WALLACE SC&W DISCERNING AND PURSUING A CALL TO MINIISTRY   About Discerning a call to Ministry:   Step by Step: Some people have a dramatic call to ministry (like Paul’s road to Emmaus conversion of Acts 9) but many people don’t.  Many are led by Christ step by step into the Ministry. We don't have to figure out our end point before taking those first steps. Stewardship: We should seek to use well the gifts, talents, and opportunities God has given to us. What are your gifts? Don't discount a call because you get locked into thinking only in terms of the ministry "role(s)" that you have seen...maybe God has something different planned with you. Fruitfulness/Effectiveness: If we want to discern God's call for our future, we should pay attention to how God is blessing our lives right now. Are those fruitful areas reflecting a possible call?   Family: A person who is married and/or has children must take seriously what is best for his or her family. This is so important because ministry profoundly impacts all of the family members. Unfortunately it is easy to sacrifice family for the “calling” but that is a misunderstanding of what Christ asks. Community: We can hear or confirm God's call as we talk with other Christians. Ask others to pray for you, give you feedback on what they see in you, and respond to the idea of you being called to the particular ministry you are sensing. Obedience: If God is calling then we need to trust and obey.   Christ is to be our Lord. Wholeheartedness: An unreserved commitment to a particular ministry is needed.  This doesn’t mean that I know all the answers or am totally comfortable but that it touches the heart of who I am and what I desire. I think it's the right thing for me to do. I am choosing to do it. I'm excited about doing it. Discerning Process: One method is to have a “Discernment Fleecing” in which we seek the Lord’s will (based on Judges 6:14-17, 36-40). This process is to help the individual decide whether to “cross the threshold” into the set apart ministry. This method consists of: *40 days of intentional prayer by the person, *40 days of prayer by a selected group (church leaders, congregation members, family and friends), *doing a gift/passion assessment, *then having a gathering at the end of the 40 days to see what answers or thoughts the people have heard.   Consider having the group praying journal thoughts and have limited conversations with one another about what they were hearing or thinking during those 40 days. For the person considering this step there could be a guide who would "walk with him/her" for that 40 days and could be the sounding board and prompter. Consider having a person have conversations to listen to the hopes, fears, thoughts and vision of the spouse and children. On the area of calling: Look at the gifting and abilities present as well as the passion of the individual. If we believe that Christ places a longing on our heart for the role that he is calling us to minister in, then we won't be called to something we do not value and stink at (there is a difference in not having polished skills and not having skills for something). Unfortunately many people are called to a ministry with adults, youth, children, mission or something else but feel like they are suppose to "climb the ladder" and shoot for a Senior Minster at a larger church. I believe we need to find the role Christ is calling us to do. Where do you go from here? The answer depends upon the situation.   One pathway is the seminary option. This involves a bunch of money and typically 3.5+ years of full-time school to pursue a Masters Degree. Another pathway would be to get some coursework in the area of passion. This would typically be more in the undergraduate (Bachelor or Associate level) type of educational experience or it might be in pursuing a series of seminars, workshops, and reading in the area. Perhaps at the same time a position is found to begin working in the area of calling. A third pathway (which probably would contain element of pathway #2) is to do an internship or an apprenticeship. This would focus on providing direction and training in the specific area of interest as well as in some more general areas. A program that I developed in the church I served in Oklahoma had people committed to a year and in that year we had weekly meetings to talk about various issues involved in ministry and to do training. There was read that had to be done (Old Testament, New Testament, church history…). The person also picked an area to focus upon and we worked on that area with them as a lay staff person.                                                                                                                                                          July 15, 2008