A Seminary Interview Question

 When I was in college preparing to go to the Seminary, I had to go through my district interview.  There was a bit of a question as to where I should do it - I had been from Nebraska, but was attending school in Oklahoma, and then my dad had taken a call to Southern New Mexico which was part of the Rocky Mountain District with it's headquarters in Denver.  It was finally decided that I could interview through the Oklahoma District just to make everyone's life easier.

And so there I sat in a room at Trinity Norman, next to Rev. David Nehrenz (now the Oklahoma District President) across from VP Hartman (who would shortly be the Oklahoma District President) and a few other high ranking and respected pastors.  And they interviewed me, asked me questions to see if I would be fit for a spot at the Seminary.

The question was asked of me: What does a Pastor do?

I responded quickly and simply, "Preach the Word and administer the Sacraments."

And stopped.

And there was a pause.  

It was slightly awkward.  I could tell the district officials were wanting more; Pastor Nehrenz was next to me grinning slightly in anticipation.

Finally I expanded.  Yes, I knew that Pastors did a lot of other things, but all those other things were things that the laity could do and ought to do as well.  Visit, pray, works of service.  But the key thing for the Pastor is this: Preaching the Word and Administering the Sacrament.

That answer sufficed for the district officials... though one of the guys there wanted something probably a bit more flowery and glowing about the joys of ministry or some such thing.  

I don't remember much else, but I remember the contrast - how simple and focused the answer was that I gave - preach the Word and administer the sacrament.  Quick, to the point, the things that distinguish the Pastoral Office from the other duties of Christians.  And I remember how almost disappointed folks were with that simple distinction... they wanted there to be more.

But there isn't.  This is the beauty of the priesthood of the baptized.  That we all, lay and pastors alike, have the great gifts of God, the treasures of Christ Jesus, as our inheritance.  Pastors are simply placed into an office whereby the have the responsibility to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments for the sake of all the people.  Administer the gifts.  Steward the mysteries.  Simple servants.

And you end up reading things like Luther's Letter to the German Nobility and you get this spelled out in such detail.

I just get to do what I've called to do... and that's a lovely thing.