How to Choose a Career With Jesus
The Bible is full of stories of men and women who received a call to ministry and became leaders of faith. Moses, Abraham and Deborah, to name a few, all responded to the call by offering their lives in God's service. And today, the need for spiritual leaders is just as great. But choosing a career in ministry isn't just about the excitement and glamor of leadership. It's also about careful preparation and planning. Here are some steps you can expect to follow along your path to ministry.
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Instructions
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Becoming a Minister
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Establish a relationship with your denomination. Get to know its history, organizational structure and doctrinal statements. Meet with the leader of your local church council or diocese to talk about your plans. You don't have to agree with everything your denomination has ever done or said, but you do need to have the support of its leaders.
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Spend some time learning about different areas of ministry and get an idea of which one you want to pursue. Are you interested in helping Christians organize to better their communities? In serving as a chaplain in a hospital or the military? In helping young people explore their faith and build spiritual relationships? The more you know about your calling ahead of time, the better equipped you will be to make it a reality.
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Find out which seminary or Bible college is right for you. If God is calling you to lead a small independent church, then graduating from an academic seminary such as Harvard or Yale may not be necessary. On the other hand, if your calling is to serve the church as a Biblical scholar, then you will need advanced academic training in a university setting. What matters is finding a seminary that will help you to meet your goals.
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Come up with a rough estimate of the cost of your training for ministry. This will depend in large part on where you go to seminary and how much financial support your denomination contributes. As with planning for any career, good budgeting is essential.
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Tips & Warnings
With some careful planning and a lot of prayer, you will give yourself the best chance to respond to your calling and serve God in ministry.
