Vocation as the Heart of the Church

Vocation lies at the center of the Moravian Church, historically and theologically. In 1457 Brother Gregory established a community that tried to recreate the apostolic church, which was not dependent on the state. Its priests were to be servants rather than lords. This Unitas Fratrum (Unity of the Brethren) held up the ideal of Christian vocation for every member, not just the priests. One of the reasons our ancestors were so insistent on giving the communion chalice to the laity was to symbolize that all the people of God are equal before God in status, salvation, responsibility, and vocation.

This did not mean that they abolished the priestly office in the church. They always taught that God sets certain individuals apart to teach, preach, administer the sacraments, care for people’s souls, lead congregations, and maintain the Unity. They called these ordained leaders “priests” while today we refer to pastors, ministers, or clergy. The priests’ primary purpose was to help their congregation deepen their experience of Christ, follow the teachings of Jesus, and pursue their vocations faithfully.

Zinzendorf revitalized this Moravian understanding of vocation. Under his leadership both men and women preached and served as spiritual advisors in the community of faith. Some were sent by the church to bring the good news of God’s sacrificial love to those most rejected by the world. Others were set aside to conduct worship, administer the sacraments, and teach. Pastors had authority, but they also served under the authority of the Unity’s elders. In short, clergy were called out by the community of faith to serve the community of faith, and they were supported by the community of faith.

Throughout our history, the Moravian Church has always intentionally identified individuals who display the special gifts, talents, and dedication that is required for ordained ministry. Most of our clergy through the centuries heard their call from God through the efforts of pastors, teachers, and elders. In the old days they were usually identified while they were still children and the church educated them to be pastors. The key point is that Moravians have always recognized that the community of faith needs to help people discern whether the call they hear is that of the Holy Spirit or personal desires.

Ordination in the Moravian Church does not confer a higher status, but is rather a public action of the church that brings an individual under the special obligations of the church. The church’s leaders affirm that a person has completed all the necessary preparations and has given evidence that he or she will be faithful in service. The Church also makes a commitment to support the ordained person spiritually, physically, and emotionally.

The person being ordained also makes a public commitment to serve in the Moravian Church as one who leads worship, teaches, preaches, and cares for people’s souls. The clergy covenant as those who labor together in the work of Christ’s church in the world, not as competitors but as comrades. In short, ordination in the Moravian Church is a series of covenants between God, the one called, the body of clergy, the Church’s officials, and the people of God.

Thus, ordination is like marriage in that it is a covenant with mutual responsibilities. Like marriage, ordination is also a public action. That is why we publish the names of all ordained clergy serving under call in the official directory of the Moravian Church in North America each year. This is not to bring honor to the clergy but to acknowledge the public nature of all ministries of the Moravian Church. Those who are ordained serve as public representatives of the mutual ministry of all of us.

In our Litany we pray for those who are imprisoned for the sake of the Gospel and we remember those Moravians who have suffered because they openly and honestly served Christ. It can be hard to be an ordained servant in the Moravian Church. It involves great financial sacrifice, years of challenging preparation, much daily stress, and demands on one’s family. It is hard to have a private life and pursue personal interests. The church expects pastors to be pilgrims who are at home anywhere in the world.

Pastors are expected to be intelligent interpreters of the Scriptures, living examples of Christian virtue, good public speakers, inspiring teachers, wise counselors, shrewd financial managers, pleasant companions, strong leaders, and honest in all their dealings. It is impossible to do all these things equally well, and it is easy for pastors and their flock to forget that clergy are fallible humans who have answered a call from Christ. We cannot expect clergy to be perfect, only faithful and diligent.

There is more to being an ordained minister than sacrifice and work, though. It is one of the few professions defined in terms of love and joy instead of competition and objectivity. Pastors have the privilege to share in some of the most intimate moments of people’s lives and have the opportunity to touch individuals in their inner most being. Serving in the church can and should be joyful, stimulating, and richly rewarding in those things that are most important. The obligations are great, but the joys are greater.