I Hope They Ordain Me, pt. 1 of 3

I was ordained in my home church the year I finished graduate school and one year before I entered seminary.  I didn’t really want to be ordained.  I got convinced by a few people that it was something to do.  I think back to that decision, to that time, and laugh at myself because I went kicking and screaming.

Now, I am finishing up the process of ordination for our denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Church, and my attitude is completely different.  Because I’m in a new denomination, I had to pursue its ordination in order to serve.  Well, I didn’t have to.  But it was very clear to me that ordination was a good idea. 

 As I prepare to write my paper describing my understanding of the “Central Affirmations,” along with several of my own theological understandings of the church, the role of a pastor, and the person and work of Jesus in both of them; as I look forward to an interview in October and piecing together my profile and “examples of proclamation” for the various committees and departments, I think it’s healthy to remind myself why I do the things I do.  And I’m sharing them with you.

I realize that everyone who works at a job, who serves in a particular role, doesn’t feel called to that job or role.  But I encourage you to think about why you’re up to the things you are.  Whether you do feel a sense of call or conviction for what you do.  Whether you should even.

Here’s an example of some of the things I need to spend the next couple weeks fleshing out for my process:

1. Ordination has to mean something.  I’ve been ordained before, by a local church, and if ordination hasn’t taken on deeper meaning for me, that’s a problem.  Being a professional religious person has its benefits but it has pitfalls.  Sacrifices come.  Often.  As I say yes to ordination, I do so with a better understanding that’s come with a few more years of pastoral ministry.
2. I’m made for a congregation.  As much as I enjoy writing and talking to people about solutions to problems, I think the best place for me to do that is within a church.  I’ve struggled for years to find contentment in the church as  a staff person.  I’ve felt comfortable in other settings, and still do.  But even though I’m comfortable doing other things and even with my struggles, I get to serve in a general way, inside a congregation, that captures what I enjoy.
3. I love people.  I love to serve people.  I love to see people change, even when that change takes a long time.  One of the books on my desk is titled, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.”  It’s by Eugene Peterson and it’s a book about Christian discipleship.  It describes how slow following Jesus is, how tedious looking at Jesus and following his steps, if you will, can be.  It’s a reminder–just the title–that what I do is slow work.  But I love it.
4. I don’t always love people.  When you love and don’t love people, the best place for that movement is the church.  If there is a place where I should be honest about my feelings about the people I work with and for and alongside, it’s God’s church. 
5. Other people think my being here is a good idea.  This can be slippery, but I’ve lived my life hearing or ignoring a community’s affirmation of my purpose.  When I started working in churches, I asked people whether they thought I was suited for it.  Even though I didn’t follow my mother’s first advice to not work in the church, I have listened to many others along my way so far.
6. Invoking God never gets old.  I am not the type to say what God told me.  Least not often.  It sounds suspicious and presumptuous.  It’s easily misunderstood, that language.  Then, again, I do feel an inner sense and conviction that God has summoned me for ministry.  Made me for it.  And how do you argue with a person who believes they hear from the mostly unseen Creator of eveything that is seen?