“What should I do to become a pastor?”
Recently a young man asked me this question via text message. I imagine you have been asked the same question by someone in your congregation—an eager person looking to take the next step in their spiritual growth. You probably have a safe guess as to what my answer was, especially since I am the director of the Western Seminary Seattle Teaching Site. We all know the assumed logic in America for landing a career:
1. Decide what to do with your life.
2. Go to school to learn the skillset.
3. Graduate from said school.
4. Get hired for a job using that skillset.
Now substitute “school” with “seminary,” and voilà! You have a career in pastoring … right?
You might be surprised to learn that this isn’t the answer I texted back to the aspiring pastor, and it isn’t the answer I hope pastors give congregants who ask the same question. In the Bible, those God called to shepherd his people didn’t ...
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