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Making the Most of the Journey

By Jennifer Gale

A pastor friend of mine recently read it takes an average of ten years before a person who has received a call from God into ministry sees that call fulfilled. Interesting, isn’t it? It seems that God typically takes time to grow and mature us before unleashing us upon His church.

That’s probably a good thing. After all, think of all that you have learned in the last 10 years that could help you in ministry today.

Living In-Between

The in-between time — the time between the call and its initial fulfillment — can be exciting and frustrating, stretching and disappointing. There is a restlessness that just won’t be satisfied until we realize that call.

• Take Jill, for instance. She graduated a few years ago from Bible college, but needed a job that paid the bills. She works full time and volunteers almost 20 hours a week at her church. She loves what she does for the church, but dreams of the day when she can serve a congregation full time.
• Then there’s Barbara who has worked all her life in business. Now in her 50s, she’s caught the “curve ball” God has thrown and enrolled in a long-distance Bible program as the first step on a journey to ministry credentials. She has no idea what her “ministry” will look like, but education is a good first step.
• Talisha completed a short-term assignment on the mission field as a helper to established missionaries. Overwhelmed by the need, she returned with dreams of serving in other countries. But it will be a few years — she needs to finish her degree, get ministry credentials, and raise several thousand dollars in support each month.
• Kristen felt a call to ministry as a college student, but married young and started a family. She’s involved in church, and while she has never regretted the choice to stay home with her young children, she longs to do “something more” when her kids start school.

Something More

We know, of course, all Christians are ministers, and we don’t have to be in leadership, or behind a pulpit, or in front of a crowd to do the work of Jesus. But those who sense a call from God to lead His people, to do a new work, or to venture into full-time service know the restlessness of anticipation that comes with the call. What is God going to do? Where will the doors open?

We can have volunteer and ministry opportunities galore, yet long for “something more.”

If you resonate with that desire for “something more,” then let me encourage you: God will complete the work He began in you. He does the amazing work of opening doors, putting the right people together at the right time, speaking to our hearts, and directing our paths. But you and I can cooperate with God in the process.

Making the Most of the In-Between

The women I know who are currently realizing or have fully realized their ministry dreams have taken very practical steps to cooperate with God. Of course, the paths to ministry are as varied as the women who take them, and often full of surprises. What follows are some of the more common steps women take on their journey to ministry.

1. Take a heart check. You’re not wasting time if you spend it seeking the Lord for His will and direction for your life. Cooperating with God in the “in-between” means understanding as best we can what He is doing and wants to do in us. It is easy to take a God-given call, and mentally flesh out the details on our own. Practice the art of giving the details to God — and it will take practice. He will always lead the willing and humble heart.

2. Get involved in your local church. This would seem to go without saying, but I have met many would-be ministers who fail to attend church regularly, much less involve themselves in ministry. The road to ministry begins with first steps. Show up to church. Get involved. Do what needs to be done. Some of the best-loved volunteers are those who say, “Pastor, what can I do for the church this week?” Those who are faithful get noticed. And surprisingly — or not so surprisingly — God orchestrates all of those miscellaneous tasks to mold us into the minister He wants us to be.

3. Tell your pastor about your call. Several years after I became a minister, I learned that my pastor wrote on my application for ministerial credentials, “I didn’t know she felt called into ministry.” Ooops! Granted, it was a huge church, but I missed out on what could have been my greatest source of wisdom and encouragement.

Your pastor is a natural resource for you as you grow into your ministry. Unfortunately, some women have found their pastor is either unwilling or unable to encourage them in their call. If that is the case, you may want to prayerfully consider if the Lord would have you stay under that ministry.

4. Test your call. Your involvement in the local church will help in this. Every experience, every ministry task will help you understand who you are and the call God has given you. Do you enjoy teaching? Do you look forward to meeting with others one-on-one for prayer? Do you like to organize ministry and fellowship events? Early practice in ministry will clarify your call. The response and encouragement of others will do the same.

5. Further your education. Ministers are spiritual leaders, but they are also professionals. And as in most professions, education is valued and esteemed. Many denominations require some biblical education of their ministers. It can cost you a large sum of money, but it is an investment that may do much more for you than meet a requirement.

• In an on-campus environment, you will be exposed to people with like-minds and hearts. Nothing will motivate you to fulfill your call to ministry like being surrounded by others on the same journey.
• On campus or off, God will speak to your heart as you study His Word. Time of focused study can yield tremendous spiritual growth.
• Opportunities available to you as part of the educational experience will expand your ability to “practice” ministry.
• Educators are often able to connect you with people who can help you find places of ministry.

6. Practice ministry. Once you have tested and confirmed your call, choose ministry opportunities that develop ministry skills. You might consider an internship. Ask your pastor, another church, or a ministry organization if you can volunteer to develop ministry skill. Don’t feel shy about asking. Not only will you bless that organization, but you will develop relationships and experience that might help you later. Internships look good on a resume.

7. Pursue ministry credentials. Ministry credentials put you “on the level” with other ministers in your denomination. They show that you are approved by your denomination, and provide you with much needed accountability. Credentials do not necessarily open the door to ministry, but they show your seriousness and commitment. Affiliation with a denomination opens the door to that group’s resources, networks, and opportunities.

8. Conduct interviews. One of the most valuable things I did as a young woman testing my call was to interview several people involved in ministry. If you are interested in missions, education, speaking, evangelism, or writing, then seek out people engaged in these ministries. Even a half-hour of their time can be revealing. How did they get where they are today? What education did they have? What do they like most about their job? What is most difficult? At the very least, you’ll have a better picture of their job. At the most, you might find the doorway to an internship or mentorship.

9. Pursue a mentor. If at all possible, find someone already doing the kind of ministry you would like to do, and ask him or her to invest in you as a mentor. Perhaps one of your interviewees would be willing. While it may seem a lot to ask of someone, many ministers are interested in giving of themselves to younger ministers. A mentoring relationship can take many different forms, and several books have been written that will help you develop one. Your mentor can be your cheerleader, your coach, your friend, and your confidant. Who wouldn’t want an encourager like that?

10. Attend ministerial functions. If local denominational ministerial meetings seem unproductive, think again. Valuable relationships begin and unexpected opportunities arise as you faithfully show up to ministerial functions. Other pastors learn your name. Local officials hear about your call to ministry. God most often works through his church to lead his people. Take advantage of these relationships.

All of these “steps” in some way serve the growth and maturation process, but growth rarely moves in a predictable, straight line. In reality, God develops several areas of our lives simultaneously.

The In-Between

The call … initial fulfillment of the call

Practice — Multiple ministry experiences, gift discovery, awareness of strengths, skill development

Knowledge — Biblical knowledge, leadership theory, exposure to ideas, procedure and process, state and legal obligations, awareness of resources

Relationships — Ministerial credentials, friendships with like-minded ministers, mentoring, local and denominational ministerial organizations

Spiritual Growth — Deepening relationship with Christ, understanding of call, sense of life purpose, growth in spiritual disciplines

I speak from experience when I say that the in-between can be full of faith as well as doubt. Cooperating with God in the process of growth will yield great rewards, not to mention great peace. And that sense of restlessness to realize our call can drive us to grow spiritually, relationally, practically, and academically, so that we may be sharp and seasoned tools ready to do the work when God says, “Now’s the time!”

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