Deciding
Studying for the ministry is a big decision.
How do I consider it wisely, realistically, prayerfully?
Hello, welcome to our “Considering the Ministry” pages. Perhaps you’re here with a big question on your heart: “Am I well suited to serve as a minister or missionary?”
Indeed, that is a big question! Gospel preachers are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20), and preaching is a key that opens and closes the kingdom of heaven. Clearly, anyone considering gospel ministry needs to pray about it frequently and think about it carefully. It is our prayer that the video, FAQs, and other information below may help.
Key Takeaways
- Christ uses different men, each one a jar of clay (2 Cor 4:7)
For now, discern if you aspire to ministry — the church’s calling comes later
The Holy Spirit works spiritual growth before, during, and after seminary
Let’s begin by re-affirming a basic truth confessed in the Heidelberg Catechism: “the Son of God… gathers, defends, and preserves for himself… a church chosen to everlasting life” (LD 21). So, the preservation and progress of Christ’s church does not depend on you or me, on this minister or that missionary. Our Risen and Ascended Bridegroom is taking care of his precious Bride. That is our starting point, and ending point, and middle point, too.
In addition, Christ uses all kinds of different men, with diverse backgrounds, skill sets, and personalities, to serve as gospel ministers. Each one is a jar of clay—a common, fragile piece of pottery (2 Cor 4:7). Yet through his Spirit, he enables them all to bring the treasure of his saving grace to sinful people.
But here’s a longer answer. When a minister is ordained, he is asked “Do you feel in your heart that God himself, through his congregation, has called you to this holy ministry” (Form for Ordination of Ministers). God uses congregations to call ministers, and he does this just prior to ordination. Right now, you are not yet at that point in your life. Rather you are prayerfully deciding whether you should do preparatory studies for the ministry. It’s wise not to get ahead of where God has you at this moment (Matt 6:34).
Now, some people refer to that call at the time of ordination as the external call, while at the same time expecting an internal call of the Lord that happens sooner. Without splitting hairs over terminology, this much is clear: before anyone is called to office, God cultivates a heartfelt desire or aspiration to serve him and his people through gospel ministry. As the apostle writes, “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer,” including the office of a preaching and teaching elder, “he desires a noble task” (1 Tim 3:1, 5:17). Is God cultivating that desire in your heart? If so, ask for his blessing as you pursue this desire (Eccl 11:9; Ps 20:4). But remember, our hearts usually contain mixed emotions. Studying at seminary is a time to sort through those emotions. You do not need to have it all figured out before you start down this path.
On the one hand, there is overlap between these two. In both you consider the talents with which the Lord has blessed you. You take on board the advice of others who can give you an objective perspective about the kind of work for which you are well suited. Also, whatever we do, we should do “heartily as for the Lord and not for men” (Col 3:23-24). Last, but certainly not least, you ask the Lord for guidance, whether you are deciding to prepare for gospel ministry or auto mechanics.
On the other hand, studying for the ministry leads, the Lord willing, to a vow of ordination, a lifelong commitment. In this way the ministry is different than other careers. But again, do not suppose you need to have this all figured out before seminary. At CRTS we have a mentorship program that will help you further in discerning whether the Lord is leading you toward the blessed vocation of lifelong gospel ministry.
To begin with, back to the basics: the Spirit of God leads God’s people (Ps 143:10). Yes, office bearers need to be spiritually qualified and mature leaders (1 Tim 3:1-13; Jas 3:1). But ultimately, effective leadership of the church rests with God, not us. The more pertinent question is this: while praying to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, are we daily striving to be renewed more and more after God’s image, until after this life (and not before then!) we reach the goal of perfection? (Lord’s Day 44, Heidelberg Catechism).
Briefly, two other things deserve mention. First, CRTS has a Spiritual Formation Program that aims to prompt and promote your spiritual growth. Seminary is not just about academic advances but also spiritual progress. Second, if the Lord should lead you toward ordination in the future, you will serve alongside elders and deacons who have been gifted with spiritual maturity of their own. Ministry is teamwork, not solo flying.
Just like any other institution, CRTS maintains certain academic admission requirements. If your grades are close to the minimum requirements, that does not immediately rule out studying for the ministry. You do need to think about it seriously. Being a gospel preacher involves digging deeply into Scripture and writing faithful, clear, and edifying sermons. There is an academic aspect to all that. But in addition to that, each sermon is a spiritual journey. As the apostle Paul writes, it is the “testimony of God” that counts, not “lofty speech or wisdom” of man (1 Cor 2:1).
Also, once our heart is set on something we are passionate about, we often discover that our grades improve. So, focus on taking steps by which your academic and writing skills can grow, rather than being discouraged by past weaknesses.
Where there is rust, seek out rust removers. If you have been out of school for some time, you should seriously consider taking steps to file away some of that rust. Which steps? Much depends on whether you already have a Bachelor’s degree or whether you would be applying under our Mature Student Policy. But please reach out to us—the earlier the better. We’re more than willing to advise you on the best steps you can take to reduce the academic rust in your life.
Normally speaking, the expected degree before ordination is the Master of Divinity (MDiv). This, then, is our main program at CRTS.
However, if you are interested in mission aid work, teaching biblical studies, translation work, or any number of other related service tasks within the kingdom of our Lord, then please take a closer look at the requirements and contents of our two other programs: the Bachelor of Theology and the Diploma of Theological Studies. In some cases, a local church or federation of churches will consider ordination with a BTh degree, but you do well to confirm this with the church first before applying to our BTh program. Our course offerings are structured in such a way that transferring from the BTh into the MDiv program is not possible.
My wife (or girlfriend) is not having an easy time working through these considerations. Any advice?
We’re glad you asked, this is important. First off, be assured that you are not alone. Truth be told, not all couples are immediately on the same page when a husband (or boyfriend) starts talking seriously about the ministry. In fact, many times they are in different spots, both in their thoughts and in their emotions.
Second, people have different impressions about what it means to be “a minister’s wife.” Some overestimate it, others underestimate it. During our prospective student events, we organize sessions for wives and girlfriends of prospective students. In those sessions, we aim to provide a realistic impression of what it means to be married to a minister. We heartily encourage you to contact us about those sessions. If one is not scheduled soon, we can provide you with a link to previous sessions.
Visit CRTS
Sit in on classes and chapel. Meet with faculty. Talk to current students. Join one of our scheduled campus visit days for prospective students or arrange a visit that works with your schedule. Contact the Registrar’s office for more information.
