While working today, I’ve been watching “The Nines” out of the corner of my eye. The Nines is a one-day video-based online Christian leadership seminar. The theme is for each leader to spend about six minutes sharing what the “game changers” have been in their lives and their ministries.

It’s going to take a while for me to come up with a really meaty post (or a few!) on the “game changers” in my life. But I think one stands out above all the rest, and that was the realization of who I am. Now some things are a product of our upbringing, our talents, or our life events. Yes, I am a husband. Yes, I am a musician. Yes, I am a Web designer. Yes, I am a photographer. Someday, Lord willing, I will be a father. These are the things that change and morph and grow over time. But, ultimately, I am something more, something that has eternal significance.

I am a minister of Christ.

The understanding that God has called me to full-time ministry that I gained towards the end of 2006 completely altered the course of my life. Now “full-time ministry” doesn’t mean that I’ll be preaching on Sunday every week and calling myself Pastor. No, it means that, in how I choose to live my life and how I conduct myself in the lives of others, everything I do needs to bring glory to Jesus. Now this is not easy. It’s very difficult at times! I think that’s why it’s tempting to put “ministry” in the “church box” and then do stuff on our own terms the rest of the time. But that’s not what it means to be called as a Christian. A Christian is a little Christ, a disciple of Christ who so desires to become like Christ that he/she begins to resemble Christ and reveal Christ to others. That is our goal as Christians. That is our full-time ministry.

Discovering and unpacking this was a big game changer for me. I am a full-time minister called by God to impact the world and bring glory to Jesus. And, if you are a Christian, I have some good news for you: you are too!