In my first few years of teaching I spent 4 years at a parent controlled Christian school – meaning (theoretically) that all of the kids came from homes where at least one parent had faith. These kids were raised in families where following Jesus was the most important priority. And part of that involved sending their kids to a school where their education would be shaped by the values of Jesus and the kingdom of God. What could go wrong?

So one day I decided to test this ideology…

Each morning we had a 20 minute ‘devotional’ space – where the intention was to give the kids a biblical idea to reflect on. I remember I often spent more time preparing for this space than for my other lessons, (ok – I was a phys ed teacher so understandable 🙂 the first hint that my future wasn’t going to be permanently in high school teaching.

It was early days of my rethinking the ‘aspirational western career’ script and my articulation of ideas lacked the nuance I would give it today. But I remember taking a significant amount of time to discuss with these students what they were going to do in their future. Of course we heard that some wanted to be teachers, engineers, doctors and so on.

But – no one was putting their hand up for overseas mission work, aid and development work, pastoral ministry or any form of mission / ministry for that matter – and this was in a Christian school… I got the impression (and I still do) that we naturally gravitate towards regular careers and professions with the idea that if God wanted us to commit our life to Christian mission / ministry then he would need to YELL – to ‘call us out’. Now I’m not at all suggesting we go the dualistic route of seeing an either / or situation (mission / secular work), because reality is that many people’s vocations take them into service in regular jobs. We need Christian plumbers, lawyers and retic blokes just as much as we need pastors and missionaries. That is a recurring theme of this blog – so please don’t think I have jumped ship on that one.

However in those morning devotions I suggested to these students that they consider mission and ministry work as their first calling/priority with a ‘regular career’ as a valuable back up if mission work didn’t go to plan. I pushed them to envisage themselves firstly as missionaries or ministers of some form which generated some interesting conversations and push back from concerned parents who wanted their kids to pursue ‘good careers’. Sure – they could follow Jesus, but all things in moderation… right?… I admit my presentation lacked nuance and was full of 24 year old bluntness – but I really wanted to challenge the dominant paradigm in a strong way. It had the desired effect… It generated some heat. It ruffled some feathers. But I don’t think it made a difference to where the kids headed.

Right now I see a dearth of emerging Christian leaders. Maybe I’m just looking in the wrong places, but the notion of devoting your life to mission and ministry feels somewhat of a bizarre concept to most people under 30. I don’t come across many young people at all who have a life of Christian service anywhere on the radar.

Why is that?

Have we followed the aspirational western script so closely that now it’s indistinguishable from the call of Jesus? I have vivid memories of my teen years being challenged regularly by missionaries and preachers to ‘lay down my life for Jesus and the gospel’. I remember wrestling with calling and at times considering giving up my Phys Ed degree to pursue vocational ministry. It wasn’t an ever present wrestle – because I was also being formed by the ‘script’ when I wasn’t hearing the challenges from those who had stepped into vocational mission. But it was a genuine wrestle and my subsequent path forward probably reflected that.

I believe with all my heart that we need Christians present at every place in society as salt and light, but I also believe that there is a place for vocational mission and ministry. It’s often said that we need to let people mature a little before heading in this direction, but I’m not so sure. I get the sense that the longer we allow people to fall in line and pursue a career, the harder it is to lever them out.

So this is part me thinking out loud about what I am seeing and part me saying to younger people to revisit the notion of career and replace it with vocation. Then within that consider deeply what it would look like for you to give your life to the work of the gospel either here in Australia or overseas.

As a young person I sat thru many a missionary sermon that culminated with those words in Isaiah – here am I – send me!’ And the question was asked if we would respond to God with similar heart. It was a clear call to a life that wasn’t concerned with career advancement and personal achievement but that was focused on following Jesus wherever it led.

This year I turn 60 and we are in a time of significant transition – but that idea of first following Jesus is still as deep and strong as ever – and I’m grateful for those preachers, prophets and missionary speakers who were willing to speak the strong words and articulate an uncompromising vision of seeking first the kingdom of God – and letting life fall into place after that.

Maybe someone needs to hear that message again today. Maybe you need to revisit how your life is formed and what your vocation is. Maybe you can observe your own life and see that you have fallen in line and swallowed the ‘blue pill’. So consider this a challenge to ‘take the red pill and see how deep the rabbit hole goes’. Perhaps God has hopes for you and your life that go way beyond a nice career, a happy family and a well funded retirement!