Find Your Place in God’s Mission

A step-by-step guide for hearing and claiming God’s calling for your life.

For students, youth and young adult pastors, counselors, chaplains, and campus ministers. The purpose of Find Your Place in God’s Mission is to help students find clarity about how God has uniquely gifted them to participate in God’s ongoing mission for the sake of the world. This book provides a structure and step-by-step guide for discerning God’s calling and corrects some misconceptions. Gibbs provides guidance and helps organize discernment into three intersecting categories: needs of the world, passions, and tools.

The Christian walk leads us to move ever closer to God and take steps to deepen our calling to be faithful. But the urgency of that pursuit is especially poignant for teens and college students. They often feel pressured, believing that if they don’t get this choice right, they may find themselves outside of God’s will and be destined for less than God intends. This practical and accessible book will help them find their way and discern their path.

Jeremiah Gibbs, PhD is University Chaplain and Director of the Lantz Center for Christian Vocation and Formation; Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion at University of Indianapolis and an elder in The United Methodist Church. Gibbs was awarded the 2015 Francis Asbury Award for outstanding leadership and excellence in higher education ministries by the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministries. In addition, he has published academic works on Pentecostalism, liturgy, apologetics, and bioethics for journals and periodicals.

Contents

One – What Am I Going to Do with My Life?

Two – God’s Will Is Not a Secret

Three – The Intersection of Calling

Four – Needs of the World

Five – Passions: Anger and Love

Six – Tools Part 1: Talents, Spiritual Gifts, and Resources

Seven – Tools Part 2: Experience

Eight – Tools Part 3: Personality

Nine – Bringing It All Together

Ten – The Unique Call to Professional Ministry

Praise for Find Your Place in God’s Mission

“God is always calling persons to ministry in ways that allow for personal authenticity and vocational passion. Thank you, Dr. Jeremiah Gibbs for speaking encouragement into the lives of students for such a time as this. A helpful resource and literary gift offered at the right time.”

—Bishop Julius C. Trimble, Indiana United Methodist Conference, The United Methodist Church

“The two existential questions of life are ‘Who Am I?’ and ‘Why Am I Here?’ These are two fundamentally spiritual questions as well. I am grateful to Jeremiah Gibbs for offering a transformative way to wrestle with these questions as we strive to make sense of our passions, the world’s needs, and the tools we have to embrace and live out our vocation—God’s call on our lives. This is a must read!”

—Reginald Blount, Assistant Professor of Formation, Youth, and Culture, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

“Packed with practical steps, real-life stories, and tools for learning, Find Your Place in God’s Mission is a fantastic resource for all seeking to explore vocation and calling. As a local church pastor, I plan to share the book with our high school students, mentors, church leadership, and anyone in the process of vocational and/or missional discernment. Jeremiah has a huge heart for helping students and guiding them in finding God’s vision and mission for their life, and I’m excited to have this resource.”

—Brian Durand, Pastor, Clay United Methodist Church, South Bend, Indiana