Are You the One?

³⁵Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. ³⁶When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

~ Matthew 9:35-38 New Revised Standard Version

Are you the one?

I wonder if you ever felt called to serve as a pastor and, for one of many “excellent reasons,” never acted on God’s call in your life.

I wonder if others suggested you had gifts for ministry, and you laughed and thought to yourself, that can’t be true.

I wonder if you have heard about the struggles many small membership churches have because they are without a pastor and asked if you might be able to help.

I wonder if you have prayed that God might send a pastor to serve the small membership church and looked to see who a good candidate might be.

I wonder if you are the one God is calling. You have felt a call, had others confirm your gifts, want to help small membership churches, and understand you might be the answer to our prayers for the small membership church.

Some may ask, “How can I know that I am the one God is calling?”

The Academy for Small Membership Church Ministries has a program to help you discover your call and develop skills to serve the church. Each person takes two classes.

The first class, Discovering Your Call to Ministry, will help you discover your call and gifts for ministry. During the course, you will take a spiritual gifts inventory and explore your gifts for ministry, read how God called those in the Bible, consider how your call might be similar to theirs, and finally develop a clear statement of your call and gifts for ministry.

The second class, Foundations for Ministry, helps Certified Lay Ministry candidates, first-time pastors, and District Superintendent Assignment persons develop best practices for serving the local church in sermon writing, developing relationships with their congregation, building mission and vision. This class is also appropriate for pastors moving to new congregations.

This course is a blend of academic learning with practical on-the-job training. It allows the student to learn through both academic and hands-on experience.

The course focuses on a different aspect of ministry each month, with all work and discussion forums taking place online, including monthly meetings.

By the end of these two classes, you will have a clearer understanding of “If you are the one God is calling.” And you will have a foundation for serving the small membership church.

The harvest is plentiful, and the laborers are few. You may be just the person God needs to help the small membership church. Contact us today.