I think I’ve finally figured out how to answer this portion of the essay. 😀
-Reflect on your current understanding of the particular ministry to which you feel called (pastor, diaconal ministry, associate in ministry, deaconess) and your assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, gifts, convictions and concerns related to this ministry.
My current understanding of the pastoral ministry is that a pastor is the following:
- An equipper. Part of my job as pastor would be to equip people for the ministries they face in their lives. As Lutherans, we believe in the priesthood of all believers. This means that all of us are ministers in one way or another, whether it is the pastoral ministry to which I feel called or working as a teacher in the public schools. A public school teacher has just as much of a ministry as I do, and it is my job to equip them with the skills needed to reach out to the students. Within the church, I would need to help people discern where their gifts lie and how they can use their talents and gifts to benefit the community within the church and beyond its walls. My strength in this area is my love of people and the ability to brainstorm ideas with people. I am also wonderful at organizing things, though I would function more in an advisory capacity, rather than the role of chief organizer. My weakness in this area is that I tend to worry about how things will turn out. I am working on the concept of leaving things in God’s hands and not worrying about if someone will do well at something or if a project will come to fruition.
- A mediator of the sacraments. As an ordained minister, I would be baptizing people, presiding over the Eucharist, proclaiming the Word, and being with people in times of crisis. In the past, the pastor was the leader of a spiritual community and looked to for words from God and called on to perform Masses and baptisms. This has changed in that there is now more lay involvement in the church, but people would still look to me for sacramental concerns and for guidance in times of trouble. A strength in this area is my ability to listen. As an introvert, I tend to be silent and listen more than I tend to speak. By doing this, I can size up the situation more easily. I also can think creatively and would work with people to find a solution or someone who could help them more easily than I could. My only weakness is that I occasionally tend to panic because I do care about people and their problems. I am working to let people live their own lives and rather provide advice than try to solve their problem. I understand that I am not to be a therapist, but instead someone who can help guide people to others who can provide them with the help they need.
- A teacher. Aside from mediating the sacraments, I would also be teaching people about God as part of my outreach to the community at large. This instruction comes through preaching, but also through Christian education. I believe strongly in passing on the faith to the younger generations, which means that I’d be teaching it to them in their First Communion and Confirmation classes, but also by having them in church. A large part of my instruction, however, would come from my personal example. How can I tell people that they need to pray and engage in devotional practices if I am not doing that every day?
tell me what you think, especially if you’re a pastor-type person or a missionary type person. 🙂