I was recently talking with a colleague about their sense of
call. Was God calling them to a new place; telling them to settle down in their
present location; or to come to a new sense of call.
As we talked several different biblical stories came to
mind. The first was Genesis 12:1. The command is “go.” The second was Exodus
12:31-32. Pharaoh told Moses and the Israelites to “get the hell out of here.”
The third was Jeremiah’s counsel to the Israelites in captivity (Jeremiah
29:4-7). They are told to settle down, “to bloom where they were planted.” The
fourth was Jesus’ call to disciples, “Come, follow me” (Matthew 4:19). One
which just came to my mind is “I am sending you out…” (Mathew 10:16). Of
course, the big on is “Go, make disciples….” (Matthew 28:19).
It is interesting, as I juxtapose those directions, to ask
the question am I being called to go, to settle down where I am, to get the
hell out of here, to come, or to be sent. At one time or another, every
minister has struggle to discern God’s call. In a time when there are fewer
fulltime pastoral positions those who are seeking a first call sometimes wait
months, if not years, for that first call to become a reality. It sure is not
like it was when I graduate from seminary in 1973. Then there were more
congregations looking for a pastor than those seeking calls.
In midlife there are a few things which tend to encourage
ministers to settle down. A mortgage, an employed spouse and children in school
tend to make either going, coming or being sent difficult to do. Even with a
slightly improved housing market there is no guarantee of being able to sell
the house for enough to pay off the mortgage and have some money left for a
down payment on a home in a new location. There is no guarantee that a spouse
will be able to secure a comparable position in a new location. As the children
get older and more ensconced in schools activities, it is hold to pluck them up
by the roots and hope they will thrive in a new school.
It seems every congregation which is looking for a pastor
does not want somebody without experience or who is looking at retirement in
the next ten years or so. It can be really difficult for ministers to relocate
after they are 55 years old. That is strange because they have had years of
experience and gained in wisdom. There is no reason for congregations to assume
a younger pastor will attract younger members. Young families do not need a
pastor who is their peer. In my younger years, I served a congregation which
was growing with younger families. I did not have enough maturity to really
provide wise counsel for them. We fought like siblings. It reached a point where
we were so embroiled in conflict that I had to leave.
Discerning our calls today is a significant endeavor. Are we
to go, to settle down, to get the hell out, or are we being sent? There not a
singular biblical options. There is not a singular option which applies to
everybody all the time. How can we be faithful disciples in answering God’s
call upon our life? Where does our personal context influence how we hear and
respond to God’s call? At one time, Presbyterians spoke of permanent and
temporary calls. A permanent call carried the implication that the pastor and
congregation would be bound to one another, and not seeking after another. Now,
all calls seem to be temporary.
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