Ka'thy Gore Chappell
When I was 7 years old, I attended my annual 2-week Vacation Bible School at my home church in Alabama. I remember sitting at a table working on arts & crafts. One of my teachers, a young woman by the name of Mae Strozier, was working with me. I liked her! Today, Mae would be described as an emerging leader. She was headed to seminary to be a Youth Minister. Mae was nice to me and I wanted to be just like her. Is it possible that my initial call to ministry came in the form of an incredible role model? Yes!
My initial call to ministry came in the form of relationship and experience with a teacher at Vacation Bible School. However, my call to ministry grew after that point through relationships with other leaders and experiences in church activities. My call to ministry also grew through relationships and experiences at home with parents and through significant life experiences. My call to ministry continued to grow as I had the opportunity to be an emerging leader myself. The churches that provided me the opportunity to serve have been crucial in the development of my call to ministry.
Most recently, my call to ministry has continued to develop as my professional journey brings me to work with students in the seminary setting (here at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond). The call to ministry for me has involved work with youth, college students, and now, seminary students. While my call to ministry has taken different forms, the call from God has been the same…
“Love God with all your passion, prayer, and intelligence.
Love your neighbor as your self.
These are two pegs; everything in God’s Law hangs on these two pegs.”
Matthew 21:37-40, The Message |
