Category: Spiritual Formation

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Next Move

I have spent a lot of time thinking about the “what” questions as I ponder about my encore career. I have already had four or five career changes so what’s one more? The answer I have come up with to the question of purpose is simply to come along side others and walk with them in their sojourning, offering advice when asked and helping them to draw closer to God. In my current job the only tweak is that I am helping people navigate the use of technology in their teaching, but then again maybe this helps them draw closer to God as well.

In ministry context, this is what I am doing with my work at Lino on Monday nights with my group of men. In the fall I begin training for a new ministry opportunity through my church where I will be trained to work one on one with a person who is in need of someone to listen to their story for a while. These two opportunities begin to answer the “how” and “where” questions I am thinking about now.

How do I carry out my purpose is the question of the hour now. Do I keep on doing what I am doing – part-time volunteer ministry, full-tme career? Do I seek a different career path all together in a church or para-church setting? Do I start some sort of ministry on my own?

I share this with all of you because these questions are ones that I think we all thing about at times. My thinking and pondering has probably risen to the level of obsession, but that is simply the adventure that God has brought me on. My question to you is what are the gifts and talents that God has given to you to use to build up the body of Christ? These could be spiritual gifts, natural talents or acquired skills. They are probably the same gifts and talents you use everyday. Have you ever thought about how you could use them for Kingdom work as well? In Romans 12 Paul writes about every believer not only knowing their part but doing it to the benefit of others and to glorify God.

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Position Desired – Soul Care Pastor

For the last few days I have been thinking about what kind of position I may be looking for as I continue to discern my possible new adventure. What you will find below is a made up job description of what I would think is a good fit for where I sense God leading me.

Sometimes as we listen to God speaking into our life, it help to take the bits and pieces we are gathering and put them together into form where they make sense to you, to your understanding of a possible future.

What are the bits and pieces in your life that you can piece together to create a new ministry opportunity. I am not necessarily talking about a career change, rather I am asking the question, “Is God leaving you some clues as to something He may be wanting you to do?” Maybe there is a new ministry opportunity waiting for you just around the next corner and God is simply waiting for you to catch up to Him.

Job Posting – Soul Care Pastor

Job Description

The soul care pastor will be responsible for creating an environment where people can grow and develop into the person God is calling them to be. They will meet people where they are – spiritual & emotionally and walk along side them for a period of time. This is not a counseling position, but the ability to recognize and refer people to a counselor is important. The soul care pastor will also develop a team of individual who can work with the soul care pastor in ministering to others. The soul care ministry may be carried out with individuals, couples or small groups.

Job Functions

  • Help people discover and apply their spiritual gifts
  • Listen to peoples stories and help them edit them
  • Help people connect the dots of their life experiences to see what it is the God my be telling them or guiding them to do
  • By personal example show others how to use different spiritual disciplines to grow in ones relationship with God
  • Lead individual and group spiritual retreats
  • Encourage other to live out in their lives – loving God with all you have, loving others, and making disciples

Experience and Education

The candidate for this position should have lived long enough to have a variety of life experiences. They should be maturing in their faith. They need to be able to discern how the Spirit is leading the the soul care of the person(s) being ministered to. They should be able to develop clear beginning and end points, but be willing to let the journey between the two points to develop and shift a needed.

The single most important skill that this candidate will have is the ability to listen – listen to the care receiver, listen to God, and listen to the Spirits leading. This is best done as the candidate them self is in their own self soul care process.

The candidate should have a Masters level understanding of the Bible and theology. They should have a strong background in the are of spiritual formation, the spiritual disciplines, and faith development.

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Reflections From My Blog

As I browse through my blog postings I have noticed a couple of things – randomness and themes. Yes I know that these two things seem to be opposites but it is true. Surronding my themes there are a lot of random thoughts. Two books of the Bible that seem to come up again and again are James (theme practical faith) and Haggai (theme regaining focus). The links are to a couple of older posting from my thoughts about James and Haggai.

Both these books are ones that I go back to time and time again to read, ponder about and pray about. These two themes of living out our faith and maintaining focus are parts of my sojourn that I am continually evaluating, refining, and living out. These are also areas of my life that I at times struggle with. I think they are things we all struggle with.

I am preaching in a couple of weeks at a church in Becker. MN and Haggai is the text I will be speaking from. It is a simple message – don’t get so busy you forget about God, but it assumes a couple of things. First, that you know what it is God wants from all Christ-followers (love God, love others, make disciples) and that you are willing to do them. Second, that you have taken the time to listen for God’s still small voice and have reflected on what specifically God is asking you to do. You see the remnant that Haggai was talking to knew what God wanted of them but they got distracted and lost focus.

It is a lose of focus that causes us to struggle. So the question I leave you with today is how are you doing at loving God, loving other and making disciples? Also, have you taken time lately to sit down and listen for God’s still small voice?