The Pastor

Hearing Your Call Speak Again

The most common experience shared by pastors is the call. Most pastors, regardless of denomination or theological tradition, believe their being a pastor was God’s idea.

The call, whether a sudden mystical experience or a gradually growing awareness, is a powerful component of a pastor’s life. Its impact is life-long, and it affects family and congregational relationships.

Most pastors, however, reflect on their call as being a personal experience in the past--powerful yet unchanging. It often is described as being fulfilled mostly through proficiencies and job responsibilities.

What would happen if the call were to speak again? What would be the result if pastors went back and listened to their call? What if they rehearsed it and described it more in terms of a narrative rather than an event? Then, what if that initial call was nurtured into life and it began to speak again? What would it say?

The Pastors Institute has developed a retreat and a series of stand-alone seminars that will invite pastors to hear their call speak again. Results have been formidable. Pastors understand their call in their present context rather than one decades old. They see themselves more as part of a community of faith and the Kingdom at-large. They begin to define the fulfillment of their call more in terms of character, servanthood and presence. Some report a new imagination and a humbling excitement.

These resources were developed as a result of a global corporation recently funding a TPI project, “Let Your Call Speak: A New Model for Pastoral Development.”

This resource is appropriate to pastors’ groups and ministry students of all traditions. Contact us for more information.

“Thank you for devoting so much passion and study to helping all of us better understand the wonderful and complex issue of the call.”
“As a sociologist and researcher, I am appreciative of Dr. Ross’ clear commitment to continue learning from work done through his directorship of The Pastors Institute as well as from the research and experiences of others.”