Been thinking a lot this last week about calling and location. Maybe the blog isn't the best place to work it all out but I thought I'd do it by asking some basic questions. I'm going to assume that if you are reading this that you have some sort of faith story and believe that there might be something greater than you that is directing all of this. "Calling" in my world is a pretty specific type of experience where you are "called" by God into the ministry or to a particular place or location. Probably hard to define because it is a personal thing and often explanations can sound pretty subjective. But at the same time in my denomination (PCUSA) we have a process in place that helps to "affirm" the calling of people through the use of committees and other structures where you have to spend quite a bit of time convincing people that this "call" you have is actually real.
It sounds a bit strange I know so I want to ask some questions of people who are both in the Christian Faith and outside of it. My presupposition is that all people feel called to something and I'm wondering what that is for you. I'd love to have you either comment or e-mail me directly your thoughts.
Here's my simple questions:
1. What are you called to? I mean here to simply ask wherever you are at in your faith journey what do you feel you are supposed to do?
2. How do you feel about a particular religion or denomination holding on so tightly to this idea of "calling" to give them direction and ideas of how they should lead and where?
3. If you don't have a Christian Faith how does this idea of being "called" work out in whatever journey you are on?
I think the way we use that phrase in the PCUSA can be unhealthy at times. It puts so much focus on idea of the call and the process that we often reject people in ministry because they are not good “pitchmen.”
Dave- The concept of pitchman is something I resonate with. I hate thinking that when I go before a committee Im pitching them something like trying to get them to buy a used car. I agree it can be unhealthy but at the same time Ive seen it work in an incredible healthy way too. Heres to praying we see it healthy in our lives (tips his glass to Dave)
Lars Rood \\ Working to figure it all out
web: My Blog \\ Stream Youth \\ twitter \\ facebook \\
I felt a calling to enter church communcations about 10 years while still in the Christian radio field as a Promotions Director. Today, answering that call, I am vocationally in full-time church communications. Am I always thinking I’m in the right spot fulfilling that calling? Hmmmmm … Yes, sometimes.
I remember a church I attended years ago bringing on a new music minister who obviously felt called to move from out of state to fill the position. He lasted only a few months – a mutual agreement that he wasn’t a good “ministry fit.”
I do think, though, that we’re all intrinsically wired to live a life of significance in some way, for some reason other than our own selfish desires. Being called into something, whether you’re of Christian faith or not, surely means that Someone has called out your name as an invitation to join Him and His cause.
My $0.02
Thanks Roland- Great comments. I vibe with the call vs ministry fit part of your comment. Discernment is tough. Thats one of the things I like about the PCUSA is that the called process takes forever and has many levels of affirmation. You make it through that process and its probably real.
Lars Rood \\ Working to figure it all out
web: My Blog \\ Stream Youth \\ twitter \\ facebook \\