For the last two years, I’ve been walking a path that felt utterly clear: a strong, affirmed call to ministry, specifically to Lay Evangelism. The passion is real – it’s what drives the work we do here at Titus One Nine Ministry, connecting people to Jesus through reason and faith.
I committed to the process with the Church of England (CofE), dedicating significant time and resources, I was all in.
Yet, after all that dedication, the process hit an abrupt wall…”sorry, not yet” …was what I was told which didn’t marry up to what I think God is saying clearly to me – I mean, look at the world right now, mark of the beast system rapidly underway in its early forms etc in terms of digital ID and the like – have we much time left to waste to kick into gear any possible vocation we each may have?
The Procedural Wall and the Theological Rub
My formal assessment was brought to a sudden, abrupt end (or more accurately and in my opinion unnecessarily stalled) for reasons I wont go into.
This outcome, delivered by the women overseeing this process for the Vocations team caused me to pause and reflect deeply. I’ll be honest I was really cheesed off. For years, I had “lived with” the issues within the CofE, I admit I have been to numbed to its theological drift and abandonment but this experience – where my calling was stalled despite my proven commitment – catalysed the issue for me personally.
I realised my strong loyalty is to Christ expressed through orthodox faith which had moved me into the Anglo Catholic Sphere such as Walsingham and traditional Anglican practice. This experience, combined with a broader uneasiness regarding recent leadership decisions, the further splintering of Christendom because of those direction changes and actions within the CofE’s leadership continued the evident departure from historical ministerial norms, forcing me to confront a fundamental question: Is this the right jurisdiction for my part in ministry?
I didn’t know where to turn…I just wanted to be “sent out” as Jesus did with the 70 so that my work is structured and under authority from the visible church. Jesus of course is walking with me which should, and is enough, but He set his visible apostolic church up for a reason.
After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. (Luke 10:1-3).
The Wind often slams shut doors, Don’t Look Back thinking you have to close them.
The CofE process, which was proving so stiff and difficult to push through, ultimately made the decision for me. As my friend and brother in Christ, the co-founder of Titus One Nine Ministry, reminded me: the wind often closes doors behind us so we don’t need to look back, just as Lot’s wife did, but we just need to march onwards.
But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:26)
Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead...(Philippians 3:13).
Just when I felt the most despondent, my friend sent me an screenshot of a social media post published less than a month ago from the Anglican Church Traditional (ACT). It is a jurisdiction committed to preserving the historic faith and sacred orders…wow, how hadn’t I heard of them before? Basically the Church of England which Cranmer built on the Book of Common Prayer…kind of the CofE rewound 100 years form my initial assessment. Then I realised that Rev Brett Murphy whom I have watched on YouTube for years is one of their team – wow. Some of my lack of hearing about them is probably because I’m not personally on any social media like Facebook, X etc other than LinkedIn for my secular work.
I immediately recognised the alignment. I wrote to the ACT Bishop, laying out my sincere calling and explaining why the CofE process had closed for me.
The ACT’s Answer: Possibly The Diaconate
The reply was swift and so very encouraging – in less than 24hrs! The ACT affirmed my gifts for Evangelism and Apologetics but stated that they do not license lay evangelists. Why? Because their canonical and theological tradition holds that those formally sent out to teach, preach, and gather souls do so within ordained ministry...in line with the Book of Common Prayer this makes 100% sense!
The Book of Common Prayer was one of those documents which really shook Britain; a tradition which likely needs to be recovered in its entirety in an age where tradition is just cornered as irrelevant and outdated….this documentary explains why.
The Bishop counselled that the Diaconate (Deacon) is the historic office of the Church’s heralds and evangelists.
This was a profound moment…I was excited again by the whole thing: I am being offered a clear, historical, and ordained path that perfectly validates my evangelistic calling while providing the theological structure I desire? Is this door opening?
I am reminded that sometimes, when you can’t force a stiff door open, it means a different, wider door is often waiting for you.
I’m excited for the journey again, and it may be with the ACT…we shall see.
If you feel called to vocations I would like to share what the ACT recently put out there on social media…it may be something that triggers an interest.
Let’s Talk!
Have you ever had a hurdle force a deep theological re-evaluation in faith or vocation? Share your thoughts below!
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