A minister’s life is fulfilling, exciting and rewarding

New nonfiction indentifies importance of commitment to family and marriage for active clergy

West Allis, Wis.­ Do you find yourself compelled to the ministry? Are you serious about spreading God’s word, and does it feel like he has a divine plan for your life? Are you worried that it¹s impossible to balance family and marriage with the demands of clergy service?

When he was just 20 years old, author Earl F. Lindsay felt God¹s unmistakable call to be a pastor and followed it. In “One Incredible Journey: A Clergy Person’s Calling” (published by AuthorHouse, he chronicles more than 60 years spent in active ministry as he learned to balance marriage and parenting with a vocational calling.

With a focus on rural and suburban churches, Lindsay’s experiences reinforced his belief that the great universal church is the local church, and that the fulfillment found in pastoral ministry does not correlate to the size of the church but rather the simple act of helping others in need.

When Lindsay decided to accept God’s plan for him, he started by accepting an invitation to serve three small churches in Michigan. Admittedly inexperienced, the newlywed author and his bride, Eleanor, went directly from their honeymoon to their new parish. The couple received a warm welcome and the communities made them feel at home.

Eventually relocating to other suburban and university congregations, a county seat church and a large downtown church, Lindsay’s service would take him and Eleanor to several areas throughout Michigan and Wisconsin.

However, it would not be unusual to find much of the same activity in other areas, he writes. The real setting is not a geographic location but a lifetime in parish ministry.

Straightforward and true-to-life, “One Incredible Journey” will appeal to those considering full-time ministry or experienced pastors looking to reevaluate and rejuvenate their ministry. Lindsay offers encouragement for readers anxious about what their pastoral path might hold.

He writes: 

”The road to and through pastoral ministry will include an abundance of mistakes, an assortment of frustrations and at times you will wish you were somewhere else, but, as one realizes that you will have a part in transforming lives and families: you will have helped society move through tremendous social changes; and you will be changed yourself.”

Have faith in your abilities and trust in God’s plan for your life. If part of that plan is serving via the ministry, follow “One Incredible Journey” of a man as he shares invaluable insights gleaned from more than half a century of service.