Preparing for the Ministry—Part 2

8. Travel.

In earlier generations travel was expensive and difficult. Today it’s no big deal to go online, book a ticket, and fly to Spain or China or Kenya or Chile. Tom Friedman is right. The world is flat, and the future belongs to those who have multicultural experience. So take a semester and study abroad. Build an orphanage in Ecuador. Go to Russia and see the Hermitage. Ride a train through Europe. Spend a few months on a Mercy Ship. Put down the remote, stop playing video games, hop on a plane, and go see the world. It will give you new vision for the global cause of Christ. 

9. Serve the Lord now.

We used to say, “If you aren’t winning souls now, what makes you think you’ll win souls when you go to Thailand?” It’s a good point. One way to get ready for the ministry is to serve in small ways now. Teach Sunday School, sing in the choir, visit the sick, help in the kitchen, play the piano, be an usher, clean the altar, mow the grass, take Evangelism Explosion, type the bulletin, clean the church offices, speak at the nursing home, do whatever needs to be done.  A record of faithfulness in small things matters more than great potential never used.

10. Get a good education.

This probably matters more than it did 100 years ago. One year isn’t enough. Two years probably isn’t enough. Get a college degree if you can. Go to seminary if you have the desire. Billy Graham has said that he regrets not having done more ministry preparation. You’ll never regret the time spent getting the tools necessary to be effective. Can’t wait? Take online courses while you serve the Lord somewhere.

11. Stay involved in your local church.

What I mean is, don’t think that you can ditch the church and be successful in the ministry. You can’t. We’re all in this together. So have a church, be part of a church, stay close to your church. And don’t criticize your own church while preparing for the ministry. You need the accountability of other believers to help you grow spiritually. And they need your contributions. If no one else around you supports your desire to go into the ministry, maybe you should think about a career in auto repair. Generally speaking, God’s call comes through the church, not apart from the church. 

12. Get some real-world experience if you can.

You’ll have more credibility with people if you’ve had a “real job” somewhere along the line. Work at a bank, be an assistant coach, serve in the military, teach for a few years, work in an office, run a restaurant, start a business, learn how to handle money and people and all the problems that people routinely face in the business world. There is nothing like hiring and firing and balancing a budget (and maybe being laid off yourself) to give you empathy and believability in your ministry. 

13. Don’t be too picky early on.

Sometimes young people try to “game plan” their ministry career (an oxymoron, by the way) too carefully. Few of us spend our lifetime in the same place doing the same thing. There really isn’t any rule for what the first step should be. Small church? Large church? Rural? Suburban? Big city? Staff or senior pastor? Internship? I just shrugged my shoulders because who knows what you should do. I’m not saying, “Go through the first open door,” only that you shouldn’t try to figure out where you’ll be in 20 years. Only God knows that–and he’s not telling in advance. But don’t say no because it doesn’t advance your career. Take the opportunity that seems right at the time and leave the future in God’s hands.

14. If you ever stop learning, you’re finished.

Keep growing, keep reading, keep your eyes open, keep stretching, keep learning. Very few twenty-year-olds know what they’re doing. Come to think of it, very few fifty-six-year-olds do either. Your seminary degree probably opens a few doors, but it doesn’t guarantee anything. Keep growing!

As I said yesterday, these suggestions are not in any particular order so you can rearrange them any way you like. I think I’ve got at least one more day’s worth of thoughts to share. So tune in tomorrow. I would love to hear your comments on this topic. What’s your advice for a young person preparing for the ministry?

Visitor Comments:

January 27, 2009, 8:56 AM greg roberts says:
	i would add save money and get out of debt it is great tom be free.
January 27, 2009, 9:55 AM Ray Pritchard says:
	Great suggestion, Greg. I think I’ll add that to the list for tomorrow. Ray
January 27, 2009, 10:56 PM Diane says:
	What is “Evangelism Explosion"?
January 28, 2009, 8:18 AM Ray Pritchard says:
	Evangelism Explosion is a very popular, local church-based evangelism training program. I was trained in it years ago and found it very helpful.
January 28, 2009, 11:18 AM Tom Sturch says:
	Greg: You’ve done a great job with sharing the importance of pursuing human excellence, our Imago Dei. It is too often overlooked. We naturally assume that young Christians are already practicing the disciplines of the faith. But with apologies I will offer the obvious: Jesus is central. Commune with Him, study Him, act like Him, create in Him, lean on Him and share Him with everyone you meet. (Hope I have not stolen thunder.)
January 28, 2009, 6:55 PM patrick.sullivan at tpg dot com.au says:
British / Australian . Retired Pastor. Hospital Chaplain. Creator and Webmaster of www.jesuschristonly.com	Hi Ray. This theme on preparing for the ministry is great and so practical. One or two points I would mention is it is so important that the church takes an active part in encouraging people to look at the ministry as a life choice. “If no one else around you supports your desire to go into the ministry, maybe you should think about a career in auto repair. Generally speaking, God’s call comes through the church, not apart from the church. Well said Ray . One gem of advice an older brother gave me as a young man was to “trust the church and its judgements as to your ministry”. He gave me an illustration “ Some young brother thinks he is Gods gift to the church in the pulpit, yet he is never asked to preach in his local church, or ever called back to other church’s after a service.” IE The church and its members and leadership is a good guide to gifting for young people. Blessings Pat
March 10, 2009, 6:20 AM navalpride says:
	Thank you for this article. It is great to have a Pastor give sage advice to those who are called to minister to the flock. I received my call five years ago and ‘the plan’ ran afoul man’s designs and decisions. I took the opportunities God provided for and became a chaplain for an extended care facility. My Barnabas said he looks forward to the day God puts me in front of a congregation. Even if that never happens, God provides me with opportunities each day to minister to the flock. Whatever God’s picture of my calling is, I will walk faithfully into the deep end of the pool....knowing my God is in control and I am just His servant. Blessings brother, Jim
March 12, 2009, 11:53 PM Questionably Me? says:
	Wow! These 21 lists of things mentioned advising a youth preparing for ministry hit my heart. These are unmistakenably great comments! I am in my mid thirties and have had an impact on my heart for many years to be more involved in ministry. A little over a year and a half ago my church ordained me as a deacon. That is something I have never thought of being, yet desired all the more to become a pastor. The greatest enemy is myself. Sometimes I feel my heart is prepared and most other times question what my true motives are. Reading 2 Chronicles where King Amaziah did right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect (whole) heart brings me to question again what my motives truly are. Is it to build the kingdom of God or to build confidence in myself? Thank you so very much for your insight and wisdom that you have shared. —-In Christ’s Love—-
April 14, 2009, 7:33 AM Ray Pritchard says:
	God bless you all for writing. Remember that these are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. If God has truly called you, he will give you whatever you need to serve him effectively. I find that the “call” doesn’t guarantee a particular position or an outcome. But it mean that that where God guides, he provides if we will follow him. Sometimes (often!) God’s call requires not only preparation but also a great deal of patience as we wait for further leading. Ray