Becoming a Pastor – The External Calling

External calling is the confirmation of others. Do people see you as a minister or pastor? 

Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

Have people approached you and said, “You should be a pastor?” Have you thought about becoming a minister? 

Some called Christians begin serving at their local church. This serving is often an excellent way to see the “external calling.” The external calling comes from your community of faith. Do others see you as a Christian leader? A pastor? A minister? Are you more and more living a life worthy of your calling?

1 Timothy 3:8     Deacons (Ministers), likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.

Romans 16:1   I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a minister of the church that is at Cenchreae, 

The Apostle Paul commends Pheobe in that verse.

This confirmation from others is the external call. Other believers or pastors see something you already know is there in you.

Ministry Training

Becoming a pastor is a call that leads you to find the Christian Leaders Institute. Of course, becoming a pastor can be done without ministry training, but those pastors or ministers who complete ministry training benefit greatly.

Two Personal Benefits:

You will become more confident. 

Ministry training increases confidence in your calling. You learn how to interpret the Bible more carefully. You know how to serve people more effectively. You learn the skills of being a pastor while becoming a pastor!

You will be more competent. 

Solid Biblical ministry training helps those who are serious about becoming a pastor. It tests your calling, educates you about the Christian faith and walk, and gives you skills to help you in ministry.

You will be more credible.

People want to know that you have been trained for ministry! The training helps your credibility. You show that you can complete projects and learnings.

How can the Christian Leaders Institute help me in becoming a pastor?

Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) is an online ministry training school many would classify as a Bible School or Seminary. CLI has received a 4.7 rating on Facebook.

CLI offers over 165 free ministry training courses, which include online lectures and quizzes. As a result, tens of thousands of Christian leaders have completed courses at CLI. To join these graduates click on the link to start classes now.

Christian Leaders Institute offers many ministry training awards. You can also enroll in the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School (there is a low-cost fee for administration) if you want to get a bachelor’s degree. In addition, partners like Ohio Christian University will accept the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School bachelor’s degree graduates into their programs. See agreement.

Debt-Free Formal Training

At the Christian Leaders Institute, we aim to keep you out of debt for formal ministry training. The ministry training courses are free. However, there are small administration fees for the credentials. With this opportunity, you can serve as a volunteer or part-time pastor with no problem.

What about accreditation?

CLI’s Leadership Excellence School now has candidacy status with the Association of Biblical Higher Education. This organization is connected with recognized status with the United States Department of Education. This new status benefits you if your passion for becoming a pastor includes studying the Bible at Christian Leaders Institute or College.