“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” [Jeremiah 29:11]
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines vocation as: “a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action; the work in which a person is employed.” We often interchange the words vocation and call when talking about a desire to pursue an occupation that seems preordained, or a response to an internal pull towards a particular way of serving or making a living. Listening to the voice of vocation means that your occupation is not just a job, but a way of life. It can be difficult to hear the voice of vocation, particularly for today’s young people who are surrounded by so much noise and so many demands for their attention. Honore de Balzac said, “An unfulfilled vocation drains the color from a man’s entire existence.” So how do we, as spiritual leaders of youth, help them to hear the voice of vocation? To understand God’s calling for their lives?
In this course, we will talk about fostering vocational discernment with youth in your ministry. This is designed such that each section may be completed in one gathering. If every section were to be completed, with the group meeting weekly, this course would take three weeks to complete. It is also possible to complete the course in a shorter period of time by combining sections based on your team’s availability. Similarly, it could be expanded, and the focal Scripture passages—merely used here as a discussion starter, and a backdrop for the youth ministry topics— could be used as a jumping off point for a whole Bible study for each gathering. We are hopeful that the person leading this effort will feel free to adapt what is provided to their particular community’s needs.