Hello Support Team,
I am so thankful for where God has placed me! These past few weeks I have had my mid-program review with my mentoring pastor and have been invited into a potentially amazing opportunity for my future.
As most, if not all, of you know I have felt called to ministry for some time now, and while there has not been a lot of movement on that front, the feeling of call is still strong. There have been periodical affirmations from different ministries and leaders as I continue to volunteer and serve in these ministries. But I have never before received such a strong affirmation as I have recently from the church I am serving at. My progress at the church I am serving with was recently reviewed, and while I think that everyone needs to be assessed at times, I was still caught of guard at the notion of being reviewed when I was essentially a volunteer. It is weird that no matter how well I think I am doing, at the prospect of reviews my mind always goes to the worst case scenario, regardless of how unlikely. This case was no different. So when I met with my pastoral mentor I had not a small amount of trepidation and uncertainty regarding said review. It also bears mentioning that my mentor and supervisor does not give superfluous compliments or comments, he chooses his words carefully with intentionality to be certain that what he says is exactly what he means. So when I received a glowing and positive review, with an endorsement to the conference that he does indeed believe I have the capacity and gifting to be a pastor, I was incredibly encouraged.
Coming out of this I had a meeting with the pastor and church council chair about a week later. The meeting was about the prospect of me staying on for a good while longer and taking part in the MB conferences new Elevation program. The decision has to be approved by the church, but it also presents me with a decision about weather or not I want to enter into it. This Elevation program involves me staying on with this church for half time (22 hours a week) for between 2-4 more years as an apprentice and serving in many of the same ways I have been so far. But for the other half time it involves me going back to school for my Masters degree. If I attended 2 years part time I would receive a certificate that could be upgraded after another 2 years (30 credit hours) to a Masters of Church ministry.
So the pro's are obvious. I have the chance to continue serving where I am and invest further with the relationships I have already begun to invest in. This would be a paid salary position and my school would be mostly paid for as well. I would also get a good head-start on a Masters, which most churches, require for a lot of pastor positions.
The con's are less obvious but still there. I would be a student for at least 2 more years, and while I think it is important to always be learning, I also would like to actually do something with my learning. For this paid position I would need to fund-raise 1/3rd. (approximately 10,000 per year). God has been so generous to me through the donations of many of you who are reading this right now, but it is still a huge ask. And finally, it is my current and strong conviction that I am to function and serve in youth ministry, which does not require more than a bachelors degree, so while a masters may be nice it is not expressly required.
This is a decision I have to make rather sooner than I would like, as the church needs to vote on weather or not they are up to the additional financial commitment that they would undertake as well. But for me, right now, wherever you are, could you please pray for discernment for me at this time. I am of two minds on this issue and will seek wherever God directs me, but I very much need that direction to move forward. And if in your prayers you find God speaking to you about me and this decision please let me know.
God Bless
- Stefan Klassen
Preaching
Preaching during the main service at church
