As many of you know by now, I am in the candidacy process for ordained ministry in the United Methodist church. Not only is this a long process for many people, it is simply that, a process. Not everyone wants to go through it and many people complain throughout it, myself included, but it is a process that all persons in ministry in our denomination have gone through.
For many things in life, there is a process, an order to things. The old adage of “grow-up, get a job, get married, have kids” is simply one example. For jobs, the process is to apply, demonstrate your applicable skills through an application & interviews, & either get hired or repeat the first two steps with a new job. For the career of ministry, the process is similar, but more extensive.
For starters, ministry is not “a job”. Ministry is a calling, a passion, & a life. As I said, it certainly is not for everyone. For those who have been called, who feel that passion & pull from God to be in ministry, the first steps seem less daunting. To explain your call, to explore your passion with other people, is sometimes the easiest part. For others, it can feel invasive, to have to defend your call from God into a lifelong ministry. After this, after baring your soul & your self on multiple occasions, the steps of educational requirements or meetings with mentors do not seem as harrowing.
As I stated & have heard stated by so many others, candidacy is a process. There is an order, a beginning and an end, & there are many steps in between that can take years to complete properly. But the end, the reward is worth all of it. As someone who is still in this process, I know that once I am through it, I will look back on those steps & recognize the significance of the journey.
The journey, that process, is necessary to see who you were, who you are, & who you are to become. All of this occurs while serving God & living out your call. It may not be for everyone & it may not make sense to everyone, but for those in ministry, that process, the journey, matters so greatly. Not matter how tough, we get through it & are grateful for the experience.
- What is a difficult journey that you have taken in life?
- What processes are confusing, but more sense after you completed them?
- What are some questions you want answered about the candidacy process?
Kimberly Woods 