I’ve just started Brad Lomenick’s great new book The Catalyst Leader.  I can tell I’m going to be challenged and encouraged!  One of the great quotes in the book is: “Every Christian has two callings in life; a spiritual one to salvation and also a vocational calling.”

After I became a Christian, I developed a life objective (a purpose for living) which has been my focus for over 35 years.  My Life Objective is “to know, love and glorify God, and to be used of Him to raise up qualified laborers in significant numbers as fast as possible to help fulfill the Great Commission.”   If I was going to add anything to this Life Objective today, it would be “to raise up qualified laborers & leaders in significant numbers.”

The significance of writing out a life objective that was scripturally focused was important for me because it would remain true regardless of my vocational calling.  I had planned to be an architect or engineer, but even if that had become my vocation – my life objective would have remained the same.  37 years ago I learned God doesn’t want to be just another slice of the pie of my life, but He wants to be at the center of every part of my life.  He wants to be the 1st part of every slice; including things like my vocation, marriage, parenting, friendships, hobbies, etc.

I never desired to be a Pastor, but that is God’s calling on my life and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.  However, if I’d not been called to Pastor & Lead, my vocational calling would still be in submission to my compulsion and desire to live for Jesus Christ.