Thursday, April 7, 2011
Testing the call
So, still not sure about "THE CALL"? That's ok, there's time to discern what God is saying to you.
I encourage you to keep praying, spend time with God, listen for God. Don't be afraid to ask God to show you what he wants you to do. Talk to people who are you trust to tell you whether they think God is calling you into a more formalised ministry. Talk to someone at the Uniting College of Leadership and Theology and listen to their wisdom. Don't be scared to enroll in the Period of Discernment :-)
Being called doesn't necessarily mean being ordained, there are other forms of call that the church acknowledges. But I encourage you to be strong, be confident, don't be afraid and take that next step to hearing what God is calling you to do :-)
As a PS note
Find a copy of the Basis of Union and read it.
Read Introducing the Uniting Church in Australia by Andrew Dutney 2008
Read A Genuinely Educated Ministry: Three studies on Theological Education in the UCA by Andrew Dutney 2007
Read Theology for Pilgrims edited by Rob Bos and Geoff Thompson 2008
(I've put them in order of reading preference ;-))
You will find them at the UCLT library or mediacom
Women and Men - bringing messages of love
Now I will add one more unique aspect of the UCA in regards to call. As I have already said, as a member of the UCA and of God’s family you are expected and encouraged to use the gifts and skills God has given you. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, there is an emphasis on unity within the UCA. Galatians 3: 26 -29 says “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” As such, the UCA does don’t discriminate against people in the church and neither does it discriminate against people who hear the call from God into ordained Ministry regardless of their gender. It acknowledges that all people bring their own experiences to Ministry and that different voices need to be heard within the church.
In March 1990 a document was presented to the Assembly standing committee titled “Why Does the Uniting Church Ordain women to the Ministry of the Word?” Which you can find online or in the book “Theology for Pilgrims” (edited by Rob Bos and Geoff Thompson 2008) which is a helpful read. In the introduction (p565 of Theology for Pilgrims) it says “Therefore we express astonishment that Christ’s Church would offend against the Saviour’s suffering love for all people, by claiming that no women are called by God to the ministry of the Word.”Which is a strong statement but shows the support the UCA gives for ordained women.
Even today there are many sides to the women in ordination debate with some very strong voices on the issue. The reality is there are still many churches in the world that oppose women’s ordination into ministry or positions of women teaching men in the church. (Look here and here) In that respect we are very fortunate that the UCA does have an emphasis on unity and equality. This can be an area of discernment for both men and women thinking about a call to ordained Ministry in the UCA as women find confidence that God can call them in to ordained ministry and men must be able to also confidently feel women can be ordained into ministry and that as men they are comfortable to work alongside women in positions of authority and leadership. This is something that you might like to reflect on in you discernment process.
Suppose the whole body was an eye!!
Again as you look at the continuing thread of Unity in the UCA you will see that the UCA acknowledges that all people are called in to ministry and mission and that we are all, as members of the church and God’s family, given skills and spiritual gifts so that we can work together to be part of the body of Christ in the world. The context of this can be seen in 1 Peter 2:9 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Also in the Basis of Union in paragraph 13 it says (The UCA) "It acknowledges with thanksgiving that the one Spirit has endowed the members of Christ's Church with a diversity of gifts, and that there is no gift without its corresponding service:all ministries have a part in the ministry of Christ."
This is great for many reasons. It means that every member of the church is expected and encouraged to be part of the mission of the church. This takes away the traditional view of Churches that were originally ordained Minister led and focused.
At all times in the life of the church there is expected to be ordained as well as lay (non ordained) people gathered as well as both men and women.
When everyone has acknowledged gifts and skills it encourages congregations to work together rather than relying on one person. In fact the role of the ordained Minister then becomes one of empowering and equipping the congregation for mission and raising up potential leaders within the church community. Personally, I think it helps to form relationships within the congregation because people can work in teams and support each other while doing mission. It also takes pressure off the Minister to be all knowing and all doing and in fact supports the growth of leadership. As a leader in the church you would want people who know more than you do to be in your congregation so you too can learn and grow. Of course, that is in addition to your formal supervisor and mentor that you would also have in place as an ordained Minister to help support you and encourage personal growth and formation.
Finding ways for people in congregations to use their gifts and skills not only makes light work it also builds up the body and is a blessing to all those involved. In fact it may just help someone else realise the call that God has placed on their life!
Sacraments
You may wonder why I've added sacraments into my posts on call.
I believe sacraments play a part not only in the traditions of the church but also play a part in our membership of the church as well as how God equips us to serve as God's people and God's church.
The two sacraments acknowledged in the UCA are Baptism and Holy Communion. Both are seen as an inward and outward sign of the workings of Christ and are symbolic of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. They also prepare, refresh and renew people for service in mission in the world as well as point not only to the presence of Christ but also to the coming kingdom.
When we are baptised we are called into God's mission in the world and are given gifts to help us in that service. Through the receiving of Holy Communion we are strengthened and refreshed to go out into the world for mission.
You will be aware, as you read the Basis of Union that there is an emphasis on unity in the UCA. This is evident also in the sacraments as there is no discrimination to age in these sacraments but a willingness to acknowledge where Christ has gone before us.
Only ordained Ministers can preside over the sacraments, (unless otherwise authorised) because they have been trained in understanding the biblical narrative that is passed on to the congregation through the sacraments. The Church sees an important role for ordained Ministers in the UCA as being able to share and keep alive the biblical narrative of our faith traditions.
Of course baptism is seen as a once only event in the UCA with reaffirmation of baptism being offered to those who were baptised as infants or who feel they personally need to reaffirm their baptism vows, whereas Holy Communion is a continual reminder of God’s presence and covenant God has made with his people.
I believe sacraments play a part not only in the traditions of the church but also play a part in our membership of the church as well as how God equips us to serve as God's people and God's church.
The two sacraments acknowledged in the UCA are Baptism and Holy Communion. Both are seen as an inward and outward sign of the workings of Christ and are symbolic of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. They also prepare, refresh and renew people for service in mission in the world as well as point not only to the presence of Christ but also to the coming kingdom.
When we are baptised we are called into God's mission in the world and are given gifts to help us in that service. Through the receiving of Holy Communion we are strengthened and refreshed to go out into the world for mission.
You will be aware, as you read the Basis of Union that there is an emphasis on unity in the UCA. This is evident also in the sacraments as there is no discrimination to age in these sacraments but a willingness to acknowledge where Christ has gone before us.
Only ordained Ministers can preside over the sacraments, (unless otherwise authorised) because they have been trained in understanding the biblical narrative that is passed on to the congregation through the sacraments. The Church sees an important role for ordained Ministers in the UCA as being able to share and keep alive the biblical narrative of our faith traditions.
Of course baptism is seen as a once only event in the UCA with reaffirmation of baptism being offered to those who were baptised as infants or who feel they personally need to reaffirm their baptism vows, whereas Holy Communion is a continual reminder of God’s presence and covenant God has made with his people.
The Church is called
In June 1977 the Uniting Church in Australia issued a "Statement to the Nation". It spoke of the responsibilities and identity of the UCA and how it saw the life of the UCA in Australian society.
Statements and press releases on social issues continue to quote this statement to the Nation, even thirty years later (p616 Theology for Pilgrims)
The UCA very much sees itself as being part of society, standing for justice, caring for God's creation, enabling unity while challenging the values of the world and being a prophetic voice that acts and serves in the love of Christ.
The basis of Union then goes on to explain more fully the call that God has for the life of the church.
As the title suggests, the Basis of Union was written as a basis for the union of churches that we know today as the Uniting Church in Australia. The denominations that form the UCA were the Presbyterian Church, Methodist Church and the Congregational Church and they united in 1977. One of the strengths of the Uniting Church is its willingness to have open conversations with Churches of other denominations and faiths and its desire to continue Uniting with Church partners in Australia and around the world. One way in which the UCA shows its interest in partnering with other cultures is by having the Basis of Union translated into other languages, such as Korean, Fijian, Tongan, Samoan and Indonesian. The UCA is becoming a multicultural denomination as it seeks to reflect in congregations, the people in the surrounding communities. It is also in covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander community as a process of reconciliation between the first and second peoples of Australia. Through this partnership the church has been opened to understand God as already being here before the second peoples arrived and to see God from the faith perspective of the first peoples. This opens our understanding of God and encourages conversation and reconciliation between these communities. In terms of “call” the UCA feels called to multicultural mission and partnerships and continues to seek God already present in those communities.
As you read the Basis of Union you will see signs of both reformation and evangelical traditions that still form the UCA today. It is still important that Ministers and Deacons of the word have sound biblical knowledge and a solid academic foundation. Preaching the word of God is still valued in the church as a means of God being present when preached amongst the people. However it is also equally as important for people to authentically live out their faith in a way that shows people a living gospel.
Statements and press releases on social issues continue to quote this statement to the Nation, even thirty years later (p616 Theology for Pilgrims)
The UCA very much sees itself as being part of society, standing for justice, caring for God's creation, enabling unity while challenging the values of the world and being a prophetic voice that acts and serves in the love of Christ.
The basis of Union then goes on to explain more fully the call that God has for the life of the church.
As the title suggests, the Basis of Union was written as a basis for the union of churches that we know today as the Uniting Church in Australia. The denominations that form the UCA were the Presbyterian Church, Methodist Church and the Congregational Church and they united in 1977. One of the strengths of the Uniting Church is its willingness to have open conversations with Churches of other denominations and faiths and its desire to continue Uniting with Church partners in Australia and around the world. One way in which the UCA shows its interest in partnering with other cultures is by having the Basis of Union translated into other languages, such as Korean, Fijian, Tongan, Samoan and Indonesian. The UCA is becoming a multicultural denomination as it seeks to reflect in congregations, the people in the surrounding communities. It is also in covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander community as a process of reconciliation between the first and second peoples of Australia. Through this partnership the church has been opened to understand God as already being here before the second peoples arrived and to see God from the faith perspective of the first peoples. This opens our understanding of God and encourages conversation and reconciliation between these communities. In terms of “call” the UCA feels called to multicultural mission and partnerships and continues to seek God already present in those communities.
As you read the Basis of Union you will see signs of both reformation and evangelical traditions that still form the UCA today. It is still important that Ministers and Deacons of the word have sound biblical knowledge and a solid academic foundation. Preaching the word of God is still valued in the church as a means of God being present when preached amongst the people. However it is also equally as important for people to authentically live out their faith in a way that shows people a living gospel.
Call - personal or public?
Should you "feel" a call or wait until someone tells you that you are called?
Discerning whether or not God has called you into ordained ministry is an interesting process as there are two traditionally recognised types of call. First there is that inner call. That is the call you feel in you. That call is not measurable, no-one can tell you whether that call is authentic or not because each person feels that call differently and of course no-one else can truly know what’s going on inside you and your relationship with God. This call is the one most likely to cause you to enter into the process of ordained ministry but it is also the one most likely to give you the most frustrations because of its personal nature and it is totally between you and God. The other call is the outward call. This is where others in your congregation see gifts and skills in you that they feel are consistent to you being most likely someone God would use in ordained ministry. This can also bring you confusion because sometimes people can approach you before you’ve heard and inner call from God or people see gifts and skills in you that perhaps you haven’t seen or acknowledged before. However the outward call is perhaps more tangible and others can agree or disagree that they see that call on your life.
What I have explained is perhaps in simplistic terms but to put it another way, the Uniting Church in Australia is known as “Catholic, Reformed and Evangelical”. Catholic means the Church universal. Andrew Dutney explains this as
“When the Uniting Church describes itself as ‘catholic’ it is saying that its faith is not intended to be new or original but the faith that is shared by the universal or whole Christian church from the earliest times – translated afresh into the language, concepts and actions that will speak to its particular time and place.” (p9 Introducing the Uniting Church in Australia.)
The reformed traditions of our church, which in the Uniting Church are seen through the Congregational and Presbyterian heritage, would acknowledge the outward call process as the tradition had a lot of emphasis on the academic qualifications of their Ministers. Andrew Dutney wrote in his book A Genuinely Educated Ministry of the reformed tradition
“For the reformers, the marks of the true church were, first the preaching of the Word of God; that is, the true word of God revealed in the Scriptures, appropriated by means of the tools of humanistic scholarship and illuminated and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. The second mark of the true church was the right administration of the sacraments; that is, administration as instituted by Christ in the form recorded in the Biblical text and stripped of all the accretions of time and superstition.”(p 51)
Dutney continues on pg 52 by saying “The pastor could only fulfil this ministry if he could read the scriptures in the original languages, interpret them in the context of the theological legacy of the Latin and Greek fathers, relate them to the categories of truth and meaning of his own generation (originally, the categories associated with the Renaissance and humanism), and communicate the self revelation of God so appropriated in clear, persuasive language.” So you can understand why they would have an emphasis on the outward call. On the other hand our traditions of the Evangelical church, which is seen through the Methodist heritage of the Uniting Church, have more of an emphasis on the inward call. Dutney writes of the evangelical tradition p54
“Accordingly, the primary function of the ministry in Wesleyan Methodism (and in Evangelicalism as a whole) was to preach a message that went beyond mere instruction to awaken people to feel the consequences of sin and to convert them to faith in Christ, in whom alone salvation could be found.”
Although Ministers in the Evangelical tradition were also encouraged to be educated there wasn’t so much of an emphasis on education but more importantly Ministers should have a living faith that they could share with others.
Don’t run! Don’t let me scare you off with academic talk just yet! That may go over your head now but if you decide to candidate for an ordained ministry you’ll get to understand the finer details that make up the Uniting Church :-) You can also breathe easy that you will not be required to read and interpret the scriptures from Latin! These days the call process is both and inward discernment and an outward discern with an emphasis on a person committing to a life long service to minstry and leadership, advocating the Gospel and Christian faith, guarding the unity of the church and equipping others to participate fully in mission and ministry. (Grab a copy of Andrew Dutney’s book Introducing the Uniting Church in Australia and look at p23)
As an introduction into study and as part of your own discernment process, I would recommend that as you register for the P.O.D. course, you read a copy of the Basis of Union which gives a great explanation on how the Uniting Church in Australia (Australia’s first home grown denomination) came into being as well as helping you to understand the culture and DNA of the church as a body.
Discerning whether or not God has called you into ordained ministry is an interesting process as there are two traditionally recognised types of call. First there is that inner call. That is the call you feel in you. That call is not measurable, no-one can tell you whether that call is authentic or not because each person feels that call differently and of course no-one else can truly know what’s going on inside you and your relationship with God. This call is the one most likely to cause you to enter into the process of ordained ministry but it is also the one most likely to give you the most frustrations because of its personal nature and it is totally between you and God. The other call is the outward call. This is where others in your congregation see gifts and skills in you that they feel are consistent to you being most likely someone God would use in ordained ministry. This can also bring you confusion because sometimes people can approach you before you’ve heard and inner call from God or people see gifts and skills in you that perhaps you haven’t seen or acknowledged before. However the outward call is perhaps more tangible and others can agree or disagree that they see that call on your life.
What I have explained is perhaps in simplistic terms but to put it another way, the Uniting Church in Australia is known as “Catholic, Reformed and Evangelical”. Catholic means the Church universal. Andrew Dutney explains this as
“When the Uniting Church describes itself as ‘catholic’ it is saying that its faith is not intended to be new or original but the faith that is shared by the universal or whole Christian church from the earliest times – translated afresh into the language, concepts and actions that will speak to its particular time and place.” (p9 Introducing the Uniting Church in Australia.)
The reformed traditions of our church, which in the Uniting Church are seen through the Congregational and Presbyterian heritage, would acknowledge the outward call process as the tradition had a lot of emphasis on the academic qualifications of their Ministers. Andrew Dutney wrote in his book A Genuinely Educated Ministry of the reformed tradition
“For the reformers, the marks of the true church were, first the preaching of the Word of God; that is, the true word of God revealed in the Scriptures, appropriated by means of the tools of humanistic scholarship and illuminated and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. The second mark of the true church was the right administration of the sacraments; that is, administration as instituted by Christ in the form recorded in the Biblical text and stripped of all the accretions of time and superstition.”(p 51)
Dutney continues on pg 52 by saying “The pastor could only fulfil this ministry if he could read the scriptures in the original languages, interpret them in the context of the theological legacy of the Latin and Greek fathers, relate them to the categories of truth and meaning of his own generation (originally, the categories associated with the Renaissance and humanism), and communicate the self revelation of God so appropriated in clear, persuasive language.” So you can understand why they would have an emphasis on the outward call. On the other hand our traditions of the Evangelical church, which is seen through the Methodist heritage of the Uniting Church, have more of an emphasis on the inward call. Dutney writes of the evangelical tradition p54
“Accordingly, the primary function of the ministry in Wesleyan Methodism (and in Evangelicalism as a whole) was to preach a message that went beyond mere instruction to awaken people to feel the consequences of sin and to convert them to faith in Christ, in whom alone salvation could be found.”
Although Ministers in the Evangelical tradition were also encouraged to be educated there wasn’t so much of an emphasis on education but more importantly Ministers should have a living faith that they could share with others.
Don’t run! Don’t let me scare you off with academic talk just yet! That may go over your head now but if you decide to candidate for an ordained ministry you’ll get to understand the finer details that make up the Uniting Church :-) You can also breathe easy that you will not be required to read and interpret the scriptures from Latin! These days the call process is both and inward discernment and an outward discern with an emphasis on a person committing to a life long service to minstry and leadership, advocating the Gospel and Christian faith, guarding the unity of the church and equipping others to participate fully in mission and ministry. (Grab a copy of Andrew Dutney’s book Introducing the Uniting Church in Australia and look at p23)
As an introduction into study and as part of your own discernment process, I would recommend that as you register for the P.O.D. course, you read a copy of the Basis of Union which gives a great explanation on how the Uniting Church in Australia (Australia’s first home grown denomination) came into being as well as helping you to understand the culture and DNA of the church as a body.
Did you hear that?
Is God calling you into ordained Ministry in the Uniting Church in Australia?!!!!
So you think you’re discerning a call into ordained ministry in the Uniting Church of Australia. If only every call in to ministry was as clear as a cooee or the chirping of a mobile to say you've received a message!! Unfortunately it’s not always as easy as that. Often we’re on another path; a path we had thought was beautifully planned out for our future when God begins to interrupt our thoughts and plans.Discerning a call from God can be one of the hardest things you do but it can also be one of the most rewarding things you ever do. Check out some of the stories of people who had lives before following God’s call on their lives.
Personally, I think now is a great time to be discerning a call to ordained ministry in the UCA of SA. The Uniting College of Leadership and Theology in South Australia is very supportive of people discerning what God is calling them to and has a course called the Period of Discernment which helps people explore further whether they are being called into a specified ministry or whether God is calling them further into lay ministry and mission. It is a course tailor made for your discernment and helps you to explore further your Ministry area of interest. This could be in an ordained Ministry, either Minister of the Word or Minister of Deacon. It could be a specified ministry such as Ministry of Pastor. Or it could be a lay ministry within your own church context or you could also explore what God is calling you to do in your own situation, at work, in your family, with friends or your social club.
During the next few blog posts I will talk to you about
1. personal call – is God calling you in to Ordained ministry in the UCA?
2. the call of the church and – What is the UCA called to do and be?
3. the call on all baptised members of the UCA – How do we work in unity for Christ?
The posts will be an overview of these areas as you will study this more fully in your P.O.D. course.
So you think you’re discerning a call into ordained ministry in the Uniting Church of Australia. If only every call in to ministry was as clear as a cooee or the chirping of a mobile to say you've received a message!! Unfortunately it’s not always as easy as that. Often we’re on another path; a path we had thought was beautifully planned out for our future when God begins to interrupt our thoughts and plans.Discerning a call from God can be one of the hardest things you do but it can also be one of the most rewarding things you ever do. Check out some of the stories of people who had lives before following God’s call on their lives.
Personally, I think now is a great time to be discerning a call to ordained ministry in the UCA of SA. The Uniting College of Leadership and Theology in South Australia is very supportive of people discerning what God is calling them to and has a course called the Period of Discernment which helps people explore further whether they are being called into a specified ministry or whether God is calling them further into lay ministry and mission. It is a course tailor made for your discernment and helps you to explore further your Ministry area of interest. This could be in an ordained Ministry, either Minister of the Word or Minister of Deacon. It could be a specified ministry such as Ministry of Pastor. Or it could be a lay ministry within your own church context or you could also explore what God is calling you to do in your own situation, at work, in your family, with friends or your social club.
During the next few blog posts I will talk to you about
1. personal call – is God calling you in to Ordained ministry in the UCA?
2. the call of the church and – What is the UCA called to do and be?
3. the call on all baptised members of the UCA – How do we work in unity for Christ?
The posts will be an overview of these areas as you will study this more fully in your P.O.D. course.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)