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.
That's sweet.
Sometimes God takes us in a direction that we never thought we would go…the key is being willing to go [when he says too].
Amen and amen! Thanks for the suppor, Dawniele.
I have no doubt you are supposed to be writing, speaking, TEACHing. It's fun to see you discover the path God has so clearly laid out for you. And it's more fun to see you in person…which I will get to do TOMORROW.
CAN'T WAIT! I'm making Mexican. I hope you like your food spicy!!!
"I saw broken people who wanted to love God but didn’t know how." — I'm one of those people. I see how much joy people have who love God with all their heart and faithfulness, and I want to be that passionate. I analyze things to death, though! I bring so much science into it all, and I yearn to see how the two can play nicely together and just make sense.
The quandry of so many, Zach! Instead on focusing on the analytical side, what DO you know? What can you be positively sure about? You're loved. Forgiven. Accepted. Those are cornerstones in our faith. The paradox of Christian faith is the more we allow ourselves to walk down the road of letting God lead, the more we know what God has for us.
Hang in there…
That's EXACTLY how I feel about people in general. Love. Forgiveness. Acceptance. Rough example: I'm in Denver with a blizzard (and New Year's Eve) on the way, so what do I do? Run off to the grocery store with all the other last-minute people freaking out. 😀 Full House! But it was like synchronized swimming in there with the shopping carts. I remained relaxed and smiled at whomever made eye contact with me. Any effort to help others remain calm – or help others in any way in any situation … that's the kind of person I am and the peace I wish everyone could experience.
That is a gift – to see “beyond the veneer of happiness and the facade of perfection”. After too many years without it, it’s here now for me – in truth I’m a little overwhelmed by it. But it’s love, and it’s God – so I’m good. I know I’m not speaking alone when I say I’m glad that you “volunteered” for Tahoe. God Bless and keep.
Thanks, Craig. Happy New Year to you and yours 🙂
you preach. teach. write. in the name of LOVE. that's why others are so drawn to you. =]
im glad you do. your words are ministering and blessings lots of people.
keep on writing, preaching, teaching and loving. =] hoping 2011 brings even greater surprises and blessings along your way. (and hopefully a meet up someway, somehow since we both live in SoCal will be great too!)
yes..i am with Craig! I am so glad you volunteered…you have brought inspiration to us all!
This is refreshing. I've been thinking that I've lost the reason why I serve in ministry and how it's been muddled in the last few months due to circumstances and I was secretly hoping you would discuss about this topic (it's an answered prayer).
Can't wait to hear more. Thank you. 🙂
Love you!
Love you, Lily! I'm glad you liked it.
"I hated teenagers. They smelled like b.o. and OXY pads."
I literally laughed out loud when I read this because this is EXACTLY what I thought when I was approached by our youth pastor to start volunteering in our youth ministry. I thought I was too big of a mess and had too many of my own issues to deal with to even consider leading and teaching teenagers. They were so annoying! (and sometimes still are – haha!)
And now – 3 years later, I can't even imagine my life without this ministry. I am challenged and blessed on a daily basis more than I thought possible, and God pushes me beyond the boundaries I have set for myself to prove that through HIM I can do anything. I see so much of myself in some of them, and it's so humbling to know that as we teach and guide, we ourselves are being taught and guided.
Thank you for this post – and for the clarity it brings 🙂
Thanks for writing about this Bianca. It's a question I have wanted to ask for a while.
For me it's a bit different in that I actually feel that God has called me to ministry (not necessarily full time) and I'm trying to work that through with other issues I have regarding seeking approval from people and current family circumstances.
I would also like to ask how you prepare yourself for preaching and teaching. How do you study God's word? What other reading do you do and would you recommend?! Do you plan what you're going to preach/teach/write and then study relevant passages and texts or do you let God lead (I realise that this is a very complex question and that it may be a bit of both!)? I feel as though I will never know enough or have studied enough to 'be good enough' to teach others. But I also feel that God has put a real passion on my heart to teach others, particularly women. I know that this is part of a personal battle for me and that it is only by God's grace and strength that any of us can do anything for God!!!
This has turned into a rather lengthy comment!
Thanks again for sharing with us…and for always being open to God using you in so many ways! x
Hey Lindsay! I LOVE your comments! I always do.
Honestly, my prep goes a little something like this:
Pray. Cry. Pray more. Cry more. Feel like a loser. Read a scripture. Get encouraged. Pray again. And plow through the text over and over and over again.
I wish I was more polished. I wish I was less dramatic, but when dispensing the Word of God I'm always afraid of making a mistake, sounding like an idiot, or not knowing how to respond. It is with great fear I create an outline with the end in mind.
Start with the end in mind.
What is the point of the text? Then work backwards 🙂 Hope this helps!
My favorite part: "I don’t have money. I have school. I have to wash my hair." Ha! 🙂
I feel the exact same way, Bianca. Never wanted to sing. Never wanted to be in ministry. Feels like i can barely make it daily trying to be an obedient child… But then there's grace that enables us to do more than we could ever think possible and go beyond ourselves. And there's the higher calling from Him to be about His work that one who loves Him can't ignore. And lastly there's pure and simple obedience, which is required of us and more precious to God than sacrifices… It all goes back to trusting Him and moving forward, knowing His call is His equipping! Keep serving, sistah!
Oh Isabelle, your words are so true and such an encouragement! I love hearing from you. Thinking of you today…
Mrs B… to this day I have never heard anybody preach it, teach it , and dance it the way you do. I must admit it was weird sitting under you on the first day but MAN YOU ROCKED THE HOUSE THAT NIGHT!
So you’re the Pastor’s daughter, who better to represent Pancho than his children. He is truly a wonderful, God loving man.
Be blessed!
What an awesome story! Thank you for sharing. A growing part of me would love to work in ministry, but as they say "I gotz billz to pay". (I'm about to finish an MBA and student loans are killer)
Every time I'm in church, whether it's for a small group bible study, Sunday morning service or a couple's Valentine dinner, I feel it is where I belong. I don't know if this feeling/urging will lead to greater things, but I hope so. Am glad you followed through and served at Lake Tahoe.
Godspeed on your journey.
Happy New Year!
Really wishing my xml feed had a like button attached to it 🙂
Loved this. Thank you for pursuing it!
If there's one thing I know, it seems that women who get into teaching and speaking and do it well NEVER plan on it. They just accept it. You know that quote from Chariots of Fire about "when I run, I feel God's pleasure…" I think that each of us needs to find that thing, feel that feeling, and then stay the course. So glad we've connected in 2010, Bianca!
When I run I feel God's pleasure.
Um, can I copy that? I loved that quote!
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