GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

Reverend Paulette White believes she was called by God to be a minister of the gospel. She testified she was convinced by her Creator when He told her over three years ago to attend Bethel Bible College in Mandeville, Manchester, to receive professional training.

"I remember when the Lord spoke to me concerning ministry. I really did not want to go into ministry. I wanted to serve as a Lay person in the church. I remember when the Lord spoke to me and said he wanted me to go and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," said White.

She explained, she did not want to obey but realised her life was becoming frustrating. It was then that she understood fully that God wanted her to go into ministry. In 2006 she surrendered to the call of God to go to Bethel Bible College.

reward for faith

Reverend White, a member of the Comfort New Testament Church of God in Clarendon, noted that it was important that Christians be committed and faithful to God. She said her faithfulness to her maker has resulted in Him supplying her needs. One such occasion, she recalled, was while at college God made it possible for her to be granted a scholarship from the Ladies Ministry in the New Testament Church.

The church leader said it was important that Christians be obedient to God, as this will will take them to higher levels in Christianity. She used the children of Israel's obedience to God as a good example.

"When the children of Israel obeyed God they prospered. Being obedient to God allows one to walk in prosperity towards your destiny. Challenges will come but the challenges will not override the fact that you are becoming prosperous," noted Reverend White.

White, who was saved more than 20 years ago and served in various capacities in the New Testament Church, including Sunday school superintendent and teacher, family training-hour president, secretary/treasurer local youth director, among others, said being a female minister in the church is a challenge.

She explained that it is challenging for women to be involved in ministry because they have to work twice as hard as men to get recognition in the church. However, she wants women ministers to live with the assurance that as long as they are aware that they are called by God it does not matter what others say.

"It does not matter what others are going to say, whether male or female, you just have to do whatever God says and He will do His part," said Reverend White.

For women who are currently attending Bible school and might think they have made a poor decision, or were not called by God for ministry, White assures them that they were called by the Lord.