“It's time to get going”
I have known for a while that I want to spend my life in God's word and getting other people into it. I have rough ideas of what that could look like. I haven't really started moving towards that. However, at the EU Science weekend away last semester, and again at AnCon, a thought lodged itself firmly in my mind: “Alright, it's time to get going.”
On one level, I have no idea where to start. It's not a natural progression from either of the things I'm doing now, so it'll take a significant change of direction. I've talked to a few people, and I'm going to talk to more, about the various options out there. And there are options out there... plenty, and well-attested-to by the people I've known who've gone through them. So, on another level, I know exactly where to start... I just have to get on with it.
The required steps to becoming a minister of the word around here seem to be as follows:
1.Be a Christian
2.Go to Year 13 or equivalent (optional)
3.Go to uni
4.Be EU President (or any other position of leadership in the EU)
5.Work for 3 years (stint in the mission field an option, for bonus points)
6.Be an EU staffworker or MTS dude/dudette
7.If you didn't get married during steps 3 to 6, do so now
8.Go to Moore College (or go to SMBC then Moore)
So far, I've got 1,3 & 4 down, leaving me on the brink of 5 and with half my time for 7 used up... Of course I'm not being entirely serious here. Really, only step 1 is compulsory. Everything else is a bonus that God will use in your ministry. In fact, I challenge you to do something you consider completely random and watch out for whether or not you end up using it for God's glory one day. I bet you will.
Even though these aren't compulsory, they do have a certain weight to them in people's eyes. They're part of what people look for in you when you mention you want to go into vocational ministry. Most of these I'm comfortable with, to varying extents, due to their aforementioned usage by God. However, I've started questioning how highly valued point 5 is. A stint of pre-ministry work was part of my original plan. I thought seriously about teaching maths, and then for a while thought seriously about driving buses for a few years. Whatever thoughts I have, they don't seem to thrill me or engage me, because I know they'd only really be a means to an end. But what, really, is the “end” I'd be trying to achieve?
If the “end” of working for a few years after uni is to know what life is like in “the real world”, then I suppose it does have some merit. I think it's even better if that time is spent getting to know and develop yourself, because the pressure of responsibility and the testing of your relationships with God and other people can be a really formative and informative experience. I'm ambivalent about the financial “end” - on the one hand, providing for yourself eases your burden on the Christian community; on the other hand, God will provide whatever you need (not want, mind you). The “end” I am beginning to disagree with strongly is that of gaining credibility with workers. Frankly, working for three years so you can tell a congregation of lifetime workers that you know what they're going through is cheap, artificial and probably more than a little self-deceptive. Yes, you may know what it's like to work, but no, you don't know what it's like for that work to be your life's work. In fact, you've tried that work thing and then found something better to do with your life. Is that kind of condescension really going to help anyone? I gather that older workers are good at seeing through façades. In general, they strongly appreciate a young person who pulls their weight in a real job, and scorn those in academia, the clergy and other so-called useless jobs. I firmly believe it'd be better to tell an older worker that you're doing Christian ministry because you love it than to tell them that you worked for a while but couldn't ignore the call to something higher. When you know the scorn's going to be there, I think it's better to accept it front-on and be open about your reasons. That way, if they still think you're wasting your life, they'll at least appreciate that you're doing it with honesty.
That said, if you do work for a few years with a good, solid reason, God will use those years and experiences somehow. I know my reason for planning to work for a few years was for credibility, but I know that's not the case for everyone. This has just been on my mind a lot lately, having changed my mind on it and all.
What do you think about working pre-ministry? I'd be keen to hear your thoughts. Basically, I'm wondering whether I really have to spend another 3 or so years doing something (anything) before getting into what I really want to do. I need wisdom... give me wisdom... Also, if you have any suggestions on how to find out if you're a good preacher, or on how to kick off a writing ministry, please send them my way.
That aside, I'm keen to get on with life in God's service, whatever that looks like. I have a lot of thought and prayer ahead of me for the decision about what to do next year and the year after in particular. But, I have decided to follow Jesus, and there will be no turning back. Though Satan send me hell and high water along the way - and he will, and he does - I belong to Jesus, and Jesus has already defeated him. So, for me, to live is Christ, and life or death will be for His glory.
Bring it.
“If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
- 1 Timothy 4:6-16, NIV, taken from BibleGateway.com
I don't feel I can offer much advice or wisdom but above all, pray. I don't think I can answer the question of whether or not you should work before you enter into full time ministry, so I think I'll let God answer that one. Be committed in prayer and also be committed in hearing God's answers to those prayers.
ReplyDeleteI know some amazing ministers who worked pre-ministry and whose experience in the workforce have been really helpful in their ministry work and connecting with others. Like you said, God takes your experiences and uses them - but this still applies regardless of whether or not you enter the workforce before ministry. It's because of this that I also know some amazing ministers who went straight into ministry without pre-ministry work.
I think God has grown and shaped you into a wonderful, godly man and I have no doubt in my mind that He will equip you to be a humble and loving minister without work prior to ministry, if that is what He wants you to do. I think you still have an ability to connect with people that years in the workforce might never bring.
I love the hunger that you have for life in God's service and the love that you have for this vision of being in full time ministry. (Oh, and talking about carrying on the family business!!) It's encouraging to see and it makes me tremendously happy ^_^ You are in my prayers, Iainface (I'm not entirely sure why I call you that, I think it's actually just because I have nothing else that is as ridiculous as "Nizzle"). I pray that God answers your questions and helps you to make the choices that will glorify Him the most. :)
This is just a random, unrelated comment because I hate how the main page reads "1 Comments" when there's only one.
ReplyDeleteNow at least it's grammatically correct ^_^
Ian: thanks for the post and good on you for doing some serious thinking about this issue. I decided to post here rather than Facebook as they'll give me more room :-)
ReplyDeleteAs far as my very humble thoughts go, and not as someone who is necessarily in your situation, there are a number of reasons why people would work before going into full-time ministry, not all of which will be equally applicable to everyone.
• As you say, there's the fact that people have experienced work and can relate to those to whom they minister in a better way. I take your point that a couple of years may seem token and a façade to those who are in full-time secular work, but I think that's going to be a different experience for everyone. There are some things about full-time work that you don't get anywhere else other than by participating in it - e.g. having very little time because work takes up so much of your life, being constantly tired because work is hard and draining, enjoying work, having the freedom to earn money and having the freedom to spend it in a way that you desire, having to deal with difficult relationships with work colleagues, clients/customers and others whom you meet on a day-to-day basis, dealing with office gossip, and other undesirable things that are part and parcel of the non-Christian working world. There's also skills - self-discipline, organisation, preparation, meeting deadlines, etc etc etc That's just a very few of the many things that you might learn from working full-time, and I've only recently started (!) so I suspect there's many more of them. Even working for a short time can give you a good understanding of the issues that many Christians have to deal with from day to day.
• As you also mention, there's the fact that it enables you to be less of a financial burden whilst studying and training for ministry.
• Another good reason: something that is incredibly important in this day and age is the chance to build relationships with non-Christians at work. The workplace really is a great ministry opportunity these days, (given that our lives are becoming more and more anti-social outside of work), and it's great that we now have groups like ECOM and so on that resource and minister to workplaces. If someone is going to have to minister to non-Christian people in the future— non-Christian people who work— then for some of those people it will be incredibly important that they learn how to relate to non-Christians for whom work (as opposed to Jesus) is their life.
That's just three reasons (and there will be more, I just can't think of any right now) why full-time work might be helpful for people.
Overall, I think it's actually a matter of maturity. I know a couple of people who did a significant amount of working while they were at uni, and had such a desire to go and serve God full-time in vocational ministry that they went to college or did MTS straight after uni. And they're none the wiser for not doing a year or two or three of full-time work. They had the maturity to do it. There's others I have seen who didn't feel that way and thought wisely that some full-time work would be helpful. And I can see that it has been.
As to what you should do - firstly there is one thing you shouldn't do (and I'm not saying you have, these are just my thoughts):
ReplyDeleteDon't say that full-time work is pointless, because though you may think it is wisest not to go down that track, for others it will be invaluable even if they do go into full-time vocational ministry. This often leads to statements along the lines of that "no work is worth doing except full-time vocational ministry", which is completely unbiblical and an insult to those faithful brothers and sisters who serve God faithfully in their workplaces.
But what you should do- I think it boils down to in what capacity you want to serve God in a vocational capacity, and where you think you are at in terms of maturity. After much prayerful consideration and seeking the advice of wise brothers and sisters, only you will know eventually what is best and wisest for you to do and how you can best serve God.
Great thoughts Iain!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have a great life of serving God ahead of you and I look forward to seeing what he will do in your life!.
It's exciting that you want to do everything for his glory.