Rob Bell on Calling & Ministry

I’ve long thought that if we don’t reclaim a vibrant sense that all Christians are called to serve God by making a difference in the world wherever they are – theologians call this the doctrine of “vocation” – the Church doesn’t have much of a future.

One of the great challenges in sharing this sense of vibrant calling is that a lot of clergy think the members of their congregational already know this. But as part of some research related to a Lilly Endowment-funded grant on vocation, some colleagues and I discovered that a) while most seminary graduates say that vocation is an important theological category they plan to emphasize in their ministry, b) most members of their congregation don’t feel that what the do “counts” as a calling. The typically think that only work in the church “counts” as ministry, vocation, or calling.

Somehow we’ve got to get the word out that any honest work done keeps the world God loves moving or contributes to wellbeing of the people God loves so much is a calling. Anything. Anywhere. Got that? Anyone and everyone is called by God. Period.

Given this, I was glad to come across this interview with Rob Bell and grateful for his take on the matter.

Interviewer: If a 20 year old told you she was entering full-time ministry because she wanted to serve God and make a difference in the world, what questions would you have for her? How would you respond?

Rob Bell: I would ask her if she’s a Christian. If she said “yes,” I would say “Too late! You’re already in full-time ministry! The real question is: what are you going to do with your God-given passions and energies? Who are you going to help? What are you going to make? Where are you going to serve? Go do that, and release yourself from the need to give it labels.

Nicely put, Rob!