Note 1 at 1 Cor. 1:1: Paul didn't appoint himself as an apostle. He was supernaturally called by God. His greeting to the Galatian church (Gal. 1:1) stresses this point and it is alluded to here.

Many people desire to do something good to help others so they choose professions as ministers or they appoint themselves to positions of authority in the church. But God's kingdom differs from earthly kingdoms in that God calls the leadership into their positions. Only when God calls an individual will there be the supernatural anointing that is necessary to set the captives free.

Often, failure in the ministry is due to the fact that those individuals never were called to that position. They may have meant well, but good intentions aren't enough. You have to be called.

Note 2 at 1 Cor. 1:1: This phrase "to be" is italicized. That means that these words were not in the Greek text but were added to make the sentence grammatically correct in the English language. However, it can be beneficial at times to read the sentence without the italicized words.

In this case, Paul is saying he was called an apostle through the will of God. Paul wasn't in the process of becoming an apostle. He was an apostle the moment God called him. There is a process of learning and faithfulness before a person's ministry opens up completely. But the moment God places a call on a person's life, he is what he is called to be.

Therefore, it is technically incorrect to say, "I am studying to be a pastor or minister." You are either called by God and are a minister or you will never become a God-ordained minister regardless of how many degrees you get. There is nothing wrong with studying after you receive the call to ministry to increase your effectiveness. But it must be clear that ministry is not something that can be taught, it has to be caught.

Failure to make this distinction has caused many people who desire to do something good with their life to choose to enter the ministry without ever being called (see note 1 at this verse, above). This has produced frustration and grief for the individual and disaster for the body of Christ.