Shirley Moses, today’s guest blogger, is an author, speaker, and founder of Beyond the Call Ministries . She shares from her own call to redemption and the call that follows to reach others for Christ. As a women’s leader, are you helping women go “beyond the call”?
When God calls each of us into a loving relationship with Him, an amazing thing happens. Our lives are changed forever. The Bible tells us we are transformed. Paul wrote, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold , all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
I can still remember the day I was made new. It truly was a defining moment in my life and changed me forever. I believe that when someone becomes a new creation that is his or her defining moment and it will set the course for the balance of his or her life. Each of us must prepare for our journey after our defining moment. Not to do this would be unwise. As I began to think about “what next?” in my life, God revealed the plan to me. Each of us must ask a simple but profound question: “What does God really want from me?” We could spend days discussing the many things required from those who profess to be disciples. But for this article I want us to focus on one thing from God’s word.
We find our direction from God’s word in Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV): “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
People need Jesus. As women who have experienced that defining moment, we need to tell others about Jesus and make disciples. Please remember this was not a request from Jesus. It is not up for a vote but is a commandment. It is what we do beyond our call.
So what is the first step we must take? Jesus left us instructions — and aren’t we glad?
1. Face our doubts- Mathew 28:17 says, “but some doubted.” I would like to think I would not be among the ones who doubted. But who knows? I might have thought, “I know He is dead. I saw him hanging on the cross; yet He is standing right here… I just wonder if this is for real. How can I reach others? I really do not have a lot of Bible knowledge and there are not that many in church.” May I say to you – the disciples did not have much Bible knowledge either and there were only eleven of them when they first began to follow Jesus, but they reached many people for Jesus.
2. Answer the call to go and make disciples. Making people like Jesus is about identifying with Jesus and teaching women to obey Jesus’ commandments. Do you model the disciple model? I mean, do you have someone right now you are discipling to become someone who follows Jesus faithfully? We are to do our part and encourage others to do their part, but the outcome belongs to our Lord.
3. Commit to the end. Jesus said, “Behold I will be with you always… until the end of the age.”
What does God really want from me? A heart that is fully devoted to Him and a heart that loves other people. I pray that each of us will live out our lives to the fullest…. Beyond the Call!
Shirley Moses is an author, speaker, Women’s Ministry Team Advisor at Hagerman Baptist Church in Sherman, Texas, and founder of Beyond the Call Ministries . Women’s Ministry Consultant Formerly she served as the women’s ministry consultant for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. She also serves currently as a Lifeway Ministry Multiplier, helping train women’s ministry leaders across the country. Shirley contributed to Lifeway’s leadership book, Transformed Lives: Taking Women’s Ministry to the Next Level and is co-author of Heart Friends: Beginning and Maintaining a Small Accountability Group. Shirley has completed her Advanced Certificate of Women’s Ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.