The Call to Serve God

for the Lord and not for man.” Colossians 3:23

Growing up in Ethiopia as a child of missionary parents, David Giles witnessed first hand what it means to be a missionary, reaching out to people who need to know about God’s love and sharing the love of God with them.

“We lived out in the bush so if we wanted to get somewhere we had to walk for a couple of days,” said Giles. “We would backpack and stay in people’s houses.”

He watched how his dad interacted with the people on the long walks from town to town.                                                                                         

“Walking as far as he did was important to him so that people would have a chance to hear about God’s love,” adds Giles.

While his parents worked as missionaries in Ethiopia, Giles attended a boarding school. One night while he was sitting by his bed, he felt a sense of burden that God had something special for him to do.

“I began praying to God that if he wanted me to go into missionary work, to lead me where he needed me to be,” said Giles. After that night, he said that he did not think much about his calling to go into missions until later in his life.

My calling, explains Giles, was more of a process than a one time event. He attended MilliganCollege in Tennessee from 1978-1982, and while he was in school he began thinking about those around him and the needs that people had.

“I made a commitment to go serve, not really having a specific calling of where I was going,” said Giles.

God began working, leading Giles and his wife to various parts of the country as they learned about missionary work and serving God. At each place they traveled, God placed people in their lives to encourage them and guide them on their journey.

Christian Missionary Fellowship, the mission organization that Giles and his wife worked with, sent them to work for a church in Wichita, Kansas for one year.

“God really surrounded us with some of the closest friends we have ever had,” said Giles. “It was an affirmation from God to be surrounded with such a strong community.”

Next, they traveled to California where Giles studied at FullerUniversity, and they saw again how faithful God was in providing people to encourage them.

He and his wife moved back to Tennessee and began attending Lone Oak Christian Church. While attending Lone Oak, they continued to learn as people mentored them, cared for them, and worked with them as they prepared for the missionary work they were about to enter.

“When we were ready to go, Lone Oak wanted to support us with a faith promise, even though the church was small. They believed enough in what we were doing to give so sacrificially,” said Giles. “It was one more affirmation from God that we were doing His work.”

Giles and his family served in Kenya from 1985-1994, ministering to the Maasai people.

“Working in the missionary field has its joys and frustrations,” explains Giles. “It takes time to see the results, but it is worth it when you see the leaders in a church being fruitful.”

Giles said that one of the greatest experiences was being able to attend a service in a church he helped begin. “I didn’t have to do anything but sit and worship. The leaders in the church were teaching, singing, serving the Lord’s Supper and baptizing.”

According to Giles, it is important to actively pursue the answer to the question, “What does God want to do with my life?” God calls us and directs us but that does not mean we are to be passive and expect Him to do all the work.

“I think God directs us, but we also need to pursue His highest and best for us,” said Giles.

Sticking with something and not giving up will allow a person to see God using his or her life for kingdom. So many times young people seek to find the perfect fit and if they do not think that what they are doing is perfect, they quit and try something new, explains Giles.

At any role, there will be things that are going to be challenging and difficult. It is those things that will help you grow the most. Invest in whatever you choose to do and you will see the results, encourages Giles.

“Make sure you make the most of each day. It is easy to get focused on some future possibility that we forget to serve and grow right where we are. Remember that tomorrow does not matter much to God if today does not belong to him.”

Currently, David works for Christian Missionary Fellowship International as the director of church planting ministries.