Raise up future leaders

Lutheran, The, May 2002 by Hanson, Mark S

Presiding Bishop

Here's a way to lift up ministry candidates

A public radio program conducts a nationwide search for young classical musicians. Those chosen perform and are interviewed by the host. A recent guest not only described his training as a vocalist but his call to ministry, which came at age 14.

"My pastor told me to wait and pray for one year to be sure it was a call from God," he said. "After that year, my congregation let me begin to preach, and I became the minister of music." Excerpts from his sermons were played for listeners-what a stirring passion he has to proclaim God's love in Christ!

As musicians, scholars and athletes are identified and affirmed for their gifts at a very young age, we in the church need to do the same with young people who have leadership gifts. Every one of the almost 11,000 ELCA congregations should have a plan for lifting up candidates for ministry, ordained and lay.

What if three or four people in each congregation took on that responsibility? They could meet with the pastor, youth leaders and Sunday school teachers to identify young people with leadership gifts. This task force could then write to the young people who have been identified, affirming their gifts. Task force members could begin to pray for these future leaders and arrange for them to visit one of our eight seminaries. What if each young person had a mentor, pastor or lay church worker who would regularly communicate with them during their college years?

In March, our 65 bishops assigned this year's seminary graduates to synods for their first call. Only 34 percent of the synods' needs could be met. We now have 2,300 ELCA congregations without a called pastor. We will continue to explore the ways we can sustain word and sacrament ministry. Yet, no solution can replace our shared responsibility for raising up future leaders.

The Virginia Synod has "20/20 Vision." Every child baptized in the synod after the year 2000 will be prayed for, mentored and be able to share their faith and discern God's call for their life by the time they are 20 years old. It is a vision for every congregation and synod.

Young people are already leaders in the church. Their commitment, service and exuberance are models for us. Discerning God's call requires prayer, the work of the Spirit, and our commitment to identify and raise up leaders. Together, let us take up the challenge. D

A monthly message from the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

His e-mail address: bishop@elca.org.

Call the presiding bishop's hotline-"Dial Bishop Hanson ": (773) 380-2930.

Messages change every two weeks. Topics: May 1--

This church is a praying church; May 15-This church is a Pentecost church.