Of all careers and vocations, the experience of ‘being called’ is most associated with those in ministry. Those being trained in seminaries or other venues of education for ministry overwhelmingly cite a theistic calling for their training. This research examines the process and development of a call asexperienced by pastors.

1. Thomas R. Connors
tommosaic@gmail.com

2. 
 A concept which originated with the Hebrew nation, adopted
by the early church, and was inclusive of all God’s people
 Changed its meaning to only refer to clergy after Constantine
became Roman emperor in 325 C.E.
 Reformation broadened its definition to regain its earlier
definition with a strong emphasis on one’s employment
 Presently, most calling research is career centered without a
theistic caller (Myers, 2015).
Background and Context of
Calling as a Construct

3. Vocational Clergy
TOTAL WORKFORCE: 2017
432,559
AVERAGE AGE
51
ESTIMATED JOB GROWTH 10-YEAR
PROJECTION
8.16%
https://datausa.io/profile/soc/clergy#about

4. 
This large workforce cite a calling from God as the
over-whelming reason why they attend seminaries and
go into ministry (Lose, 2015), and yet, the experience of
that phenomenon has been hardly researched. Thus,
much ambiguity and confusion exists about the
existential nature of a pastoral calling.
Problem Statement

5. 
The paucity of research literature in theistic callings
is found in several areas:
 Vocational calling research that has a theistic component
(Myers, 2015)
 Phenomenological and descriptive research rather than
prescriptive and exegetical commentaries
(McKenna, 2015)
 Epistemic analysis and research of a pastoral calling
(Duffy, Allan, Bott, & Dik, 2014)
Gap in Literature

6. 
“Finally, this was an exploratory study that used
relatively simple analyses and did not take into account
potential third variables such as religiousness that may
explain why certain individuals endorse particular
calling sources. Investigating these predictors is an
important area of future research.”
Duffy, Allan, Bott, & Dik, 2014, p. 572
Gap in Literature

7. 
Thus, the purpose of this phenomenological study is to
describe the experience of seasoned pastors in the
search and sense of their calling to the ministry.
Purpose

8. 
Research Questions
 How do seasoned pastors describe their initial
experiences of calling?
 How do they describe the ways in which they have
critically reflected on the experiences of their
calling?
 How do seasoned pastors describe the subsequent
actions that have resulted from their calling?
 How do pastors describe the development of their
calling?

9. 
Literature Review
A Phenomenological Understanding of a Calling with Implications
for Pastoral and Vocational Education

10. 
Introduction
“…our results suggest that a holistic and systematic
approach to studying the unique belief in a transcendent
caller may advance our understanding of one's calling.”
(McKenna et al., 2015, p. 301)
Literature Review

11. 
Introduction
The scarcity of phenomenological literature on a pastoral
calling led to an eclectic survey of research that explored
various disciplines of the human sciences and theology
that addressed the phenomenon of a theistic calling.
Literature Review
Psychology Theology
Vocational Epistemology

12. 
Psychology Literature
A pastor’s calling is a deep structured professional identity
which fundamentally shapes one’s self-definition. Being a
pastor is not just a job, or an occupation, or even a
profession, but a calling that involves commitment to
pastoral vows and to God.
(Cafferata, 2017, p. 314)
Literature Review

13. 
Psychology Literature
 Meaning as coherence, purpose, and significance in a
pastoral calling
 Well-being literature used as a measure for a pastor’s
calling
 Self-Identity as a theistic social-construct in a pastor’s
calling
(O’Neal, 2017)
Literature Review

14. 
Theological Literature
A phenomenological research of a theistic calling must
engage the theological constructs of that calling.
 Natural theology: posits God’s order and design is
found in all creation which would include human
nature.
 Special revelation: affirms metaphysical realities that
cannot be empirically proven and require faith.
Literature Review

15. 
Calling Literature
 Has greatly increased in the last 15 years (Duffy & Dik,
2013).
 Since 2007, approximately 40 studies have established the
association of well-being with living the call (O’Neal,
2017). A pursued and lived calling is shown to have
benefits:
 Meaning and purpose (Duffy, Allan, & Bott, 2012)
 A sense of fulfillment and satisfaction (Hirschi, 2012)
 Career engagement and efficacy (Domene, 2012)
Literature Review

16. 
Calling Literature (continued)
 Calling literature has identified three prevailing views on
the source of one’s calling (Duffy & Dik, 2015):
 External summons (Can be God, family legacy, the
universe, etc.)
 Destiny
 Perfect fit. Most common calling-source construct; used
extensively in vocational/career curriculum and counselors
Literature Review

17. 
Calling Literature (continued)
“How individuals find a calling, represents perhaps the
most controversial issue within the calling literature.”
(Duffy, Allan, Bott, & Dik, 2014, p. 564)
Literature Review

18. 
Epistemological Literature
 Semiotics theory: Peirce and a triadic theory
of semiosis (Civish, 2013)
 Embodied Cognition: Affective constructs
associated with calling beliefs (Smith, J.K., 2010)
Literature Review

19. 
 Theology
 Moustakas’ Phenomenology (Moustakas, 1994)
 Transformational Learning Theory
 Mezirow (1991)
 Loder (1989)
 Peircean Semiotics
Theoretical Framework

20. 
Theoretical Framework
Phenomenological
Analysis
( Moustakas, 1990)
•Phenomenal Reduction
•Variable Imagination
•Synthesis of Essences
Transformative
Learning Theory
(Loder, 1981;
Mezirow, 1981)
•Crisis/Conflict
•Critique and
Scan
•Convictional
Insight
•Transformation
al Change
Peircean
Semiotics
(Peirce, 1978)
•Internal
•Dreams/visions
•Embodied cognitions
•Epiphanies
•Passion/Interests/De
sire
•Moral conviction
•Inspirational thought
•External
•Synchronicities
•Open doors
•Miracles
•Prophetic words
•Significant others

21. 
Methodology
A Phenomenological Understanding of a Calling with Implications
for Pastoral and Vocational Education

22. 
 Eleven pastors who have had five or more years as a
senior pastor
 Theologically conservative holding to the historical
doctrines of the Apostle’s Creed.
 Sampling of pastors span eight different
denominational and non-denominational traditions:
 Assemblies of God (3); Foursquare (1); Methodist (1);
American Baptist (1); Conservative Baptist (1); Seventh
Day Adventist (1); Non-denominational (3)
 Pseudonyms were used
Participants

23. 
 Interviews:
 Semi-structured with pre-formed questions
 Recorded with SonyICDUX533BLK Digital Voice
Recorder and transcribed by Temi, a transcribing
service which uses voice recognition software.
 Length of interviews varied from 60-90 minutes
 Transcription of interview with brief analysis of
essences were sent to each pastor
Data Collection

24. 
Data Collection
 Focus Group:
 Semi-structured with pre-formed question guideline
 Followed interviews
 Four pastors attended
 Field Notes:
 Taken at site of interview
 Church building and pastor’s office
 White board illustrations; Book notes;
Physical grounds connected to calling

25. 
Moustakas Phenomenological Method
 Phenomenal Reduction
 Variable Imagination
 Synthesis of Essences
Data Analysis

26. 
Transformational Learning Process
1. Conflict
2. Scan/Critical reflection
3. Convictional insight
4. Transformation with application of
new meaning
Data Analysis

27. 
Peircean Semiotic Triage
1. Sign (internal/external)
2. Interpreter
3. Interpretation (meaning attached to sign)
Data Analysis

28. 
 Credibility: Does it measure what it was intended?
 Member check through emailed transcription
and analysis
 Triangulation through multiple data sources
 Site visit
 Dependability/Confirmability: Data was found to be
consistent within this study and other research.
 Transferability: Findings can be duplicated through
methodology and analysis used in this research.
Trustworthiness
(Shenton, 2004)

29. 
Results
A Phenomenological Understanding of a Calling with Implications
for Pastoral and Vocational Education

30. 
Results:
Phenomenological Essences
Research Question One:
How do seasoned pastors
describe the context and
experiences of their initial
calling?
 Uniformly unique in its
mix of circumstances,
mediums, and context.
 Prayerfulness
 Prior to calling there was
involvement in some
form of ministry.
 Passion and desire to be a
pastor
 A sense of reward when
in ministry

31. 
Results:
Phenomenological Essences
Research Question two:
How do they describe the
ways in which they have
critically reflected on their
experiences of calling?
 Educational venues
such as seminary,
conferences, seminars.
 Dialogue with other
pastors
 Prayer
 Spouse (not all referred
to their spouse,
however)

32. 
Results:
Phenomenological Essences
Research Question three:
How do seasoned pastors
describe their subsequent
experiences and decisions
that have resulted from
their calling?
 Subsequent experiences
and decisions varied with
no uniform phenomena
(i.e., phenomenological
essence)
 Most pastors alluded to
ministry as a challenge
 Many pastors talked
about the financial
hardships of the ministry

33. 
Results:
Phenomenological Essences
Research Question four:
How do seasoned pastors
describe the development
of their calling?
 A pastoral calling is a
dynamic process that
develops over time
 Experiential phenomena
have an epistemic value in
determining God’s calling
 The pastor-mentor is of high
importance
 The more experienced
pastors of the sampling
developed a vision to
mentor novitiate pastors and
church leaders

34. 
Results
Peircean Triadic Semiotics of a
Pastoral Calling

35. 
Discussion
A Phenomenological Understanding of a Calling with Implications
for Pastoral and Vocational Education

36. 
Discussion
A Developmental Model of a Pastoral Calling
Beliefs about
pastoral
calling
Experiences
linked to calling
belief
Interpretation
of experiences
Revision or
affirmation of
belief
Decisions and
actions from
belief revision

37. 
Discussion
A Distillation Model of Convergent Calling Theory
Passion and
Desires
Convictional knowing of a
pastoral call

38. 
Discussion
A Holistic Pedagogy of a Pastoral Calling
 Theological Foundations (Natural and Special
Revelation)
 Psychological Considerations (Identity, Meaning,
Well-being)
 Epistemological Reflections (Semiotic hermeneutic,
Affective data, Theistic presence)

39. 
Limitations and Future
Research
A Phenomenological Understanding of a Calling with Implications
for Pastoral and Vocational Education

40. 
Limitations
 Sampling size, location, and gender
 Sampling criteria of pastor’s theology
and years of experience

41. 
Recommendations for
Future Research
 Theistic calling in general
 Embodied cognitions and the role they
have in a calling
 Pastoral identity/roles and social
constructionism
 Holistic Pedagogy of a theistic calling

42. 
Recommendations for
Future Research
“…our results suggest that a holistic and systematic
approach to studying the unique belief in a transcendent
caller may advance our understanding of one's calling.”
(McKenna et al., 2015, p. 301)

43. 
Conclusion
“An unfulfilled vocation drains the
color from a man’s entire existence”
(Balzac, 1837, p. 23).

44. 
Bibliography
Balzac, H. de. (1837). La Maison Nucingen. Retrieved from
http://www.feedbooks. com/book/1901/la-maison-nucingen
Cafferata, G. (2017). Respect, challenges, and stress among Protestant pastors
closing a church: Structural and identity theory perspectives. Pastoral
Psychology, 66(3), 311-333. doi:10.1007/s11089-016-0751-z
Civish, G. (2013). The calling: A study of personal spiritual experiences of
seminary students. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 15(3), 186.
Data: USA. Retrieved online October 13, 2019 from
https://datausa.io/profile/soc/clergy#about
Duffy, R. D., Allan, B. A., Bott, E. M., & Dik, B. J. (2014). Does the source
of a calling matter? External summons, destiny, and perfect
fit. Journal of Career Assessment, 22(4), 562-574.
doi:10.1177/1069072713514812

45. 
Bibliography
Duffy, R. D., & Dik, B. J. (2013). Research on calling: What have we
learned and where are we going? Journal of Vocational
Behavior, 83(3), 428-436.
Loder, J. (1989). The transforming moment: Understanding convictional
experiences. San Francisco, CA: Harper.
Lose, D., Mikoski, S., Crowley, D., Jacobson, R., Cormode, S., &
Conklin‐Miller, J. (2015). Equipping the equippers: The
pedagogical and programmatic implications of the Christians’
callings in the world project. Teaching Theology & Religion, 18(4),
387-408. doi:10.1111/teth.12309
McKenna, R., Matson, J., Haney, D., Becker, O., Hickory, M., Ecker, D.,
Boyd, T. (2015). Calling, the caller, and being called: A
qualitative study of transcendent calling. Journal of Psychology and
Christianity, 34(4), 294-303.
Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

46. 
Bibliography
Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage.
Myers, V. (2014). Conversations about calling: Advancing management
perspectives. New York, NY: Routledge.
O'Neal, A. M. (2017). The effects of calling and vocational presence and
search on psychological well-being. (Doctoral dissertation,
Bowling Green State University) Retrieved from ProQuest
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