It’s not mine, but responsible
During my seminary education a current changed in my denomination when ministers were encouraged to embrace an ownership of ministry differently. The term, “my ministry” became the norm and continues to this day. I think this current was meant to remind ministers, and those preparing for ministry, of their personal accountability and ethics as professionals even when systems did not or did not exist to do so. I understand the intention. During this same time my denomination was moving away from the idea of “pastor/scholar” to “corporate professional.” Another term, “public theologian” has surfaced as a way of describing the vocation of ministry.
I’ve understood it differently. I participate in the ministry of the Church. Sometimes it resembles the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, sometimes it resembles the ancient beliefs of tradition’s “Christianity,” sometimes it is interested in Empire building and sometimes it embraces the kindom of God in our midst. I was ordained into Christian ministry of the Church universal. My ordination vows require me to accept that on any given day I represent the entire history of Christianity: the good, the bad, and the apathetic to persons I know and to the stranger sitting next to me on the plane. I am responsible for the way I inhabit and “put on” that responsibility to represent Christianity, but ministry is not “mine.” Ordained Ministry is a lifestyle that cannot be owned. Participating in ministry is relational and risky. I was reminded of this again from the editor and publisher of the Christian Century who recently wrote about his experience of retirement.
Sunday Morning Blues
John M Buchanan | Aug 9, 2013 | The Christian CenturyOne thing I have learned from this experience is something I should have learned long ago: ministry is not my personal possession. Ministry belongs to the church, the congregation I served for a while, the denomination of which it is a part—and to the whole church, holy, catholic, apostolic. In the painful process of letting go I am learning to let the church continue to be the church, performing a ministry that began before it allowed me to serve and continuing after I left.