Anyone aspire to be a minister/priest/reverend/pastor/nun of God?

[Puguni]

It seems less and less people want these careers, especially priesthood.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I aspire to go into Ministry, what I also want to do is teach apologetics in highschool

[Zarn Ishtare]

I desire to be a Preacher. I've got two semesters of Bible College under my belt to attest to that.

[Cap'n Nick]

First year seminarian here. Feel the powaaaa~!

[Zarn Ishtare]

You've got the Strength, You got the Powa!


Bwahahaha....Fresh meat huh? welcome to the club! (that I left!)

[Cap'n Nick]

Club that you left? What do you mean by that?

[Zarn Ishtare]

I mean that I'm no longer fresh meat, compadre. Sophmoronic humor for me.

Read into it, paper skillet! Soph to the more to the I-finally-get-a-social-life! Aha!

[CDLviking]

First year seminarian here. Feel the powaaaa~!

Where at?

I'm a third year seminarian for the Catholic priesthood for the Diocese of Phoenix.

[Zarn Ishtare]

Cha, Noice CD. Sigh, so glad I'm not a freshman any more. That bit bullets, no social life, classes, no social, CLASSES?!?!? AAHAHAHAHHH!!!!

College man...it eats people.

And then makes them into hair scrunchies.

[Steeltemplar]

It seems less and less people want these careers, especially priesthood.

I had thought about Priesthood. However, I think that I am really meant for the married vocation, so I'm not pretty certain that I will not go in the direction of the clergy or the Orders.

[Zarn Ishtare]

Hmm, that is one downside, but my being non-denom makes me not worry about such matters.

Besides, there is always the Lay ministries, Steel. Missionary work espcially is made up of leity, though of course the trips I know were taken with the guidance of a priest.

Also, there is a plethora of ministerial possiblities in Music, or working for or with inter-denominational groups. YWAM is one such group. It is a missions group, primarily, but it has several other important functions.

[Steeltemplar]

Hmm, that is one downside, but my being non-denom makes me not worry about such matters.

Besides, there is always the Lay ministries, Steel. Missionary work espcially is made up of leity, though of course the trips I know were taken with the guidance of a priest.

Also, there is a plethora of ministerial possiblities in Music, or working for or with inter-denominational groups. YWAM is one such group. It is a missions group, primarily, but it has several other important functions.

This is true. Of course, I am not a theologian at all. My major is IT. Maybe I'll end up using that for the Lord in some way, though.

[Cap'n Nick]

Pastors may work in the church, but anyone can serve the Lord through his work. IT is no exception.

I'm at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. It is true the school has done a good job of eating my social life, but I don't think that gets better from here on out. Le sigh. Nothing to do but try to compensate through the internet.

[Ashley]

I would argue ALL of us are called into some sort of ministry--those of us going into vocationally ministry would probably agree our primary job is to equip the laity to serve. I think that's the biggest misconception about church work--that it's "the preacher's job" to do EVERYTHING.

Anyway, I'm also going into ministry, and I'm currently studying at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, thinking about missions or youth work.

[CDLviking]

I had thought about Priesthood. However, I think that I am really meant for the married vocation, so I'm not pretty certain that I will not go in the direction of the clergy or the Orders.

Don't forget about the diaconate. If you truly feeled called to both Orders and Marriage, then you may be called to be a deacon.

I should probably clarify my first post. I have been in the seminary for three years, but I'm at the fourth year level because I came in with some college already.

[Steeltemplar]

Don't forget about the diaconate. If you truly feeled called to both Orders and Marriage, then you may be called to be a deacon.

I should probably clarify my first post. I have been in the seminary for three years, but I'm at the fourth year level because I came in with some college already.

That is something I had not thought of. And it's an interesting thought. Thanks for mentioning it. I guess it's hard to say at the moment, but it is something I might want to see about.

Then there is also the possibility of being a member of Opus Dei. They seem a pretty good group.

Nick and Ashley both make a good point, of course. Whatever I end up doing, I could find some way to use my talents for God.

[DrNic]

Priesthood? Not sure I'd be any good at that, seems a lot of responsibility (and I'm uber-unorganised and irrisponsible). Would love to get out there with a christian band though. Outreach through rockin-out, now they're two words I'd love to use more in the same sentence!

[Zarn Ishtare]

I don't know anything about Opus Dei, so I don't have any info for you there, but there is always some form of ministry that you can engage in. For me, at least right now, I'm a member of the hug-old-ladies-who-never-have-family-at-church ministry. It's whatever you can do to glorify him.

[mitsuki lover]

My father is a retired Presbyterian minister,his oldest brother was also a Presbyterian minister.One of my mother's brother's was an Assembly of God minister.My gggg grandfather was a Baptist preacher in Virginia.One of my paternal grandmother's ancestors was William Rittenhouse the first Mennonite minister in America.
One of my ancestors on my maternal grandmother's side was Anglican Bishop of Meath and a Loyalist so got thrown into jail by Cromwell.
To put it frankly there have been a lot of ministers and preachers and other clergy types in my family.
Quite frankly after growing up in a Manse I don't think I could do it,it takes too much out of you that most people are not aware of.
I would rather be a monk or hermit,if I didn't get married that is,but then again I'm not Catholic.

[Kaligraphic]

What about monks? The thread asks about nuns, but what about monks?

[Puritan]

I would argue ALL of us are called into some sort of ministry--those of us going into vocationally ministry would probably agree our primary job is to equip the laity to serve. I think that's the biggest misconception about church work--that it's "the preacher's job" to do EVERYTHING.

Precisely! I don't think I'm called to be a Pastor, but I want to dedicate my life's work to God and hope to be able to reach out to the people I work with as an engineer. I would also love to go overseas and be a missionary/engineer if I have the chance. I figure that God gave me the skills and desire to do the work I will do and I believe He has led me to this career, so why shouldn't I view it as a vocation if I dedicate it to Him? He will use me for His work where4ver He leads me, and I greatly desire to do His work wherever I end up.

[Syreth]

Pastor? Maybe. Minister? Definately. Everyone is called to be a servant of God. Personally, (and this is just for myself) I don't think I could just one day decide to be or aspire to be a pastor. It's a definite calling and and honorable one. However, everyone is called to serve the Lord and that's what I'll do as Ashley, Puritan and others have said.

[Steeltemplar]

I don't know anything about Opus Dei, so I don't have any info for you there, but there is always some form of ministry that you can engage in. For me, at least right now, I'm a member of the hug-old-ladies-who-never-have-family-at-church ministry. It's whatever you can do to glorify him.

Opus Dei is a Catholic lay organization founded by the recently canonized St. Josemaria Escriva. For a good idea of what they do, they have a website here. I attended a function of theirs once which involved guided contemplation on the love of Christ. It was quite a good experience.

[CDLviking]

Priesthood? Not sure I'd be any good at that, seems a lot of responsibility (and I'm uber-unorganised and irrisponsible). Would love to get out there with a christian band though. Outreach through rockin-out, now they're two words I'd love to use more in the same sentence!

I've known some people who are the same way, so they joined religious orders. The discipline and ordered imposed from outside the will helps form a more ordered interior life as well. So, while some may not have the discipline required of a solitary parish priest, they might do well in a religious order.

[DrNic]

I've known some people who are the same way, so they joined religious orders. The discipline and ordered imposed from outside the will helps form a more ordered interior life as well. So, while some may not have the discipline required of a solitary parish priest, they might do well in a religious order.

Is that like a kind of college of discipline?(once again im guessing that this is something i should know about but dont :S)

[Sammy Boy]

Pastoral care / counselling is not my thing, so I think I will stick to writing for ministry.

[LittleShepherd]

I plan on going into the ministry, but I'm not sure exactly where I'll end up. I'd love to do some missionary work for sure. Beyond that, I've also considered becoming a pastor or youth pastor. I don't know where I should attend seminary, though. I refuse to go anywhere with dispensationalist leanings, so the DTS is out, that's for sure.

[CDLviking]

Is that like a kind of college of discipline?(once again im guessing that this is something i should know about but dont :S)

Religious orders are groups like the Benedictines, Franciscans, Dominicans, etc. that live in community according to a rule of life. They live together, eat together, pray together and work together according to the disciplines of their order. I've heard that many of them like it because they don't have the discipline necessary to do it on their own.

[Jaltus-bot]

Yeah, non-profit ministry organization, but now it might not be a specifically Christian organization and would probably be a part time thing if I can when I am a bit older. There is a lot to be done and I will simply have to go with other involvement through church and related organizations for now.

[CrossMovement]

I would love to be in ministry, especially in youth ministry. Well right now I am in ministry. WHat I want to do is start or join a christian psychiatric clinic and also help out in my church in that way. I'd also like to be an evangelist or a minister...in my church there have so much ministers for almost any department and I'd like to be in something like that. But if God has a calling for me than I Might start my own church or something I really dont know yet....