It’s probably one of the hardest questions I’m asked. Right up there with quantum physics and magnetic solar properties. My saving grace is that I don’t know the mechanics of quantum physics, the properties of solar magnetics, or how I got started, but it works. And until something forces me to question the functionality, I will continue to trust it’s working well because—it’s working.
Let me clarify.
For those interested in ministry and wondering about diving into teaching, I can’t sell you a Speakers Learning Guide or a DVD set on Becoming A Teacher. [1. I would never sell cheesy infomercial stuff like that, and 2. I’m not an authority in this field of ministry.] But what I can share are some of the things I learned along the way.
Thanks to Laura Wachowiak from Buffalo, New York, and others who have asked this question, I’m free to share my journey with you.
I never pursued ministry. In fact, I never wanted to be on staff at my church simply because my last name matched the pastor’s last name and to me, that was like ministerial nepotism. Ironically, I’m the pastor’s kid on staff… and I couldn’t be more proud to be a representation of my father, both earthly and spiritual.
I began volunteering at the church during my first semester of graduate school. My classes were at night and I would go into the office twice a week to clean or answer phones. One day the new youth pastor was in the copy room on his cell phone begging a leader to attend their youth summer camp the following week. Exasperated and seemingly desperate, he hung up the phone unable to get one female leader to attend camp.
I know a thing or two at acting like a good Christian. So I did what any good Christian would do: I offered to help with youth camp. But here’s the thing, I DIDN’T MEAN IT! I just said it to be nice. I hated teenagers. They smelled like b.o. and OXY pads. Furthermore, I didn’t think he’d accept?! When he did, I immediately back peddled. I don’t have money. I have school. I have to wash my hair.
A week later I was in Lake Tahoe with 100 teens cooking in a kitchen at 5:30am and preparing a girl’s bible study that night. It was the best week of my ministerial life. While discussing the importance of Venus razors, who not to date, and what shoes to wear to prom, I fell in love with people. I began to see beyond the veneer of happiness and the facade of perfection—I saw broken people who wanted to love God but didn’t know how.
And that was it.
From that week in Lake Tahoe until now, I’ve been committed to loving people and helping them see God through teaching His word. I’m not fancy, I don’t have a private jet, I work two jobs, and there’s nothing glorious seeing your failures and faults in the light of God’s word, but I love what I do and serving in ministry is what helped me see that.
Tomorrow’s vlog will be dedicated to serving in ministry and what that specifically looks like in what I do. My hope is that we can all find our purpose and calling by giving back through ministry… whether inside or outside of the church.
I hope this answered Laura’s question, but if not, feel free to ask 🙂 Tomorrow’s vlog will be about what it looks like to serve in ministry; the good, bad, and ugly.
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