With so many people answering the call to serve as a pastor faithfully throughout the years, it would be normal to think that it would be an easy path. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
The call of pastoring and the vocation of pastoral ministry don’t have one apparent road to the destination. Each denomination handles the ordination of pastors differently. That can muddy the process as well for someone who is not acquainted with it. However, a denomination can be a great asset to assist someone who wants a more straightforward path to becoming a pastor.
The one pursuing this call must understand the difference between simply being ordained and becoming a pastor of a local church. Many websites will ordain anyone for their fee. Having the title “reverend” doesn’t make anyone a pastor. Becoming the pastor of a local church is a much deeper process.
Here are 8 steps to help someone discover the path to becoming a pastor.
1. Identify the Call Versus the Desire
It is easy to have a desire to be a pastor. It looks glamorous to be on a stage. But, pastoral ministry is a calling, not a career choice. Pastoral ministry has a high burnout rate and is a very demanding “job.” When God calls someone for this task, He also equips them with grace gifts to fulfill the call. However, if God does not call someone, then they will not be gifted to fulfill the role or finish the role. It will chew them up and spit them out. So, the person has to differentiate between a call and a strong desire.
2. Find a Pastor to Mentor You in Discerning Your Call
Once someone realizes there is a possible call to ministry, they will need to find a pastor to help them discern this call. It needs to be someone they can trust and someone who will speak the truth to them in love. A good pastor will not just encourage their protege but also warn them of the rigors of ministry. And the pastor can let them know if their ultimate call may not be ministry. These are tough words to hear, but it would be better to hear them on the front end instead of a lot of heartache on the backend.
3. Zero in on What Your Best Contribution Will Be to Church Ministry
(Hint: Not Everyone Will Make a Great Lead Pastor)
Following the call will take many resources and mentors to help discern the call and the contribution. The contribution is what God may be calling a specific person to in ministry. There are more positions than just a senior pastor. In the past, a call to ministry was tied to a call to be a senior pastor. That is no longer the case. The pursuant will need to take personality profile tests and spiritual gifting tests and get feedback from trusted spiritual leaders on what they excel at and what they are poor at in the ministry. Once the person has a more focused direction, then they can move to find what training will be best for their specific call to ministry.
4. Find Affordable and Appropriate Training/Schooling for the Desired Role
After discerning your calling, find a mentor who is currently in ministry or pastoring. Then focus on what contribution God is calling you to.
After that, you can look for schools and training for that area of expertise: youth ministry, children’s ministry, worship/production ministry, connections/guest services, church planting, or being a senior pastor. There are great colleges and universities to pursue a general ministry degree with a minor in that focus. And in today’s world, there are a ton of online classes and resources to train someone in their specific, desired area of contribution.
Someone pursuing the call to ministry also needs to count the cost of school loans versus how much they may make in their role. This will help them figure out which route is best for them. Financial stress can hurt a pastor or staff member by causing them to choose a job based mainly on the salary package they are to receive.
5. Get Experience in a Local Church by Serving in EVERY Capacity to Understand How a Church Works
Universities, colleges, and seminaries are not here to help someone get cross-trained in practical ministry. They provide a more general approach by helping the student with theology and generic preaching classes. So, to have credible experience and add value when you are hired, you will need to get hands-on training in the local church. This place should be somewhere that has vibrant ministry programs that can be reproduced.
Most people pursuing pastoral ministry are only interested in preaching. Preaching is the “biggest smallest” part of what they will do. When a church hires a staff member or a pastor, they are looking for someone with expertise to solve a problem they currently have. Many graduates have no idea when it comes to “how” to do ministry. So, volunteering or interning in a model church environment will help greatly with this.
6. Look for an Organization to Work with You to Get Ordained
As schooling takes place, the potential pastor needs to pray and seek out which denomination or organization they feel most comfortable partnering with in regard to ordination. This can be a network, fellowship, or denomination. Theological beliefs, ministry values, and relationships are key indicators of alignment. The potential pastor shouldn’t look for the easiest route but a group that will hold them accountable and ask the hard questions.
Ordination is a significant part of this. Ordination is when other spiritual leaders affirm the call. Paul did this for Timothy. Paul had this done for him and Barnabas in Acts 13. People scoff all the time at “ordination,” not being Biblical. It is very Biblical and necessary.
7. Begin to Look for Entry-Level Opportunities in a Part-Time or Volunteer Role at First
One of the greatest mistakes of someone pursuing ministry is simply looking for a job that will pay them money at first. It is easy to take a job because of a salary package without considering qualifications or the need for experience. A potential pastor should work bi-vocationally to learn at first before launching out to lead. Many have launched out to lead too early, realizing they were under-trained and ill-equipped. It would be better to volunteer or be part-time at a growing, vibrant church instead of taking the quick paycheck at a church known for high pastoral turnover.
8. Seek Out a Lead Position or the Desired Position
This is the last step. The pastor will need ordination, education, experience, and a clear call before being ready for their first assignment. The worst-case scenario would be someone skirting all the hard work in this process to become a pastor as quickly as possible. This will show up eventually in their ministry.
If you are considering pastoral ministry, consider these 8 things. It would be helpful to complete a “motive evaluation.” Do you ultimately feel a call to ministry? Why are you interested in pursuing pastoral ministry? Once you answer these questions and can confirm the call, get started!
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