EXPLORE UTI OFFICE OF VOCATIONS

DETERMINING THE CALL TO PASTORAL MINISTRY

From UTI Office of Vocations

Revd (Engr.) Loveday Nwafor
Director of Vocations

UTI Vocations Advisor

The call to ministry is both subjective and objective.

One must, of course, have a desire to minister to God’s people in this capacity and Paul says that such a desire is a good thing (1 Tim. 3:1). Gone are the days in which a young John Chrysostom could be placed into such a position against his will. Certainly the providence of God was at work considering how mightily he was used of God in his time and culture but most would agree his experience should be the exception and not the rule.

There must, however, be some objective validation of one’s internal sense calling. In the passage cited above, the desire to serve is followed by a list of qualification, implying that not everyone should serve in this capacity. A person may feel called and have honorable intentions but simply not be gifted or qualified to serve in such a capacity. 

Those who have served as ministers can usually provide a good assessment of whether or not the candidate is both qualified and capable of serving. Seeking and successfully completing some measure of theological education is also a good indicator since someone in pastoral ministry must be a teacher and to be a teacher one must first (a) be teachable himself as well as (b) be trained to carry out the functions and duties specific to this role. If one cannot persevere in this, one should consider his sense of calling.