Thoughts on the Possibility of Pastoring, part 1

(Below is the first of three posts pulled from a recent paper for my Pastoral Theology class. As I continue to think/pray through the possibility of pastoring, I'd like to let you in on some of the process. Quotes are from Charles Spurgeon's Lectures to My Students.)

“It is a fearful calamity to a man to miss his calling…it is imperative upon him not to enter the ministry until he has made solemn quest and trial of himself as to this point.”

After 12 years of ministry with The Navigators, I came to Covenant Seminary because I wanted my main job and focus for this time to be the study of the Scriptures. I longed to be newly, deeply, and personally inspired by ideas and instruction from others, in a frequent and formal way, and in a setting and environment conducive to this intense input. I also hoped that, as a result, God would clarify his calling for my life and future ministry.

For any of this to take place, Megan and I felt a drastic lifestyle change was necessary, one that removed a majority of distraction and placed limits on our ministry responsibilities over a period of time longer than a sabbatical or extension-learning program would. We also thought a new setting – one made up of other families pursuing similar goals (and with many of the same financial and family challenges) – would be beneficial to our chances of making it through this potentially turbulent period.

While I believed I had some pastoral gifting, I had not necessarily envisioned (but at the same time had not negated) becoming a pastor; my thinking and goals at that time were more along the lines of preparing for advanced academic study at the doctoral level, as well as to ensure that any new role in the future might provide time for my writing. But, since coming to Covenant a year ago, reading five books on the topic of pastoring and the 200-page Pastoral Theology reader this past summer, as well as taking the recent two-week class, I sense a possible change of heart occurring and answers to prayer appearing with regard to my calling.