Called and Equipped to be Used by God

In a recent sermon, I shared a well-known quote adapted from John Wesley: “Give me one hundred people who hate nothing but sin and love nothing but God, and we will change the world in a generation.”

What is often left out is Wesley’s original caveat: “I care not a straw whether they are clergymen or laymen.” In other words, the key isn’t whether someone is ordained—it’s whether they are fully devoted to the Lord. That truth was countercultural in Wesley’s day, and in many ways it still is. Too often, we assume that the greatest Kingdom impact comes only through vocational ministry. While we absolutely need to raise up pastors, missionaries, and other leaders, Wesley reminds us that the whole people of God—men and women, young and old, in every vocation—are called and equipped to be used by Him.

This summer, I watched my own kids wrestle with that reality of calling. Our high school senior spent a week at the Christian Leadership Institute at Baylor University, exploring how God might shape her senior year as more than just “waiting” for the next chapter. Our oldest, a junior in college studying accounting, is discerning how his love for ministry might intersect with his professional skills. Our middle son, a nursing major, volunteered in a hospital and is praying about how God might use him in his vocation. Each of them is learning that the Spirit’s call is not reserved for a special class of Christians, but is offered to all who follow Jesus.

That’s why I’m so excited about our upcoming National Gathering and this year’s theme: CALLED. Together we’ll be reminded that every person in Christ has a calling—not just to serve in the church, but to be deployed for God’s purposes in every sphere of life. This is the perfect year for your church to bring not only pastors and staff, but elders, leaders, students, businesspeople, teachers, nurses, parents—anyone who is seeking to hear and respond to the Spirit’s prompting.

As you prepare for the fall and look toward the Gathering, I encourage you to take a moment to pause and ask: “Lord, how are You calling me to serve You in this season?” The Spirit delights to guide those who are willing to listen and obey.

My prayer is that during our time together the Spirit will freshly ignite in each of us the call God has placed on our lives. Imagine the impact if we left not just 100 but with more than 1,000 people who love nothing but God and hate nothing but sin—fully surrendered, fully available, and fully engaged in His mission. That is how movements of God are born in our generation.

In Christ,
Dana