Never forget: Ministry = Service

This morning, I was invited to sit on a panel with a handful of my fellow seminarians as part of a introductory workshop for prospective seminary students. But the panel didn’t start with me on it. I was originally invited to the event to perform one of my poems as an example of how artistic gifts can be used in both ministerial and worship settings. However, 15 minutes into the audience’s questions about why each panel member chose to attend seminary, it turns out that, one of the four original panel members had to leave early to attend another engagement. Within minutes, the moderator of the event asked me to join the panel. I complied.

The panel and I answered questions about how we balance our seminary workload with our personal life, how our families have responded to our decision to pursue advanced degrees in theology, how we incorporated our undergraduate studies with our advanced studies in unrelated fields, and how seminary has challenged us to expand our understanding of ourselves and the world.

During the panel session, one of the panelists- a female minister in the United Church of Christ- mentioned that the issues we wrestle with in seminary are really equipping us to better minister to those in our communities who struggle with their own concerns and questions. In short, we study so we can better serve others. For some reason, her words struck me like a sledge hammer. They reminded me that I am not the only person trying to make sense of these enduring questions of existence.

How could I have lost sight of this? How could I have forgotten one of my most treasured convictions: that we humans should help and serve one another? While not negating the important role that personal development, self-examination and enjoyment play in our lives, I do believe a commitment to help others is a crucial aspect of a fulfilling and meaningful existence. Therefore, I cannot become too insular in my focus. It is in serving others that we remain grounded in the realities of life. Many of the people who we will serve and serve alongside will not care anything about hermeneutics, historical criticism, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, or Hegelian philosophy. Most of them will just want us to offer them our compassionate presence (and if they really want to flatter us, they might even ask us to share some thoughtful words).

The female panelist's words also reminded me that even though I have grown disenchanted with the traditional Christianized and clerical connotations of the over-used term “ministry,” I cannot forget that “ministry” is only a religious word that means “service.” Anybody can serve. You don’t have to be ordained, educated or “anointed” by a Supreme Being to serve. You only need to have an awareness of the needs and feelings of others. I hope that keeping this in mind will help to nuance the focus of my scholarship and the questions in my soul.