Edmund P. Clowney Quotes & Sayings

On the other had, a desire to serve Christ in the ministry may become intense before there is evidence of the necessary gifts...If you yearn to serve Christ in the gospel ministry, that desire is surely a calling to prayer for the Spirit; likely it is also a foretaste and earnest of greater gifts in store. — Edmund P. Clowney

Most often the presence of such gifts of the Spirit creates a desire for their exercise. By them a man is drawn to the Word, to Christ, to men. For this reason a deep and sincere desire to enter the ministry is the commonest evidence of the Lord's calling. It is no sure criterion, however, for the gifts and desire are not always joined. — Edmund P. Clowney

Sometimes Christians speak of each decision of their lives as though they were launching a moon-shot where a single miscalculation would send the capsule into a trackless void. Even space scientist do better than that, correcting the flight of their space-probes by radioed signals. God does much better. He knows that we are often incapable of distinguishing trivial decisions from momentous ones, and that we are foolish and imperceptive. He knows---- and keeps us in his hand. — Edmund P. Clowney

He does not only declare that God saves by grace, not works; he brings Christ forward, and placards him. Preaching points to Christ crucified for our sins, and risen for our life. — Edmund P. Clowney

The "Come!" of Christ separates us from the world to his name; the "Go!" of Christ sends us to the world in his name. (18) — Edmund P. Clowney

Private soul-searching is not enough to determine your call to the ministry. The judgment of the people of God must be sought; long before the time when it must be given formally it should be sought informally. — Edmund P. Clowney

The city of man requires idolatry. All must bow before the symbol of its total claim. Religion is tolerated when it supports the claims of the state, party, the institutional hierarchy. But those who say, "We must obey God rather than men" are always condemned as traitors or exiled as aliens. Yet the calling of Christ's kingdom no only separates a man from the world, it also sends him to the world. In this time of the kingdom we are pilgrims, for the mountain of Christ's rule is the heavenly Zion; but in the task of the kingdom we are ambassadors, for we have been sent by the King to proclaim his terms of peace to his rebellious realm. — Edmund P. Clowney

Christ's suffering was redemptive not because suffering itself is redemptive, but because Christ himself is the Redeemer — Edmund P. Clowney

The call of the Word of God to the gospel ministry comes to ALL those who have the gifts for such a ministry. — Edmund P. Clowney

You dare not lift your hands to place God's name in blessing on his people until you have first clasped them in penitent petition for his grace. — Edmund P. Clowney

Seminary is for men who are seriously considering the ministry; it is a place where a man may test his gifts and calling in the service of the Word...Uncertainty about a call to the ministry may indicate with certainty a call to theological training. Even when God does not call a man to pastoral work, he often leads through seminary study to other ministries of teaching and to informed leadership in the work of the church. — Edmund P. Clowney

From the twelve apostles to the Auca missionaries of our generation, the history of the Christian church is the history of "wasted" lives. The Christian may tabulate all the assets of his personality and take inventory of his preferences, but he casts all these at the feet of Christ. He is not seeking fulfillment but expendability. He counts not his life dear to himself, for he holds it in trust for Christ. His goal is beyond the grave; the crown of his high calling is in the hand of his risen Lord. (14-15) — Edmund P. Clowney