Thanks to all who answered my question, “What simple advice would you give to a person about to begin full-time pastoral or diaconal ministry?” More answers than I could process in a day but scanning them showed one overwhelming hope: Be approachable, be outgoing, be one of us.
A few years ago, the Association of Theological Schools published an article about seminary education. “Simply teaching the basic skills of preaching and teaching will not help students assemble the disparate pilgrims moving through the city to hear what they have to say. Simply ensuring adequate scriptural and theological knowledge may or may not help a student hear the halting questions of a young adult who has never been to church… All the things seminaries have learned to do are still essential, but they are no longer sufficient. Today’s religious leaders have to invite people into a spiritual community where worship introduces connections to God, fellowship introduces connection to one another, and service introduces connections to a larger mission in the world.” (Nancy Ammerman, “America’s Changing Religious and Cultural Landscape and its Implications for Theological Education” in “Theological Education,” 2014).
I know Concordia Seminary is doing this, other theological schools throughout the United States are as well, and many are moving in this direction. St. Paul said, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). That obviously applies to our graduates and to all church workers but note that Paul addressed his words to all the people, lay and pastors, in the Corinthian congregations. The qualities you identified should be seen in us all, a work that the Spirit of Christ himself can do in us. Together we are members of the Body of Christ, and He is our Head.
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