Discerning: Exploring God’s Call to Ministry

Find your vocation in God’s unfolding story

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Do you wonder if you have a call to ministry but find yourself hesitating at the crossroads? You're not alone. Many of us seek absolute certainty before taking such a significant step, but clear-cut signs—like a thunderous voice from above—are rare.

Welcome to Discerning: Exploring a Call to Ministry, your guide to navigating the nuanced process of vocational discernment. This course is designed for anyone contemplating a path in ministry, whether in an ordained capacity or as a dedicated volunteer.

Each module is crafted to challenge you, inspire reflection, and help you map out your potential next steps. We'll address key questions about Christian vocation (spoiler alert: we all have one, whether or not it leads to full-time ministry!) and share transformative spiritual practices. These tools will help you discover where your unique gifts and passions align with God's call on your life.

Ready to embark on this journey of discernment? Join us as we explore what ministry might mean for you. It's time to transform your ponderings into purposeful action.

What You'll Learn

  • Practical ways to listen deeply to God’s voice, rooted in Jesus and guided by the Holy Spirit.
  • Powerful stories from other disciples about how God’s call showed up for them and what it looked like to take that next, courageous step.
  • How to engage in discernment practices such as prayer, reflection, and self-examination (and why they’re foundational to every Christian vocation).
  • How to develop trust in God’s leading and cultivate a heart that listens with openness and faith.
  • The connection between your vocation and God’s mission of loving the world.
  • What Christian public leadership can truly look like, and what that means for you.
  • How God has spoken to people in the Bible—and how God is speaking to you today.

About this Course

  • Modules

10

  • Learning Elements

77

  • Videos

15

  • Practices & Activities

3

  • Time

8 hours, 30 minutes

  • Price

$0

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Here's What's Inside...

Get oriented to the course, meet your instructor, download the interactive handbook, and more.

In this module, you will:

  • Define discernment as an ongoing personal and communal spiritual process.
  • Develop a discernment spiritual practice.
  • Explore your questions around discernment.

In this module, you will:

  • Understand more about the priesthood of believers and discernment within that.
  • Rest in your identity in Christ.
  • Consider your unique giftedness.

In this module, you will:

  • Learn more about the concepts of vocation and God's mission of loving the world.
  • Explore ways that God called people in the Bible.
  • Reflect on ways that God has spoken to you.

In this module, you will:

  • Define and develop the ways that you have been designed.
  • Reflect on the Body of Christ.
  • Reflect on your experiences and talents.

In this module, you will:

  • Develop skills for listening around public ministry.
  • Listen to God.
  • Practice listening to others around this idea of call, especially in the area of ordination.

In this module, you will:

  • Learn the importance of God's timing.
  • Appreciate God's patience.
  • Develop habits of slowing down and listening.

In this module, you will:

  • Learn about the pattern of action and reflection.
  • Pray for God's leading.
  • Experiment with what you have learned.

In this module, you will:

  • Consider life and ministry stages.
  • Thank God for God's faithfulness.
  • Develop strategies for re-examination.

Find out your next steps as you complete the course. You'll also be encouraged to submit feedback about your course.

You'll Learn How to Connect with God
A woman sits on a rock overlooking a deep, foggy ravine; she is wearing a backpack and sneakers and reading a map.

Christian leadership looks different today than at any other time in history. Whether you’re considering seminary or wondering about your next steps as a lay leader, this course helps you find your place in God’s unfolding plan for your life.

What to Expect

  • Lifetime access to all course materials, including our flexible, on-demand modules.
  • A full-color, comprehensive PDF handbook with practices, reflection questions, and assignments to deepen your learning.
  • Free access to the Faith+Lead Learning Lab, a private online community where you can connect with other learners and leaders.

Ready to Enroll?

Enroll in this one on-demand course today or unlock free access to this and all on-demand courses plus more with Faith+Lead Membership

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Access to this on-demand course

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Access to an online supportive community

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Access to 20+ on-demand courses

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Access to all workshops and their recordings

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Access to member-only live Q&A monthly interviews

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Access to monthly group coaching

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Need a scholarship? Apply here.

Looking for just in-time training resources?

Use this on-demand course as a complementary ready-made resource for small groups, Bible studies, discipleship growth, and equipping lay leaders in your specific ministry setting.

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Meet Your Instructor

  • Terri Elton

    Terri Martinson Elton began teaching at Luther Seminary as an adjunct instructor in 2004 before becoming the director of the Center for Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2008. In addition to her continued work with the Center, Elton accepted the position of associate professor of Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2010 and associate professor of Leadership in 2014.

    Prior to her call to Luther Seminary, Elton served as an associate to the bishop in the Saint Paul Area Synod where her responsibilities included working with congregations, leadership development, First Call theological education and youth and family ministry.

    Before her work in the synod, she served at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, Minn. for 16 years. While at Prince of Peace she worked in various roles within children, youth and family ministries, as well as served as the director of Changing Church Forum, an outreach ministry of Prince of Peace. She also authored To Know, To Live, To Grow, a confirmation curriculum, and co-authored What Really Matters, a book for congregational leaders, with the Rev. Mike Foss.

    Elton holds a B.A. degree in communications from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. (1986). She earned both her M.A. (1998) and Ph.D. (2007) degrees in Congregational Mission and Leadership from Luther Seminary.

    Elton’s research and teaching interests include: congregational leadership, leading in the midst of change and conflict, helping ministry leaders craft a missional ecclesiology with an eye toward the First Third of Life, awakening a vibrant theology of baptism and vocation and reimagining faith and mission practices for children, youth, young adults and their families.

    Elton is a member of the Academy of Religious Leadership, the Association of Youth Ministry Educators, the ELCA Youth Ministry Network and the American Society of Missiology and is on the board for Real Resources. Elton spends much of her time working with congregations and congregational leaders and seeks out opportunities for enhancing ministry with those in the First Third of Life within the ELCA.

Connect as you learn

Connect inside the Faith+Lead Learning Lab

Learning happens best when you do it together with folks who are on the same journey as you are.

That's why our private social network, the Faith+Lead Learning Lab, hosts conversations about course content with other learners, instructors, TAs, and community leaders.

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Study together with a small group or congregation

Want to bring Discerning: Exploring God’s Call to Ministry to your Bible study, small group, or even your entire congregation?

Choose "Enroll a Group" at checkout and select how many people you'd like to provide access to the course. You can go through the course together in-person, watch lessons together via Zoom, or even create a private group in the Learning Lab where participants can connect asynchronously.

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Lead your church through change

  

with the Missional Leader Cohort