A man 3,000 miles away whom I had never met, the chairman of a pulpit search committee, came to the point quickly on the phone: Would I consider meeting with his group to discuss becoming senior pastor of their church?

This unexpected phone call propelled me into a deep, soul-searching phase. Without any prior experience, I was suddenly faced with one of the most difficult decisions of my ministry career: Should I stay or should I go?

It’s easy to think it’s God’s will to move on when the invitation is to a larger church, the salary and benefits are better, and you’re having problems where you are. But greener pastures are not necessarily God’s will. He may simply be using that invitation to test our resolve and determination to carry on.