{"id":5220,"date":"2021-01-12T08:00:57","date_gmt":"2021-01-12T13:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/?p=5220"},"modified":"2021-01-20T15:30:48","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T20:30:48","slug":"called-to-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/called-to-ministry\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You Called to Vocational Ministry?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Since the church was born, people of faith have expressed their unique roles in God\u2019s kingdom using language that conveys being chosen, appointed, or called by God. Paul said that he \u201cwas appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher\u201d (2 Tim. 1:11), and that he \u201chad been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised\u201d (Gal. 2:7). But this preparation and equipping weren\u2019t reserved for only clergy or apostles: \u201cfor we are God\u2019s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do\u201d (Eph. 2:10).<\/p>\n

Sometimes this language of God\u2019s calling can be dangerous. We\u2019re flawed, limited creatures who often err, so it\u2019s wise to exercise caution when we speak about what God has called us to do. But even exercising caution and wisdom, some questions of calling are inescapable: What should I be doing with my time? What does God have in mind for my life? What are the good works that God has prepared for me to do?<\/p>\n

There is no magic formula to discover our callings. Nor is there a 10-question quiz that will tell us whether or not we\u2019re called to seminary or vocational ministry. Learning who to be, how to live, and how to best use our gifts to serve others are the works of a lifetime as we seek to walk with Jesus. But here are some thoughts from a few authors who have written on the subject. I hope these help you as you discern which path is right for your next stage of life!<\/p>\n

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David F. Ford<\/strong> is the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. He has written and edited many books, including 1997\u2019s The Shape of Living: Spiritual Directions for Everyday Life<\/em>. In its second chapter, called \u201cVocations and Compulsions,\u201d Ford explores the relationship that our desires have with the choices we make in life. After explaining that education and attention will allow us to carefully and wisely decide which desires we will allow to have power over us, Ford provides this broad definition of vocation: \u201cthe long-term shaping of our lives by desires that we own.\u201d He then provides some helpful tips for this work of life-shaping, including the need for vocational companions (e.g. a \u201csoul friend\u201d or spiritual director).<\/p>\n