The choice is not whether to choose a job or ministry

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever
situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.
This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.
- 1 Corinthians 7:17 (NIV)

I get a little twisted when talking to someone and they seperate work from ministry as if they must make a choice between the two. The twist gets tighter if the discussion turns to one's "calling." The Bible tells us much less about being called specifically to positions in vocational ministry than it does "ordinary" work. What the Bible does tell us is -

• God calls people to Him to have a saving relationship through Jesus Christ
• God assigns believers spiritual gifts to build up the Christian community
• we are to remain where God has assigned and called us
• God not only equips believers to build up the Body of Christ but to build up the human community (the rest of the world around us)

My calling, until He calls me elsewhere, is to build up people through my mortgage and coaching/training business. God has given, or assigned, me certain gifts to facilitate that calling. These aren't just spiritual gifts but the ability to learn what I need to learn to be a good loan officer, coach, trainer, and speaker. He's gifted me with the ability to learn and improve myself so I can build up others; raise my own "lids" so I can help others to new levels.

There's sometimes conflicts with money and desires though. We want to earn money from the same place we're energized. In my case, I love leadership training and coaching and speaking. Yet, God hasn't shown me that I'm to earn a living from that profession. He has shown my I can use the mortgage loan officer income to reach more people with the training, coaching and speeking.

Along the path, I can use God's assignment to be a loan officer to serve those within my spheres of influene. To builid up, towards, the community of Christ. This is the same as someone called and assigned to a pastoral staff at church or other "mission." I don't have to leave my mortgage income to pursue my passion to make a difference in people's lives. Those are people include everyone I come in contact with; phone, face-to-face, email and otherwise; via the mortgage transactions and otherwise. I'm called to build up the Body of Christ and the community around me.

Tim Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf, in their great read "Every Good Endeavor" say it this way -

We are not to choose jobs and conduct our work to fulfill ourselves and accrue power, for being called by God to do something is empowering enough. The question must now be "How, with my existing abilities and opportunities, can I be of greatest service to other people, knowing what I do of God's will and of human need?'

Thus, the choice is not whether I choose to work an ordinary job or go into ministry, the choice is whether or not I choose to work any job as a ministry. The choice isn't to be called to ministry or not, the choice is whether or not to accept the calling to minister where I am.