Nebraska Synod ELCA

Lutherans believe God’s call to ministry comes from both inside a person as well as from someone else, and these are known as internal and external calls. The Sow the Seeds Initiative of the Nebraska Synod invites you to share an external call with people you know who might be called to serve as a pastor, deacon or parish ministry associate and encourage that person to consider if they sense that call internally, too.

I recently met with a young adult who is interested in exploring ministry with children and youth. In that conversation she shared that her former pastor, right before he retired, told her that she had gifts to become a pastor. “I’ve been thinking about what he said ever since,” she said. External calls can affirm someone’s sense of call or help people recognize an internal call that’s been overlooked or ignored.

To help you have conversations about a call to ministry, here are some resources:

• This website connects people to the seven ELCA seminaries as well as other helpful discernment resources such as:
o Answers to the questions, “What is a seminary?” and “What is the ELCA’s Candidacy process?”
o A Bible study called The Sound of the Genuine
o A student referral form
• Find out what it takes to become a Parish Ministry Associate.
• The United Methodist Church has developed a list of discussion-starters on the topics of call and discipleship designed to be shared over several cups of coffee.
• Include a petition in your weekly prayers, like these written by the Conference of Bishops, for God to raise up leaders for the church.

Would you like to be involved more closely with the Sow the Seeds Initiative? If you become a Synod Ambassador, each month you’ll receive an email with information on inviting people in your congregation to discern God’s call in their lives along with resources to connect people with the work of the larger church. Sign up to become an Ambassador here.