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From Call to Settlement |
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by Lloyd M. Hall, Jr. |
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III. RESPONSE AND PREPARATION
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Unavoidable "yes"
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When it becomes certain in our minds and spirits that God is
calling us to the gospel ministry there is an awesome temptation to
"jump right in." There is so much need in the Churches that many
men and women eschew the periods of formal preparation and
serve - sometimes quite effectively - in roles that are essentially
those of Lay Ministers.
There are sound professional reasons for the more traditional approach.
Certainly the formally educated and trained minister comes to the field with a
broader expanse of knowledge and technique than is usually available to the
autodidact. The high regard for education in our Churches will certainly place
limits on the minister who is perceived as being less prepared.
More fundamentally, it is the minister's task to open the scriptures in accurate,
enlightened, and relevant ways. This encompasses not only the preaching and
teaching but also the other ministries of the Church. Being as prepared as
possible is intrinsic to our positive response to God's call. Expecting that
standards will be lowered to accommodate our desires is really a "yes, but..." to
God. We may do nearly as much damage to the call when we neglect our
preparation for service as we might in simply rejecting it at the outset.
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National Association of Congregational Christian
Churches
PO Box 288, Oak Creek, WI 53154 |
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