The call to ministry

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. With these words Jesus called the first disciples. It was an invitation, but not the kind you can refuse. And, like all the biggest decisions in life, it was a mixture of sacrifice along with opportunity.

The sacrifice was this: these men were told to abandon their livelihood, and with that, any dreams, plans, and ambitions they had been nurturing about their futures. They had to accept, on the spot, that their lives were about to head in a completely different direction and come to terms with that fact. It would mean financial uncertainty, constant travelling, abandonment of basic comforts, saying goodbye to friends and family, and would lead them to eventual suffering and death.

The opportunity was this: they got to serve Jesus and witness his work close up. Any sense that their lives were to continue as normal was shattered, as they received the great honour and privilege of laying themselves down at Christ’s feet in service to his purposes and mission. They were pulled out of a life of obscurity and put in a place of great significance in the plans of God on earth.

You may well be sensing a call to serve Jesus in full-time ministry. Perhaps it is just a vague niggling question, and you are at a life stage at which you can give some time to explore the answer. Then again, it may be a deep and agonising awareness that this is what you were made for, and that pressure on your spirit will not give you any relief.

Discerning a call to ministry is never easy. You may struggle to be certain as to whether it is God’s will for you, whether you are gifted in the right ways, and whether others will see and receive that call. There are many good reasons to do something else with your life.

We want to offer you the chance to explore whether this is indeed what God is calling you to, and perhaps also to help train you for it. We are looking for people at different stages of experience to apply. Applicants will vary from those who feel a settled desire and call to ministry, to those who are less certain and need an opportunity to discern.

An introduction to Grace London

We began as a church plant in 2014, with a small team of nine adults and a few babies. The hope was to begin a gospel-centred church in Waterloo, with the long-term aim of planting more churches.

In the years since we began, the church has grown in size and complexity. We’ve established a leadership team, appointed elders, hired an operations team, recruited interns and appointed deacons to assist in the leadership of the church. Each Sunday we meet as three congregations, and midweek in Life Groups across the city.

The church is mainly made up of young adults, which reflects our location as a city-centre church. The congregation reflects the city in a number of other key ways: ethically diverse, educated, and very transient. This means that ministry has to be contextualised in order to be effective by speaking to the worldview of young Londoners, calling them to a higher degree of commitment and community, whilst challenging them with the radical call of Jesus.

What does the role involve?

The Pastoral Residency is designed as a two-year full-time role working alongside the team at Grace.

Study. The role involves an expectation to study. If you have graduated from a course in theology then the residency should allow you time in the week for more self-directed study. If you have not completed a prior qualification then we will help sponsor you to study part-time with Crosslands. 

Ministry. You will get involved in ministry of various kinds, according to your gifts and abilities. This may include occasional preaching and teaching in various contexts, as well as more hands-on work in discipleship, evangelism, pastoral care, and leadership. For some, this could involve leadership in a distinct area of ministry in church life. 

Formation. You will have the opportunity to meet with the eldership and those exploring eldership in order to participate in these forums and learn more about church leadership. Alongside this, the eldership team will seek to disciple you in a more personal way in order to help you grow in character and godliness.

What next?

If you think this is you, then we would love to hear from you soon. There is no definite timeline for this process.

Please write an email to us at pastorsearch@grace.london explaining why you think you’re suitable for this role, including some idea of your experience, your church background, your theological convictions and influences, your gift mix, your interest in city ministry, and your life stage and circumstances. Please also explain what has drawn you to an interest in Grace London.