Where does the divine call come from?
In the last couple weeks, I have been considering the functional vs ontological view of the Office of the Holy Ministry. A functional view is that one is pastor by virtue of the things he does (teach, preach, administer the sacraments.) An ontological view would suggest he is in his being a pastor. In the Roman Catholic view, this happens with the laying on of hands at ordination (and historically when the receive/touch the chalice and paten of the Eucharist.)
The Lutherans don't take a purely ontological view of the office. We wouldn't say "once a pastor, always a pastor." A myriad of challenges would come of this view, especially in situations of defrocking and abuses of the office. The potential might also arise that you would short-change your other callings like husband and father for the calling of pastor.
On the other hand, a purely functional view also circumvents the Scriptural view of the office. A lay person who preaches, teaches or does hospice care does not become pastor by virtue of doing these things. He doesn't even become a half-pastor or lay minister. He remains in the priesthood of all believers but what he lacks is simple... He is missing the call as ordained by Scripture.
I once had a ontological view of this call. Christ's Spirit worked in me, motivating me to pursue the office, to know and believe it to be his will for my and my family's life. Going back and reading my Seminary application, this is confirmed. I expressed a change of being, moving from a common lay person to one called.
Today, I have a different view. Yes, I still hold that Christ has called me to be pastor. Yes, I still believe this in my heart. Yes, his Spirit still motivates me. But today I recognize that this call did not come by feelings, direct inspiration or private meditation. It came at the hands of his servants, his messengers. My critique of my early writings and sem application show that I did recognize this reality but yet down-played the role of his people.
It's so easy to be an enthusiast. We love to deny God's means and follow our own instinct and feeling. This might be the denial of His Word, body and blood in bread and wine, the water of baptism, and also his called servants, the pastors. My instinct cares little for anything but myself.
In hindsight I recognize that without others I would not have received the call. I would have continued to struggle and ultimately reject God's will for me. Yet, he was gracious enough to use his servants: my wife, my family, my friends, the seminary staff, and my pastor to extend to me his call. The call to be pastor comes through messengers and not by any feeling of the stomach. It is not a matter of what you believe you are or even what you do per se. Rather, it is what God would have you do. For this I rely on his Word and his messengers of this very Word to guide my way.
