Get Started

David Holmes received his call to ministry in his third year of college, while volunteering at a food pantry and participating in a Bible study with some of the other volunteers. So after college David went on to study theology. Then late one May afternoon, he got the phone call; he would be the new pastor of Cedar Bend Church. After he shared the good news with his family and friends, he wondered what he should do first: Write the sermon for his first Sunday? Get ready to move into the parsonage? Visit some of his new parishioners? He didn't know where to begin.

Preparing to be the pastor at a new church is similar to preparing for a yearlong journey. No one gets in a car and starts out on a long holiday without first making preparations. The same is true with ministry. Before you begin, you will need to pack some essentials and chart out a course for the days ahead.

Identify Your Interests

A loal church pastor wears many hats. He or she equips the congregation for Christian ministry by preaching the Word and administering the sacraments, providing guidance and comfort to members, and overseeing the administrative life of the church. But no pastor can be an expert at every task, so knowing which type of ministry you are called to is important because the more you know about yourself and your particular preferences, the more enthusiasm and focus you can bring to your ministry.

To which type of ministry are you called? Since you are reading this book, you might answer, "I am called to local church ministry," but be more specific. What is your ministry specialty? What are your strengths? What are some of the obstacles that might stand in your way?

Consider and circle the two areas of ministry that interest you most:

Preaching Age-specific Ministries (e.g., ministry with children or
Liturgy seniors)
Teaching Charitable Outreach / Missions
Administration Evangelical Outreach / Membership
Administration Other: ____________________
Specialty or Alternative
Ministries

In order to identify your strengths in these areas and some of the challenges that might stand in your way, please write your two choices below, then list the gifts and talents that you bring to each ministry.

Choice #1: ________________________

The gifts and talents you bring to this specific area of ministry (strengths):

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Personal obstacles that might stand in your way (challenges):

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Choice #2: ________________________

The gifts and talents you bring to this specific area of ministry (strengths):

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Personal obstacles that might stand in your way (challenges):

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Write Your Personal Ministry Statement

Many ministers like to begin each new ministry by writing a personal ministry statement and setting a couple of simple and achievable goals.

A personal ministry statement can be a valuable tool to give direction in your first year. Your statement can also help you evaluate your progress at the end of the year. For an example, let's look at what David Holmes wrote:

I believe I am called to local church ministry, but I am especially passionate about missions and small group ministry. My strengths are my organizational skills, my ability to work with others as a team member, my outgoing personality, and my desire to share God's love with everyone I meet. I am not a strong leader, but I want to strengthen my leadership skills. Because I am a focused person, sometimes my passion for one aspect of ministry leads me to neglect other areas of ministry. I'll need to be sure to remind myself that balance is the key to being a faithful and effective leader of a church.

What is your personal ministry statement? Write it below:

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Set Some Short-term Goals

Now that you have identified your specific interests and written your ministry statement, set a couple of short-term goals for the upcoming year. Note: These are your personal goals, not goals for your new church to accomplish. For example, Pastor Holmes chose one goal that focused on one of his strengths and another that focused on one of his challenges:

1. Offer a month-long sermon series on the importance of charitable outreach and missions in the life of the church.

2. Do two things in the coming year to strengthen leadership skills. For example, study a book on leadership skills and attend a leadership training workshop or conference.

In the space below, write two goals that you want to accomplish in the first year of your ministry. Remember, keep them simple:

1. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

Introduce Yourself to Your New Church

One of the best ways to introduce yourself to your new church is to write a letter of introduction. This is a brief, no more than two pages, double-spaced, typed letter that allows each member of your parish to get to know you better. Typically a letter of introduction includes a brief biographical history (including something about your call to ministry), educational history, and a greeting that lets the members know that you look forward to meeting them and are excited about serving as their new pastor. If you are married and have children, include something about your spouse's profession or interests and your children's ages and hobbies. The letter should be positive in tone and general in the information it offers.

In terms of mailing your letter, the names and addresses of your church's members can be found in the current membership directory—ask a church leader to get you a copy. If...