Heaven’s Lens: When Calling Matters More Than Credentials
It was a gift to be back at Cedar Falls Christian Church today for my third Sunday with this church family. I opened in prayer with a simple request: that God would be glorified, and that what was shared would be from Him—not from me.
That prayer framed the heart of the message: we often evaluate life through the world’s lens—but God calls us to see through Heaven’s lens.
A Quick Look Back: Unqualified, Yet Called
Last time I was with you, we talked about being unqualified but called—and the truth that God doesn’t just call the qualified… He qualifies the ones He calls.
This week, I built on that same thread with a deeper question:
At what point do credentials outweigh the calling?
I shared personally how I’ve wrestled with that tension. God has been calling me into preaching, and I resisted. I don’t have seminary training. I don’t hold public speaking certificates. My memory isn’t perfect. I can’t quote chapter and verse on demand. On paper, I’m not the obvious choice.
But God has been teaching me something I can’t ignore:
It isn’t my polished resume He wants to use.
It’s my real life—my scars, my honesty, my obedience.
That same conviction is what led me to launch Service Ministries, a nonprofit designed to help churches communicate clearly and share their stories with authenticity—through better websites, stronger social media, and a posture of real, reachable, gospel-centered vulnerability.
The Resume vs. The Revelation
One of the central contrasts today was this:
The world is drawn to what looks impressive.
God is drawn to what’s surrendered.
Resumes and credentials can point to experience and stability—but they can’t guarantee:
passion
purity
humility
obedience
spiritual hunger
And sometimes, experience without dependence can drift into pride, complacency, and disconnection from God’s voice.
That’s why Scripture anchors us back to God’s standard:
“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
A polished resume might open doors.
But only a heart yielded to God can sustain faithfulness when the door opens.
God’s Pattern: Choosing the Unlikely
To make it unmistakable, we looked at God’s pattern across Scripture:
David: The Overlooked Shepherd
David didn’t look like a king. He didn’t carry status, stature, or the “right” outward appearance. If anything, he looked like someone most people would pass by.
But God saw his heart—and anointed him.
And that shepherd boy became the one God used to defeat the giant no one else would even face.
The Disciples: Ordinary Men, Extraordinary Calling
In Mark 1:16–20, Jesus calls fishermen—regular, working men—no theology degrees, no religious reputation, no credentials that would impress a crowd.
And yet, when Jesus said, “Follow Me,” they dropped their nets.
Their calling mattered more than their credentials.
The Invitation: Say Yes Anyway
A line that kept coming back throughout the message was this:
God didn’t ask for their resume. He asked for their yes.
That’s true for Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah—and it’s true for us.
So I asked the room:
If you’ve ever felt unqualified, but sensed God tugging at your heart, would you raise your hand?
Hands went up—because that tension is real. Many of us know what it feels like to sense God’s pull while also feeling unsure, unready, or underprepared.
But here’s the encouragement I offered:
You may not have all the answers.
You may not feel equipped.
But if God is calling you—your yes is enough to begin.
What I’m Praying We Carry Forward
As we closed, my prayer was simple:
That we would learn to choose with Heaven’s lens, not the world’s.
That we would seek God’s voice first—especially when decisions involve leadership, hiring, ministry roles, relationships, or direction for our future.
Because God’s way really is better than ours.
And when God calls the unlikely, ordinary people become instruments of an extraordinary purpose.
If you were there today at Cedar Falls Christian Church, thank you for letting me share again. And if you’re reading this and you’ve been wrestling with a calling you don’t feel ready for, I’ll say it the same way I said it in the room:
Don’t let the resume keep you from obedience.
Look through Heaven’s lens—and say yes when He calls.
Watch the sermon:
https://www.youtube.com/live/NFYLhpRGV_U?si=zJXx6aNhR_UzfVW2&t=1914
