9 Aug, 2010
What's Your Calling?
More young adults heeding pastoral call
For years, churches across the USA have prayed that more young people would explore careers in ministry as a wave of Baby Boomer pastors prepares to retire. Now it seems their prayers are being answered.
For the past 10 years, the estimated median age of candidates for master of divinity degrees has fallen steadily, from 34.14 in 1999 to 32.19 in 2009, according to an analysis by the Center for the Study of Theological Education (CSTE) at Auburn Seminary. That marks a reversal: From 1989 to 1999, the estimated median age had climbed steadily from 31.4 to 34.14.
Denominations hail this new pattern as a positive sign now, as churches increasingly depend on aging leaders and struggle to attract parishioners under age 30.
"A pastor usually attracts persons 10 years above and below their own age range," says Gail Ford Smith, director of the Center for Clergy Excellence at the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. "If you have a 27-year-old starting a new worship service, they're going to attract people ages (17) to 37. That really does appeal to us if we're trying to reach mission fields of those who've not yet been connected to God through Jesus Christ."
Click here for full article from USAToday.
Ephesians 4:1-15 (ESV)
1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it says,
"When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men."
9(In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
What does today's God's Story scriture teach us about our "calling"?1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it says,
"When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men."
9(In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
So what are you going to be when you grow up? Some of us reading this today may have already figured that out. Others may still be wondering. Some may have changed our minds several times. But when you do stop to think about it, do you ever wonder if you have a calling? It's interesting that the word "vocation" that is often used to mean your job, actually is first defined as - "a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action; especially : a divine call to the religious life." Our primary calling, then, is our calling into God's family through our relationship with Jesus!
For some of us, however, there just might be a "calling" into a particular vocation. So, when you start to think about what you are going to be when you grow up, do you wonder if there might be something that God is calling you to do? When I first picked a career, I chose accounting because I loved working with numbers and everyone I talked to said I would be great as an accountant. Everyone that is except God. As I started wrestling with that decision during my freshman year of college I realized that was the wrong choice for me. I started getting the advice of close friends who were following Jesus and the next step was them helping me realize that I should be working with students, so I chose to pursue becoming a school counselor. Then, through a series of events and experiences, God made it clear that He was "calling" me into ministry as a vocation.
How can I connect today's God's Story scripture to my life?
- Spend some time this week talking with God about your future.
- Write down vocations that interest you and ask God to help you sort through what might be the best fit.
- Ask God where you could be of the most service to Him when you find a vocation.
- Have you every wondered if maybe God was calling you into minstry as a vocation.
How can I connect Today's Story, My Story and God's Story to Others?
- Do you have a friend wrestling with God? Talk with them this week about God calling them into His forever family.
- Do you have a friend struggling to find what they should do with their life? Pray for them this week. Talk with them about today's story and today's scripture. Start a conversation about what God might be calling them to do.
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