusing to study the word leads to becoming a weak Christian.

The next decision a person needs to make is to Study of the Word.

  • This is the only way they will grow personally
  • This is the only way they will have anything to share with others.
  • A hunger for the word is a sign that a person really loves the Lord.
  • If a person does not want to study the Bible, it is a red flag that their surrender is not a call of God.
    1. If the person refuses to read and study the Word or can never seem to make the time to read and study the Word no further progress can be made in their spiritual walk.
    2. Take the time to work with them until they have a hunger for the Word to the point they want to read and study it.
    3. Show the person that a decision to surrender is a decision to share the Word of God with people. If there is not hunger for the Word of God, ask them what they were really surrendering to do.
  • One way to gage their hunger for the Word is faithfulness in church services and classes.

Study is not just reading the Word of God.

  • Reading is an important first step.
  • If the person has no Bible reading plan, help them with a plan they feel they will stick to.

Determine a Bible Study plan that fits their spiritual maturity.

  • After the person has shown a faithfulness to the Bible reading plan, they are ready for a Bible Study plan.
  • If they have not been through a discipleship class, a discipleship book may be a good place to start.
  • If they are ready for the “meat of the word”, be prepared to get them started on a Bible Study of your choosing.

3) Service – refusing to serve leads to lack of commitment

Many times people will make a surrender decision when they are not currently serving in the church.

Surrender is committing to a life of service.

A person who has a desire for surrender and is unwilling to serve now probably does not fully understand service.

God calls every Christian to serve in the church so they should have a heart for service before they surrender to a lifetime call of service.

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