Vocation: A Matter of Gifts, Passions, and Needs
By: The Rev. William J. Fasel, D.Min.
Assistant to the Bishop for Leadership Development, Diocese of West Missouri
Ministry Developer, Northeast Episcopal Regional Ministry
Chair, Bishop Kemper School for Ministry
In AD 374, the governor of the Roman province of Aemilia-Liguria was asked to intervene in a bitter controversy over the election of a new bishop. As he worked to keep the peace between the factions, the people suddenly and loudly began to proclaim that he should be the new bishop. Only a catechumen at the time, the governor, who is now remembered as Saint Ambrose, was quickly baptized and then ordained.
There are similar stories throughout church history of persons who did not seek out a ministry, but were called by their peers or community. Saint Augustine was held hostage by the people of Hippo until he agreed to be ordained priest. Fabian was elected bishop of Rome when a pigeon landed on his head. We remember these people today because they proved to be good and capable leaders.
In the last few centuries, we have largely forgotten this part of our history and fallen into a pattern of passively waiting for persons to self-identify for ministries. This has worked okay, but the discernment of our Christian ministries should work both ways. God and the Church “call” people to ministry.
Our ecclesiastical term for such “callings,” vocation, means just that. Vocare is the Latin word meaning “to call.”
All Christians are called to ministry. Some mistakenly believe that call only pertains to ordained ministry, but that is not true. Most of us are called to lay ministries. These lay ministries are just as important as ordained ministries, and the Church could not function without them.
Another misconception is that God has chosen one specific ministry for each of us, and we must somehow figure out what it is. What kind of God would set us up like that? Would God really say, “I’ve chosen a ministry for you, but I won’t tell you what it is.”
No, God’s will for us is rather general. God’s will can be summarized rather easily in the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, or the Baptismal Covenant (BCP 304-305) or the Catechism:
Within that framework there are many different ways we can serve God, and God allows us to choose what it will be.
God gives all of us gifts for ministry. For example, some people have a gift for speech, while others have gifts for listening. Some of us are just naturally good at caring for others. Some of us have the gift of inspiring (or nagging) us into doing those things we ought. Our spiritual gifts will help point us toward possible vocations in the Church.
Another input to vocational discernment are our passions: what do we love to do? What do we care about?
The final major input to vocational discernment is the needs of the community—and that could be either the needs of the church community, the needs of the larger community in which we live and work, or both.
From time to time, we all need to reflect on those three major inputs—our gifts, our passions, and the needs of the community—in order to discern what ministries we may be called to.
As we mature and gain experience, and as the world around us changes, our vocations will likely change as well. So, vocational discernment is an ongoing discipline of Christian formation.
There are similar stories throughout church history of persons who did not seek out a ministry, but were called by their peers or community. Saint Augustine was held hostage by the people of Hippo until he agreed to be ordained priest. Fabian was elected bishop of Rome when a pigeon landed on his head. We remember these people today because they proved to be good and capable leaders.
In the last few centuries, we have largely forgotten this part of our history and fallen into a pattern of passively waiting for persons to self-identify for ministries. This has worked okay, but the discernment of our Christian ministries should work both ways. God and the Church “call” people to ministry.
Our ecclesiastical term for such “callings,” vocation, means just that. Vocare is the Latin word meaning “to call.”
All Christians are called to ministry. Some mistakenly believe that call only pertains to ordained ministry, but that is not true. Most of us are called to lay ministries. These lay ministries are just as important as ordained ministries, and the Church could not function without them.
Another misconception is that God has chosen one specific ministry for each of us, and we must somehow figure out what it is. What kind of God would set us up like that? Would God really say, “I’ve chosen a ministry for you, but I won’t tell you what it is.”
No, God’s will for us is rather general. God’s will can be summarized rather easily in the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, or the Baptismal Covenant (BCP 304-305) or the Catechism:
- “The duty of all Christians is to follow Christ; to come together week by week for corporate worship; and to work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom of God.” (BCP 856)
Within that framework there are many different ways we can serve God, and God allows us to choose what it will be.
God gives all of us gifts for ministry. For example, some people have a gift for speech, while others have gifts for listening. Some of us are just naturally good at caring for others. Some of us have the gift of inspiring (or nagging) us into doing those things we ought. Our spiritual gifts will help point us toward possible vocations in the Church.
Another input to vocational discernment are our passions: what do we love to do? What do we care about?
The final major input to vocational discernment is the needs of the community—and that could be either the needs of the church community, the needs of the larger community in which we live and work, or both.
From time to time, we all need to reflect on those three major inputs—our gifts, our passions, and the needs of the community—in order to discern what ministries we may be called to.
As we mature and gain experience, and as the world around us changes, our vocations will likely change as well. So, vocational discernment is an ongoing discipline of Christian formation.