Widely known and accepted is the reality that the average age of pastors is increasing because fewer and fewer young men aspire to the pulpit. This pastoral shortage is widely documented, and efforts are underway to address the problem. For example, Southern Baptists have created a resourceful website at callingouthecalled.com.

Is there anything we can do to address this issue? On the one hand, isn’t that God’s business? Should we really even be meddling in the lives of men, urging them to consider the call to preach?

Yes and no.

The pressure to pastor should never come from us. If a man can be content spending his life in another vocation, he should not pursue ministry. First Timothy 3:1 is the first qualification: desire. He must want to preach and serve the church.

On the other hand, are there things we can do to either encourage or discourage a man considering the ministry? Yes, there are. And I think current pastors are key.

First, pastors set an atmosphere open to ministry exploration. Ask younger pastors today, and they will likely tell you about an influential pastor who set an atmosphere at their church that resulted in many men responding to the call to ministry. There is no doubt that God uses His men to influence the next generation of His men. They model what it means to love God, love His Word, love their families, and love His church.

Last year, I preached the funeral of G. A. McCoy, my relative and a long-time pastor in Mississippi. Many men surrendered to preach under his influence. He was well-known for creating an atmosphere in which vocational ministry was viewed as a treasure, an admirable vocation, and a viable and noble calling.

How can we do that? One, don’t denigrate the role of a pastor. Pastors, don’t complain or grumble. Don’t tell horror story after horror story of life as a pastor. Perhaps we are all guilty of that to some extent, but we need to stop (Phil. 2:14). That sets a bad atmosphere and provides an incomplete picture of vocational ministry.

Another basic key to setting an atmosphere is to invite men to respond to the call to preach. Most invitations are directed toward salvation, baptism, and church membership. Include in your invitations a call to pursue ministry and missions. Make that a staple in your preaching. Pastors, set an atmosphere in your church of respect and honor for the pastorate.

The other way to encourage more openness to vocational ministry is apprenticeship. How does a man learn a trade? He apprentices under a master. Our current educational philosophy has unfortunately moved away from apprenticeship; it is a virtually lost model. Instead, we send men off to Bible college or seminary and expect the school to prepare them. I am definitely not discounting that, but let’s be real, it isn’t enough. It really isn’t primary. We need partners all throughout our journey as pastors. At the beginning, we especially need help getting started on the right foot.

Pastors have the opportunity to pour into a young man who will be a pastor to the next generation. In times past, that has looked like the youth pastor (Pastor, Jr.). Now, thankfully, churches are seeing the need to start mentoring programs and residency programs that invest in and test the fitness of aspiring ministers.

Let the young guns shadow you, pastor. Let them have a shot at teaching and preaching. Take them to meetings. Take them on visits to home and hospital. Consider this well-known process known as the stages of apprenticeship:

I do; you observe

I do; you assist

You do; I assist

You do; I observe

Do you have men in your congregation whom God may be calling to ministry? Be the key to setting an atmosphere and offering apprenticeship. Need some help? Attend the Discern the Call event in October 2023. If you can, bring a potential pastor. If not, come be inspired and trained by experienced practitioners on how to call out the called.