I made my decision to become a preacher only after much turmoil and struggle—and the reason was because I didn’t want to be a preacher!

But I became convinced that God was calling me to preach, and in time, I responded to His call. In other words, I didn’t decide to become a preacher; I only decided to accept God’s call for me to preach. I was in college at the time, and once I committed my life to preach the Gospel, I never looked back or doubted His call. I often think of God’s words to Jeremiah: “Before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).

I’m thankful you have given your life to Jesus—and I’m thankful also for the burden you have for those who don’t know Him. Ask God to guide you as you make decisions about your future, and if it’s His will for you to be a pastor or evangelist, or to serve Him in some other way, He will make it clear. As you consider this, ask others to help you evaluate your spiritual gifts.

At the same time, not everyone is called to be a preacher—and you can serve Christ no matter what or where He calls you. Jesus’ words apply to every Christian: “You are the light of the world. … Let your light shine before men” (Matthew 5:14, 16).