THE PULSE
Exploring God’s Call
By Jami Becher and Mickey Noah
“A
recent church retreat opened my eyes to what my brothers and sisters in other countries are going
through,” says Paul Coogle, a sophomore at Dodge County High School in Eastman, Georgia. “It broke my heart. It was like God told me to go to a closed country like China, Iraq or Iran. I have a passion to go somewhere and do something. I just don’t know where.” Moses saw a burning bush. A blinding light stopped Saul in his tracks. Fishermen heard a call from the shore and dropped their nets. God’s call in these men’s lives was supernaturally obvious. But when your average high school student hears a still small voice how does she know for sure it’s a call from God?
How can I know God’s will? How can I know what He wants me to do? Where do I begin? These are the questions facing Paul Coogle and many others as they answer God’s call to ministry. “I felt a call,” Paul says. “I needed to come to KALEO to nail it down.”
Paul and 10 other students from First Baptist-Eastman made the one-hour drive north to Macon, Georgia, for a two-day KALEO conference. They heard from experienced, proven ministry leaders—including a seminary president, a seminary professor, senior pastors, missionaries, campus ministers and representatives of NAMB, the International Mission Board and the Georgia Baptist Convention—about how to explore and pursue a call from God to ministry leadership.
KALEO is more than just a weekend event; it’s an ongo- ing network that connects the recently called to those with ministry experience. It focuses on three areas: networking, personal development—including coaching and mentor- ing—and experience.
“Just like major league sports franchises, the KALEO Network serves as a farm system for the next generation of Southern Baptist leadership,” says Donald King, KALEO coordinator and events director for NAMB in Alpharetta, Georgia. “And just like any sports team, the Southern Baptist Convention needs a strong and deep bench. With KALEO, it is developing one.” To fi nd out more about the KALEO Network visit www.
KALEOnetwork.com or call 1-888-554-7729.
34 Summer 2010 •
onmission.com
TOP PICKS
Big Truths for Young Hearts (Crossway, 2009)
by Bruce Ware is not just for our children. It’s a book that teaches as it teaches how to teach. Con- fused? Read this book and you’ll be no longer. We benefi t in this small volume both from Ware’s scholarship and fatherhood. His daughters vouch for the latter in the foreword. His very readable writing vouches for the rest and could strengthen or revolutionize
how you teach the gospel to the children (and adults) in your life.
The Marks of the Messenger (IVP, 2009) by
J. Mack Stiles explains how to know, live and speak the gospel. He has lived the life of a healthy evangelist among Ke- nyans, Koreans, Arabs and North Americans and he wants to teach others to do the same. In Marks of the Messenger Stiles presents a four
pronged strategy for reaching those around you for Christ; present a gospel that is bigger than your personal tastes, venture beyond
conventional conversation, distinguish God’s love from worldly love and learn how to make your message visible through community. —Jami Becher
It Starts At Home (Moody, 2010) by Kurt Bruner and Steve Stroope provides a guide for parents to create an environ- ment for knowing God. “The home is the primary context of our spiritual formation—for better or worse,” they write. “Twenty- fi rst century leaders face a new challenge. In short, we are los- ing many of our own kids to the world even while trying to win the unchurched to Christ.” By helping parents understand the importance of strengthening their marriage and then guiding them in understand- ing the minds and spiritual lives of children, Bruner and Stroope create a thoughtful, practical manual for “nurturing lifelong faith.”
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