Jeremy L. Berg

My recent post on Vocation and calling featured at Jesus Creed evoked some great comments that were helpful in taking my thoughts forward.  Michael Kruse’s comments in particular are worth sharing repeating here.  I found his reference to a trinitarian framework for calling very fascinating:

I don’t know if you have ever read any of R. Paul Stevens, especially, “The Other Six Days.” Stevens talks about a trinitarian call on our life:

Father = Creation Stewardship – Being stewards of creation and co-creators with God.

Son = Kingdom Service – Carrying on the works of Jesus.

Spirit = Exercising Gifts – Using gifts for the growth and health of the Church and humanity.

These universally apply to everyone. Then he goes on to make a distinction between vocation and occupation:

Temperament/gifts/experience + passion = personal vocation

Temperament/gifts/experience + passion + context = occupation (in the broadest sense of “what I am occupied with,” which may mean employment)

All of this is discerned in the context of community and the Spirit. What is key here is the particular context we find ourselves in. Our particular life context directly effects our occupational options.

Stevens also notes that ministry is not defined by what we do. It is defined by WHO we are doing for! Maybe not the best grammar but you get the point.

The two biggest obstacles I see are what I call the divide and the dot. The divide deals with a false split between “sacred” and “secular.” The elevation of “full-time Christian ministry” above other occupations or creating tiers of work where the helping professions are somehow nearer God’s call than being a forklift operator or a business owner.

The dot is the idea that there is one choice that is God’s will and if I don’t hit that one dot, all is lost and I’ve missed God’s will. Call is on going interactive iterative process and there are often multiple good options that fit with God’s call on our life.