Equipped for the Call
“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13: 20-21
The spring of 1998 stands out in my memory as a time when I was particularly challenged and at the same time distinctly blessed. During this time I realized I was being called to leave my medical practice to become Executive Director of the Luke Society. It was not a sudden revelation; in fact Dr. Boelens had asked me a year earlier if I would consider taking the position when he retired.
At that time, I was sure I was not the right person. I was comfortable in my medical practice, and felt I was serving God in that capacity. I did not believe I had the charisma and leadership skills that Dr. Boelens possessed. I could come up with a long list of reasons I was not the right person to be Executive Director of the Luke Society. But from the time Dr. Boelens first asked me until the spring of 1998, I began to feel God was calling me to serve through the Luke Society full time. In retrospect, I saw how God had opened doors for me in the past, but this time He was leading me through the door. There were experiences I had that confirm my calling.
One of several occurred during an office visit that spring when a patient named Henrietta confided, “I have felt a burden to pray for the decisions you have to make.” She was a deeply spiritual Christian woman; I knew her well both as a patient and as a member of the church I attend. But she had never said anything as direct as this to me before. I took her comment as a confirmation that God was the one who was calling me to this ministry.
When I announced my decision a couple of months later, Henrietta sought me out to say, “I didn’t realize that was the decision I was praying for!”
And she told me the burden to pray specifically for my decisions ended when I accepted the call to the Luke Society. This experience helped me believe God was calling me. But I still was not sure why He chose me. I felt there had to be someone better equipped for this role. Nevertheless, I did believe God would not call me to a position for which He did not equip me.
Looking back, I can see I have been equipped; but not as I had expected. I did not suddenly acquire new gifts and abilities. My personality did not change. Most of my weaknesses remained. God equipped me in a way that surprised me: He brought people alongside me to provide the talents necessary to follow the vision God gave me to lead the Luke Society. I should not have been surprised, because God has done this throughout history. Numerous examples in scripture illustrate how God brings people alongside leaders He calls to ministry, equipping them through these helpers.
It took me some time to realize that God is using fellow Christians to equip me. Each Luke Society staff member possesses unique skills to perform specific functions in the office. Regional Coordinators, office staff, and Partnership Ministry Team members all help with evaluating and addressing needs presented by our ministry partners. The Luke Society Board of Directors is a source of encouragement and wisdom in addressing immediate concerns and long range plans for the Luke Society. Pastors, church members, and other Luke Society supporters assure me of their prayers. My parents, children, and siblings provide their unwavering support, encouragement, and advice. Dr. Boelens has lent his invaluable experience and wisdom when asked, while graciously allowing me to follow the vision God has given me.
And my wife is a sounding board, a source of wisdom and accountability. She has served as a single parent of our children while I was on extended trips and is a great contributor to the discussion and evaluations when she accompanies me on Luke Society ministry visits.
Whether you are being called to leadership in a medical mission organization, a church committee, at work or in the family, it may seem that your gifts and talents are not “up to the job”. Remember that God will not call you to responsibilities without equipping you to carry them out. It just might be that He equips you in ways you did not expect!
Wrede Vogel, MD