Tonight I pulled out a book I had read some time ago for a class at Moody, titled Living the Life God has Planned by William Thrasher (Chicago: Moody Press, 2001). In it, he quotes John Wesley as saying, "Don't seek for a ministry, but anticipate the fruit of a disciplined life" (Thrasher 152).
The quote I think is a good one for its intended point: we shouldn't be so consumed with seeking after a position in ministry that we ignore our present duties. Its an easy trap to fall into- I know from experience.
On the other hand, though, Wesley's statement does raise the interesting question: how should a young man preparing for pastoral ministry go about, practically speaking, finding a place to minister? Do we approach it like any other career- researching possible openings and sending our resumes? Or do we wait for "a door to open" as some like to say? Do we use the equivalent of online dating services, hoping our ministerial profile matches a potential church mate out there? How involved ought our church to be in helping us with placement?
Questions like these are important and necessary for potential pastors to have clear answers to- I know I wonder! Any thoughts?
Hey Aaron, I enjoy your blog. When I read this the first thing that popped in was 1 Tim 3:1 "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task."
ReplyDeleteI think this is really relevant to the issue at hand because it clarifies that, at the heart of it, it is a good thing to desire and seek such a position. I know from experience that Satan would like you to believe that your desire for a ministry position is a self-centered and shameful thing, and of course there will always be ungodly motives in our heart that we must rebuke, but this verse tells us that it is a good thing to have such a desire, and it is a good thing to "aspire" to such a position. I did a search and it looks like that greek word aspire is also sometimes translated "seek." So, I would say that it is a good thing to "seek" such a position. And how should we seek it? I would say that, because it is such a noble and good thing we are seeking, that we should put every effort into doing it by whatever means possible, as long as we aren't sinning in the process. Because, after all, God has told us that it is good to seek after such a thing, so why should we limit ourselves to the opportunities before us? If the most strategic way to seek for such a position is to send out resumes, then by all means do it.
Hey Charlie! Thanks for the thoughts. They are good ones and I am in basic agreement.
ReplyDeleteI watched a video recently with a panel of pastors who addressed this very issue, and while there was some difference in emphasis among the panel members, they all seemed to agree that the local church should be essential in helping a would-be pastor (if he is indeed called, gifted, and holy) find a position. What are your thoughts?
By the way- very excited to hear you are doing gospel-work in Wausau! We should get together some time. How is it going up there, anyways?