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I recently was part of a prayer team at Life Pacific College’s commissioning service and had the opportunity to pray over Allison Wells, who pastors with her husband, Jim, in Shingle Springs, Calif. Allison is a 2008 graduate of the Life Pacific College degree completion program. She and Jim met years ago, when Life Pacific was L.I.F.E. Bible College. Jim, who had been in my youth group in North Carolina a number of years ago, reminded me of the time that I put a Mt. Vernon Bible College brochure on his chair at Camp Courtney, pressing him to inquire as to whether the Lord might be calling him into ministry. Jim did respond, though he headed west for L.I.F.E. (he must have preferred those California girls).

Jim’s reminder that I had challenged him to think about a call to ministry prompted me to think about how the many students at Life Pacific, King’s, Pacific Rim, Angelus Bible Institute and the other colleges and institutes around the nation and world heard the call of God. There are well over 500 Foursquare colleges and institutes around the globe that have committed themselves to training, educating and equipping leaders for the work of the ministry.

How do they get there? Most can point to an experience at camp, church or maybe a conference. Others would report that a pastor, teacher or parent had an intentional conversation about life or ministry purpose. The Psalmist said “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4 NKJV). Trace the stories. The Holy Spirit uses people like you and me to help one another discern God’s will. One pastor said his life’s goal was to help “restock the shelves of Foursquare leadership.” With the average age of a Foursquare senior pastor being 54, we definitely need to fill up the cupboards!

At Christ Church in Cambridge, England, there is a stone that reads, “On this place, John and Charles Wesley were prayed for and sent into the ministry to bring an awakening to the nations!” Grab some oil and let’s start looking for the men and women that God has already placed His hands on for ministry. This should be of highest priority. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:38 NIV)

” … Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” -2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV

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By: Glenn Burris Jr., general supervisor

served as the president of The Foursquare Church from 2009-2020.
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