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Calling Out the Called: Discipling Those Called to Ministry Leadership

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Ministry comes with many weighty responsibilities. Ministry leaders are called to teach, serve, and lead. But in leading those under their care, there comes a moment when they recognize the future leaders under their leadership. With this recognition comes an all too familiar What comes next?
 
In Calling Out the Called , Scott Pace and Shane Pruitt answer this question by giving direction, encouragement, and a charge for ministry leaders to recognize the future leaders in their midst and do what needs to be done for the future of the calling out of the called.

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192 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2022

59 people are currently reading
207 people want to read

About the author

Scott Pace

13 books

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Rainer Erani.
101 reviews15 followers
March 11, 2024
A great read for those discerning a ministry calling or those who are preparing for the ministry but aren’t in a vocational role right now.

Honestly though, I think this is what I wish my friends and family would’ve read while I was discerning my call.

I think if there’s someone in your life wrestling with whether God wants them to serve in a position of ministry leadership - this might just be a great read to help you love them well!
Profile Image for Tyler Logsdon.
8 reviews
August 5, 2024
Very helpful in my personal journey of discerning a call to ministry. It highlights every aspect of living the life as well as wrestling with the decision itself.
Profile Image for Lucas Shryock.
39 reviews2 followers
August 31, 2023
A solid book on discerning if vocational ministry is something you feel like God is calling you into. Also a good book to have some reflection on some rhythms and preparation for whatever occupation you want to do for the kingdom.
Profile Image for Amber.
1 review
September 11, 2025
The book was well written and would be a good read for a young adult considering ministry. The authors did a great job pointing out some of the common struggles in ministry and practical steps to prepare.

However, the book is advertised as a book to help leaders recognize and encourage future ministry leaders to answer the call to ministry. This was barely addressed except in a few pages in the conclusion about how to give an invitation.
Profile Image for Jess Arthur.
159 reviews34 followers
March 13, 2024
Seriously so thankful for this book! What a helpful resource for anyone discerning ministry or helping someone walk through the process of discerning. Scott and Shane do a great job of holding the tension between the great joy and difficulty of working in full-time ministry.

My only complaint is they spent a chapter talking about balance and boundaries between work and family which was great, but I wish they had spent more time talking about what this looks like for someone who is single. Balance and boundaries are so important that it feels like a huge miss to not provide input for various life contexts. It definitely doesn’t ruin the helpfulness of the book for me, but this is a Goodreads review so I had to get on my ~soapbox~ for a sec.
Profile Image for Ryan Hatch.
37 reviews1 follower
August 4, 2024
A good book about leading in ministry and preparing for ministry work. I liked how the authors addressed a variety of topics, including serving first, loving the church, prioritizing family, and more. Ultimately, one’s relationship with Christ comes first, and I also appreciate how the authors emphasized that point.

Profile Image for Sam Rempe.
8 reviews
May 21, 2024
Shoutout Rainer for the recommendation on this read! I loved this book. It was super helpful and thought-provoking as I prepare for a season of doing ministry. Would highly recommend for anyone discerning going into ministry, or friends/family of people currently working for the church.
31 reviews
April 11, 2023
I almost never write a negative review. I don’t want to harm an author who has done the hard d work of writing a book to help me think.

I would suggest that this book has two big problems: 1) it doesn’t know what it really is, and 2) it doesn’t wrestle with the theological conundrum that the title sets up.

The first problem is that is suggests in the introduction and the opening chapter that it will be a book that encourages those whom God is calling to listen and respond to the call of God. It suggests a Eli/Samuel relationship will be explored. The authors push hard on the necessity of this relationship, because we are seeing such a profound reduction in the number of young people entering the pastorate. Solid points well made.

But then it shifts from that relationship to a description at the nature of the pastoral life. The relationship of elder pastor and youthful protégé fades and disappears. The practice of discernment of God’s work in the life of the younger potential pastor (by either the young person or the older person) do not show up in these pages.

Now an older pastor might do well to share the information found in this book to a young future pastor who has already discerned the call of God, to help that person prepare for the life that lies ahead. It is a good description of the pastoral life.

But the process of discernment and decision making, of hearing the mysterious call of God, of understanding that yes, God does expect you/me to do this and your calling is a real thing - that is profoundly missing. How do I cooperate with God as he calls to a younger person to come into this work for the church? That question is what the title suggests I will be helped to think about, but it just isn’t here. Not in a robust way.

The second real problem is that the title sets up a theological puzzle. If God has called a person into ministry, shouldn’t that be enough? How do I recognize the call of God in another person’s life? What role does human agency play if a supernatural process is underway? Why should the called (who are drawn by the living God) require human efforts by other people to help them hear? Isn’t God capable of speaking for himself? Why should the called need to be called out?

But scripture is loaded with examples of older people who helped younger people understand God and find his will in their lives. Examples like Moses and Joshua, Eli and Samuel, Jesus and his disciples/apostles, Paul and Timothy and Silas, and others help us to see what the helping role of a seasoned person of God can look like in the life of a person who is discerning God’s will. So there is probably a role for helping the called to hear and understand their calling.

I hoped we would wrestle with theologically important question like how does God work through these relationships and how is God ultimately responsible even if other human agency is involved? How do I avoid getting in God’s way as he works, or how do I assess my own heart if I am applying my own selfish dreams to another person’s life? What do I do if I have drawn someone into ministry whom God has not called? How do I protect the church from wolves, pastors who are not pastors at all but villains who abuse the church.

Sadly, none of that was here.

As a personal complaint that I offer realizing that I may only be describing my own personal preferences, this book was loaded with churchy talk: pious sounding phrases that are not defined, and used to death. These phrases both lost their inherent meaning and left me wondering if the author still understood the words they were using. Cleverness is often the defense of the theologically shallow; if you can sound witty, maybe you don’t have to be wise. I am afraid there was a lot of clever turns of phrase that left me wishing the author would be less clever and more clear.

Overall, what this book actually accomplished is worth doing. It is a good book for a young pastor who already has discerned God’s call to read while in seminary. It’s a realistic picture of ministry and loaded with good advice for that purpose.

But it offer a different promise and failed to keep that promise. At the conclusion of the book, I
Was saddened by the missed opportunities.
Profile Image for Zach Hollifield.
323 reviews2 followers
May 1, 2023
This is actually a great book to give someone considering a call to ministry.

However, that’s not what I though this book would be. I was under the impression, from the title for instance, that this was a book for pastors already in ministry to think through how to raise up those called into ministry. I am on the process of helping develop a internship/residency program at the church I pastor at and was hoping this book would speak to that. Unfortunately this book is written to those who are considering a call and doesn’t touch on how pastors can create systems or disciple those considering the call. I don’t think that misunderstanding is my fault, this my rating.

But, again, if you’re looking for a book to give someone considering a call to ministry, this is a great option and one I will likely use.
Profile Image for Andrew Malone.
2 reviews
January 26, 2024
Great and solid content overall. Some parts seem written for “the called” and other parts for those “calling out” without much context in switching from one to the other. That makes it hard to know who to recommend this book to. I’d default to a those that aren’t yet in ministry but feel called to be.
Profile Image for Joseph Bradley.
183 reviews4 followers
July 17, 2023
This book is not bad, just confused. It introduces itself as a discerning your call to ministry and how to disciple those who may be considering it, but it essentially just a book on the basics of pastoral ministry. This isn’t a bad thing, but it is not what the book was sold as.
Profile Image for Daniel Arter.
98 reviews1 follower
June 21, 2024
This book’s content is good, but I assumed that it was primarily written for the person leading who is trying to find more folks to lead, whereas this book actually toes the line between talking about the called and those looking for the called.

Solid info, but not what I expected.
15 reviews
July 23, 2024
It was okay but I thought to be more a book on mobilization but it is actually just the authors calling us out to ministry. Also it appears to be an early level college freshman book one aimed at single 18-20 year olds not what I was expecting.
Profile Image for Jeffrey Bush.
Author 36 books14 followers
February 16, 2023
Thought provoking for those in Christian service. Very enjoyable. Here's some thoughts I gleaned from the book:


We should seek to be clear instead of be clever.

Do you see fruit in your own life? Can others affirm God’s working in your life?

Wrestling with the call of God upon our life helps us count the cost.

We must be careful that we do not mistake ambitions for calling. We must be careful we do not mistake wanting to please a person for a calling.

In the dark times it is easy to resent your calling. Peter went back to fishing.

God addresses our identity before he addresses our activity.

We shouldn’t study to teach, we should teach because we have studied.

God’s proximity should be our passion.

If we depend upon education, we get what education can give us. If we depend upon an organization, we get what an organization can give us. If we depend upon man, we get what a man can give us. But if we depend upon God in prayer, we will receive what only God can give us.

When we are not praying, we are declaring our independence from God.

Evangelism is about conviction over convenience.

Too many Christians in ministry, believe their job is to share only with the saved, so they never evangelize the lost.

Ministry becomes messy. The moment we get frustrated, we must renew our love for the bride of Christ.

We can try to manufacture excitement with others, but it is the word of God that changes people.

Ministry is marked by servanthood.

It’s not about your platform; it’s about His kingdom.

If serving is beneath you, then preaching is above you.

Serve people off the stage and it will help you when you are on the stage.

Ultimately, serving others is an attitude.

A servant leader is more about who you are than what you do.

Our ability to lead at home is directly connected to our leadership at church.

Help your family understand that their identity does not depend on your position.

Anyone can start ministry, but only the dedicated will finish.

If we are going to call out the called (people surrender to ministry, and accept Jesus), we must get back to invitations.

Be clear and be concise in your invitation. Just as you pray over your message, pray over the invitation.

God is still calling people, so we must be intentional about calling out the called.
Profile Image for Kristjan.
587 reviews30 followers
October 7, 2022
A helpful guide to those who feel called to service in the [Christian] Church. I would be included in that category as I am currently in formation to be a deacon with a strong desire to properly discern that calling. With that said, this was not entirely what I was expecting or wanted, but it was still very helpful to my discernment process. The authors start the discussion by looking at “The Call” or 1) The concept of calling, 2) the current state of ministry and 3) practical ways to cultivate an environment for discernment … most of which I found relatively intuitive, but it was good to have them down in writing.

I was particularly interested in the steps prescribed to “confirm your calling” that looks at your desire, gifts. external affirmation, check your motivations and clarify your understanding of the call … I would submit that overwhelming desire (which to me sounds very self centered) could be related with an inexorable pull to serve in a manner consistent with your gifts … because as a PK, I was painfully aware of what service means and would frankly desire a different path if possible.

The second part looks at how the Spirit works as Our Companion, Counselor, Comforter and Conqueror (that later being something of a stretch IMHO) before getting into some very practical advise on how to survive the call to ministry … and balancing family with ministry. In general I think it was all good advice. So … if you think that you have a calling, this book will pretty a solid foundation.

Introduction: Calling Out The Callers

Chapter 1: Wrestling with the Call
Chapter 2: Abiding in Christ
Chapter 3: Loving the Scriptures
Chapter 4: Being Men and Women of Prayer
Chapter 5: Being Should Winners
Chapter 6: Loving the Church
Chapter 7: Relying on the Spirit
Chapter 8: Serving Others
Chapter 9: Balancing Family and Ministry
Chapter 10: Persevering Ministry
Chapter 11: Preparing for entry

Conclusion: How to Give an Invitation for Calling Out the Called

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#CallingOuttheCalled #NetGalley.
Profile Image for Mark Warnock.
Author 4 books11 followers
November 23, 2022
I thought this would be a book directed at people who have the responsibility to call people to consider ministry--and it does that somewhat--but it's really a book to give to and (better) to go through with people who are considering a call to ministry. It's like a more accessible, athleisure version of Dave Harvey's Am I Called?, with a broader focus than just pastoral ministry.

The content is solid, but you can tell the authors are preacher-y preachers, because EVERYTHING alliterates in the outlines. A little ridiculous if you ask me, but they're good at it!

I welcome this book and purchased it shortly after release because I feel the urgency of calling out new Christian leaders to carry the torch for the next generation--and these leaders are going to have to be well grounded and well prepared. This book will help tremendously.

Recommended!
14 reviews
February 18, 2024
This short but insightful book is one I wish had been around when I was first getting started in ministry. Pace and Pruitt lay out the scriptural theory of what a call to ministry is and what it means, and couple that with some practical advice on how to discern and pursue one’s calling. A lot of these lesson’s I learned the hard way--it would have been great to have a resource like this when I was getting started some 30 years ago.

One of the challenges I picked up from this book concerns being intentional about inviting people to respond to God’s calling in their lives during our altar calls the same way we invite people to respond for salvation or church membership.

It is a short book, but packed with good insights. I look forward to using it as tool in mentoring younger ministers. 👍👍
Profile Image for Curtis J..
8 reviews
May 26, 2025
The content in this book is probably worth 4 or more stars. It would be an excellent book to give to someone thinking about or beginning to pursue ministry.

But the book appears to suggest it would be about those of us in vocational ministry learning how to identify, train, and deploy those who are similarly called. But the bulk of the book is not that. Rather, it’s a basic ministry primer. Again, the content is good, but it doesn’t really serve the need it claims to serve. For pastors like myself looking to learn how to identify, train, and deploy the called, we’re better served looking elsewhere.

But I’ll definitely keep it as a book to give those who are considering or beginning vocational ministry.
9 reviews
January 27, 2024
Pastors, Church Leaders, and All Called

This book was written for you! If you are looking to better understand God’s call on your life look no further than “Calling Out the Called.” I found this book to be both practical and transformative. Scott and Shane wrote about ministry and leadership without cutting corners and speaking the truth about what it means to be called from all angles. If you’re serious about God’s calling on your life this is a must read. If you’re questioning God’s calling on your life, this is a must read. Wherever you find yourself as one of the called this book will be your first step.
243 reviews1 follower
July 9, 2023
With so many pastors leaving the ministry, one must wonder who will rise and step in. Perhaps the one reason there is such a disparity when it comes to those leaving the ministry and those coming falls on a lack of calling. It is not God is not calling, perhaps it is we are not listening. Calling Out the Called is a simple yet powerful reminder of this great calling of God. This is not a deep theological read, however, it is very practical and challenging.
Profile Image for Nickolas Hartman.
53 reviews2 followers
January 25, 2023
Pace and Pruitt do a good job introducing and expanding the idea of calling. This book is really written for the youth ministry leader and the student who may be exploring calling. It can produce some great discussion and overall is very well written. I’ll be incorporating it into my intern reading from here out
15 reviews
March 4, 2023
Received the book as a gift from the North American Misdion Board. Good book for those looking into vocational ministry. The book explores many areas of foundational preparation for current and future leaders. I'm giving this book toba young man in my church whom I believe God is calling into ministry.
Profile Image for Eric.
152 reviews
August 20, 2024
A good little treatment on calling. The title is a little misleading though as the book (seems to me) to be primarily aimed at someone considering a call, not so much to the pastor/ministry leader looking for particular guidance on how one finds, encourages, and cultivates the next generation of leaders.
Profile Image for Anna Westerfield.
29 reviews
January 1, 2024
This was pretty good - straightforward and practical. Not necessarily new information for someone who’s been in ministry for almost 7 years but sweet reminders. Wish I’d had this when I first started pursuing ministry!
Profile Image for Ethan Callison.
67 reviews3 followers
January 17, 2023
A solid intro level book to journey with someone feeling called into ministry. Great conversation starter and will be a resource I pray to use frequently.
Profile Image for Dan Mingo.
255 reviews5 followers
February 15, 2023
This is an excellent book for anyone called to ministry. It has some great insight and great points on discipleship for those called into leadership.
Profile Image for Eric Ortscheid.
29 reviews
March 1, 2023
This was an excellent book for those interested in going into ministry and provided some helpful reminders for those who are currently in ministry.
Profile Image for Mark French.
15 reviews1 follower
August 7, 2023
The text is simple, relatable, and direct in its approach. I highly recommend this book to young, growing ministers.
Profile Image for William Ashley.
Author 1 book1 follower
September 5, 2023
Great resource for those in ministry or contemplating a call to vocational ministry. Loved it. Practical and inspiring. An easy read, and it touched on many subjects within ministry calling.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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