The call to salvation: First and foremost, calling is the gracious act of God by which he draws people to become disciples of Jesus and members of his church.74 The call to salvation comes through the proclamation of God’s Word in the power of God’s Spirit.75 Accompanying the call to salvation in Christ is a call to freedom,76 holiness,77 and suffering78 in Christ. The call to salvation forms the unshakeable foundation of a disciple’s primary identity now and forever.79

The call to mission: The call to salvation includes a call to mission, for every person who responds to God’s call as a disciple of Jesus receives Christ’s command to make disciples of Jesus.80 Disciple making is thus the God-given, Christ-enabled, Spirit-empowered duty of every disciple whatever his or her station, location, or vocation. In this way, every disciple plays an integral part in the eternal purpose of God to glorify his name through disciples made in every nation.81

The call to station: Christ calls disciples to specific stations in and through which they exalt him on mission. One such station is the family, where Christians are called to be faithful sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, and mothers and fathers for the spread of God’s gospel and the display of God’s glory.82 Scripture also speaks of a divine call to singleness for the sake of mission, either for a period or for the entirety of one’s life in this world.83 Other calls to specific stations include Christ’s call to meaningful membership in his church84 and responsible citizenship in their community.85

The call to service: Finally, calling is the gracious act of God by which he directs disciples to make disciples in a certain way, at a certain time, among a certain people, in a certain location, or through a certain vocation.86 Calls to service may be fluid, operating at varying levels and open to varying assignments from God. What must be constant in a disciple’s life, however, is faithfulness to God’s call, no matter the cost, until God calls the disciple to different service.87 Calls to service are discerned and affirmed not just individually, but as a member of the church on mission in the world through Spirit-led, Word-driven, prayer-focused examination of a disciple’s desires, gifts, abilities, and opportunities.88

God’s calls to salvation, mission, station, and service bring strength and comfort for disciples to persevere in the middle of trial and trouble, doubt and discouragement, pressure and persecution.89

74 Isaiah 41:9-10; 43:1-2; Matthew 4:19; 9:13; Mark 2:14; Acts 2:39; Romans 8:28-30; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 26-27; Galatians 1:15; Ephesians 1:18; 4:1-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 11-12; 2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Jude 1-2.

75 Acts 13:48-52; 16:14-15; Romans 10:17; 2 Thessalonians 2:14.

76 Galatians 5:13.

77 Romans 8:28-30; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:7.

78 Acts 9:16; Phil. 1:29-30; 3:8-11; 1 Pet. 2:20-21.

79 Phil. 3:14; 1 Pet. 2:9.

80 Mat. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8.

81 Ps. 67; Rev. 5:9-10.

82 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127; Proverbs 22:6, 15; Ephesians 5:22-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8.

83 Matthew 19:12; 1 Corinthians 7:17-35.

84 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Ephesians 4:1-16.

85 Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17.

86 Mark 2:14; Acts 9:15-16; 13:2; 16:6-10; 20:22-24; Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1; 7:17;

Galatians 1:15-16; 1 Timothy 2:7.

87 Acts 18:9-11; 20:22-24.

88 Acts 11:22-26; 13:1-3; 15:2-4, 22-35.

89 Acts 9:15-16; 18:9-11; 20:22-24.