Protestant seminaries are not the places they used to be several decades ago. Historically, seminaries have understood their mission to be the training and forming the next generation of pastoral leadership in the local parish - period. This is not necessarily the case today. I have roughly 100 friends on Facebook that I made while I was in Princeton. Of the folks that have graduated, about half, I can name you no more than six that are in ordained ministry at this moment – and it isn’t for a lack of ordained opportunities.

Many of my friends are engaging in ministry in different ways. Some are working in churches and cannot or do not want to be ordained. Some are working on becoming fully qualified chaplains in hospitals and care centers. Some are furthering their education by pursuing more graduate study. Some work at Christian camps or retreat centers. Some have gone abroad to do ministry in other countries. Some work with non-profits. Some have gone into public school or community college teaching. A few work at the mall.

No matter where they are or what their particular means of garnering income may be, they are furthering the mission of Christ in some way, shape, or form. They have answered God’s call for their lives and are doing what they feel led to do. For ministry is not the province of the titled or the educated. The work of Christ is not to be confined in a particular building or location. Our call to be stewards of the Kingdom of God is not contained in our occupation.

When we call out to Christ, Christ calls out to us to help carry out his mission to the ends of the earth. Wherever we are at in life at this moment, Christ calls us into community and stewardship of his Kingdom because each of us has something for the Kingdom.

As our new program year kicks off this month, I will be inviting each one of us to discern how Christ is calling us into ministry. I have no doubt that some of us have been let down by others in the past when we sought to be in ministry. To be in the Church is to be let down on occasion – I have done significant ministry in four other churches and have felt let down at one time or another. Yet, we must press on. I humbly ask that you give it another try.

Your Elders and I are committed to making Linden Presbyterian a place where each person is encouraged to share the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given them and cultivate each member’s identity as a minister.

If you have an idea, question, or concern about our Kingdom work please feel free to contact me.

May the Triune God richly bless you this month,

810.735.5755
pastorseth@lindenpres.com