"It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up..." (Eph. 4:11-12)

God's people join together around Word and Sacrament, reaching out to a lost world. Dedicated, committed workers assist and lead people in participating in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, building up the Body of Christ. The vocations listed here represent some of the many ways in which you can serve the Church in its vital ministries.

Martin Luther wrote, "There is no more precious treasure, no nobler thing on earth, than a pious, faithful pastor or preacher." As a pastor, you will be looked to as both shepherd and servant of God's flock. Through you, on a daily basis, God will carry out his most wonderful work: that of saving the lost.

As you care for the members of your congregation, you will be active in preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments, visiting members, comforting the sorrowing, giving godly counsel, and providing a vision of outreach for your congregation. You may also serve as a military or institution's chaplain, a foreign missionary, a church administrator, an educator or a campus pastor.

Preparation for this calling requires four years of undergraduate study, preferably with a Christian liberal arts emphasis, followed by four years of graduate study at a seminary.

As a Christian teacher your life will be dedicated to the exciting and enriching experience of participating in the development of searching minds and the formation of personalities. You will partner with pastors and parents in the joy and satisfaction of being God's instruments in training children for a life in service to Jesus Christ.

The most common opportunity for a teaching ministry is found in serving in a Lutheran preschool, elementary school or high school. In addition, you will be able to use your gifts and talents in coaching, school or church music programs,adult education, youth programs and/or administration.

The professional education of a Christian teacher leads to state and church certification. You will attend college for four or five years, during which time you will work under supervision in actual classrooms.

Deaconess means "servant." As a Christian woman you have been given the gifts to uniquely serve both within and outside the church. A career as a deaconess enables you to do exactly that. Your vital tasks as a deaconess include spiritual care, teaching God's word, administration, and social service.

You will accomplish these tasks in a variety of arenas: parishes, hospitals, welfare institutions, college campuses, inner cities, and foreign mission fields. This is a flexible vocation that can be tailored to your gifts, vision and calling as God enables.

Certification as a deaconess follows one to four years of study (depending on previous experiences), majoring in theology with an additional area of special interest, followed by a year of internship.

As a Director of Christian Outreach you are a valuable member of an outreach-oriented ministry team. Your primary function is to stimulate, educate, mobilize and support parishioners in witnessing, evangelizing and assimilating new members. You might also serve in a mission congregation or develop cross-cultural outreach in the United States or on a foreign mission field. In addition there are opportunities for you to serve in specialized service such as campus ministry or church planting.

Your program of study requires four years of higher education and one year of internship and will prepare you for the variety of skills needed in the fields of evangelism and missions.

Music is a delightful, noble gift of God, one of His gifts to His people that we offer back to Him in praise and worship. As a Director of Parish Music, you will use your talents and spiritual sensitivity to enhance the musical life and worship experiences in your congregation.

You will give leadership to choirs, bands, and soloists and be involved in planning church services. Whether you serve part-time or full-time you will play an integral role in the life of the church and, by enhancing your congregation's love for communal worship, effectively proclaim the Gospel.

Your program of preparation requires four years of study along with a practicum in an area church.

Ministry is a team effort. The lay minister, as one of the members of a congregation's team of leaders, works under a pastor's guidance and direction in a great variety of ways, depending on talents and area of specialty. Your position could include evangelism, visitation, Christian education, youth work, ministries, parish administration, assimilation and spiritual gifts and other applicable ministries.

As congregations grow and adapt to changing demographics in a mobile society, you are needed to provide vision and leadership in coordinating your church's various educational missions. This can involve all ages: the DCE nourishes children, youth, adults, and family groups in instruction and fosters growth in their faith.

In time you will be qualified to lead, supervise, administer, coordinate, train and instruct in the various educational activities in your congregation. Based on your gifts, you may also specialize or assist in counseling, music or worship.

Academic preparation leading to certification as a Director of Christian Education involves four years of higher education plus one year of internship in a congregation.

As a parish nurse you will serve as a member of a local congregation ministry team by linking your community's medical and spiritual resources to make church members aware of health issues, disease prevention and wellness. You will educate church members on health issues, act as a liaison for referrals to community resources and social services, provide home and hospital visitation, and comfort and assist through prayer. You will also seek opportunities to use your ministry to reach out to the community.

The program of study is built on the concept of reaching out to the whole person and helps you to create a healing environment to nurture the body, mind and spirit of the individual, just as Jesus did.

To qualify for this program (whether by distance education or on campus), you will be a registered nurse, spiritually mature, committed to holistic health, a good communicator and active in your congregation.

As a social worker you will be devoted to helping people function within their environment. Social work demands skill in human relations, sensitivity, and a concern for people facing adversity. You will be making a career of bringing Christ-centered love and hope to the hurting and hopeless of society, and devoting yourself to binding spiritual wounds through the means of Christian and secular social work agencies. The course of studies for a Lutheran Social Worker includes four years of classes interspersed with supervised field experience in local agencies.

Okay, you're interested, right?

Now what?

Follow the path to knowledge by accessing information at one of the sites listed below.

Colleges/Universities

Seminaries