So I'm having some good conversations with a friend about our "calling" as pastors or whatever. I'm not sure what to do with the idea at the moment.
I would assume there are several others out there who happen across this blog who would claim to have answered some kind of "call" to ministry.
As I reflect on my own experience of "calling" which culminated during my freshman year of college at Anderson University, I wonder how much of it was a conditioned response to the spiritual culture and environment I was a part of. What I mean by that is just the lingering expectations placed on me for several years prior to that. How many times did someone ask or tell me I'd grow up to be a pastor like my dad or that I'd make a good pastor etc?? A lot!
I'm not trying to cast doubt and suspicion on my calling, I just want to understand it a little better. And in what way is this mysterious "calling" to some type of ministerial vocation different from the calling on every Christian to be a minister? That's a basic expectation for a Christ follower isn't it? especially if you're a protestant one.
And then for those of us who find ourselves outside of that ministerial calling or paid service to a local congregation...does that mean we're not being faithful to the "call?" Has my affair with the coffee shop over the past few years been a distrustful act of self-sufficiency?
I believe that pastors (of any variety beit lead, worship, youth, childrens, chaplains, etc) need a sense of calling to carry them through the very difficult seasons which come in ministry. But does one HAVE to be IN ministry (vocationally) in order to fulfill a calling?
Please weigh in.
9 comments:
chris,
i think the entire "calling" deal is a bit out of whack. i find it to be barrier to an actualized priesthood of all. it is not benefical to seperate the Jesus group (church) into two categories: the called and the not called.
it is an understandable distoration as we find in the bibical story people with eldering responsibilities and various equipping functions. the problem continues to be our stuckness in a historical approach that mingles the leadership approaches of fallen humanity with kingdom life. i am confident that leadership in the kingdom looks radically different than in many of the organizations today that claim to represent that kingdom.
i don't know if any of that is helpful. i just wanted to weigh in to say that i think this called/not called thing is a joke. all are called to full time service. those functioning in the body as equippers or elders are not members of a distinct class of Jesus followers. we are either moving in those functions or we are not. we don't need some paper of ordination or some organization to hire us to a position titled "pastor" to acquire these functions.
as we begin to move further into post-christendom i am thinking that we are going to see equipping functions and eldering responsibilites in an entirely different light. for now it appears difficult for many to think outside of their christendom shaped paradigms.
blessings - i continue to enjoy following your journey here. i love you honesty and your willingness to be real and not just close your eyes and play the game without asking questions!
Good question. Since I'm your brother, I obviously felt the same pressure about going into ministry as you did. Actually probably more, i.e. "Aren't you going to be like both your brothers?". I ran quickly from that calling if I were called. I think there's a bigger need for those in other vocations to accept their calling as a minister IT guy or even the ministerial barista. However, I do think there is, for lack of a better word, a "higher" calling of those that are meant for single-out ministry to a flock of believers.
There's definitely a part of me that resonates with some of Rob's thoughts (and similar comments made by Wayne & Brad on the God Journey). On the other hand, I'm not sure you can explain away some of the scriptures which seem to indicate certain leadership positions within the body (prophet, pastor, teacher, apostle, etc). I'm not so sure the certificate on the wall or the institutional stamp of approval is the measure of leadership, ordination, or calling...but I don't see a system of leadership within the church/body as a "fallen" paradigm.
Maybe I'm justifying certain things though because I still have a vested interest...or others in my family. I'll keep chewing.
chris – i don’t think it is necessary to explain away the equipping functions nor the caretaking functions (elders) that we see in the scriptures. my contention is that we often interpret these matters through the world’s approach to leadership.
without a doubt the body is not devoid of leadership. i think in some measure all Jesus followers share in an expression of this leadership (and yes some more than others). what is limiting is when we box that expression into only the boundaries of a specific portion of the Jesus group.
so back to your original posting – i don’t think it is helpful to split Jesus followers into two camps. in some measure we are all leaders and in some measure we are all followers. only a true theistic community to pull something like that off!
I just wanted to add that in our culture we also seem to focus WAY too much on the "calling" and not nearly enough on the equipping. Jesus didn't start His ministry until his 30s. God had to grow, train, and teach Him...and He was God in the flesh. Your time wandering and questioning outside of the "calling", is a time of equipping. If more of those who are "called" to full time ministry would wait for God to prepare them and open the doors instead of jumping in head first, there would be a lot less hurt in the church. In other words there are too many immature leaders out there who should have allowed God to put them in ministry rather than going ahead of God and doing their own thing.
If you notice, I am of the camp that believes we are all called, just to different functions and not one is more important than another. It's much more important that we ALL be servants and allow God to place us where He has called us. If you are paying attention, He will drop the opportunity into your lap if you will just be willing to obey.
katrina - amen to ALL being called! i don't think this is a commonly held belief amongst those who profess to be members of the church.
The question I have is what to do with that nagging ache after you have been in ministry for over 10 years, and never really fulfilling the dreams you have had. How do you do that outside the church, or on the outskirts of church. Its like I feel guilty for not being at the church every night of the week. Perhaps I missed the true calling that you all speak of that everyone is supposed to have. Perhaps what I deemed as a calling has been marred and destroyed by the church, and now I am attempting to pick up the pieces and put them back together, but there seems to be something missing. How have you all found that peace that you have found in your calling, what things do you do to keep it alive?
tom – i have been experiencing peace by just pursuing Jesus. a fruit of that pursuit is service function amongst the other Jesus followers in my locality. to me it appears that some of the peace stealing comes from the encouragement we have been given to endeavor to identify our specific calling and make sure we are walking in it. it might be helpful for many of us to be encouraged to relax regarding these matters. keep it simple. follow Jesus and let whatever service He desires to bring your way blossom. Jesus modeled to us a relaxed approach. with the assistance of the Spirit we too can walk in such a reality.
I have begun to believe that much of the "calling" that we are talking about is more of a cultural thing than a God call. Rob speaks my heart about the called/not called thing. Case in point: In my early 30's(now early 50's) my zealousness for the Lord was translated by my "pastors/elders" was you are called to be a pastor.
I had no more desire to be a pastor than the man in the moon. My giftings are not pastoral at all. I am thankful I did not heed man's call to the ministry.
I believe true elders will rise up in local fellowships, and it has nothing to do with seminary, ordination, etc. It has to do with a man's relationship to his Lord, and his giftings.
Blessings Jack
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