How Do You Know You Have the Call?

There is always much discussion of the call into the ministry at a theological seminary. It ranges from "God has called me into the ministry" to "I doubt whether I have a call to do anything" and everything in-between. Perhaps it would be helpful to the discussion if we distinguish between the "inner" call and the "external" call.

Men come to a seminary because they have an "inner" prompting, the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts which causes them to offer themselves as students of theology. The urging receives encouragement from pastors, parents, relatives, church members, etc. (Damascus Road experiences are usually viewed with skepticism!)

The "inner" call receives either confirmation or denial. Long before one sets foot on a seminary campus, the process is at work. The pastor plays a prominent role from the beginning. If one enrolls in a pre-seminary program at a synodical school, those charged by the Synod exercise their roles of confirming or denying the "inner" call. In other situations, campus pastors play a part.

The "inner" call is scrutinized in the application process at the seminary. Data from the pastor, other congregational members, academic transcripts, testing programs, personal visits with the seminary personnel, etc., are used to confirm or deny the "inner" call, that is, to permit it to proceed to the point of matriculation.

The seminary faculty is charged with determining the validity of the "inner" call. From its founding The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod determined that the training of pastors in this church belonged to the church. In her early history, seminary faculty members were called to their offices by action of the Synod in convention assembled. Even today, seminary faculty are called by the Board of Regents only after action by the four electors of the Synod (president of the Synod, president of the district in which the seminary is located, Board for Higher Education Services and Board of Regents).

The seminary faculty is assisted in this task by non-faculty staff members, field education supervisors, vicarage supervisors, and the other professionals it may determine to engage.

For some, the "inner" call is denied. Unless it be for moral reasons, such denial is not a judgment on one's standing before God or his worth as a member of Christ's church. It is rather the informed judgment of the student and /or the seminary faculty that he ought to serve his Lord in another vocation.

For most, the "inner" call is confirmed. The longer they are involved in the study of theology and engaged in the practice of the ministry under appropriate supervision, the more certain and convinced many become that this is the work in which the Lord would use them.

Finally, the faculty makes a judgment. Those who are certified are presented to the church for placement. The Council of Presidents receives calls from congregations and other entities within the Synod who have the right to extend calls. On the basis of data, which takes into account the needs of God's people and the qualifications of the candidates, assignments are made. When the call has been accepted and the candidate is ordained and installed according to the rite of the church, the "inner" call is now confirmed by the "external" call and one enters into the office of the public ministry of the church. Then with propriety it can be said that one has been called by God through the church into the ministry.

By Rev. Prof. William J. Schmelder (Emeritus)

Copyright Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. Used by Permission.