The document discusses two categories of Christian vocational workers: missionaries and pastors. It notes challenges facing both groups, including an aging missionary workforce and high burnout and turnover rates among pastors. Common reasons for pastors leaving include conflicts, financial issues, and lack of support systems. The document suggests Christians pray for more workers, financially support missions and ministries, encourage current workers, and be diligent in their own faith in order to address these challenges. It concludes by relating the story of Isaiah's call to ministry and suggests readers reflect on their own calling.

1. Here am I ...
It’s all about the next part

2. Christian Vocational Workers
• Two major categories
– Missionaries
• Cross cultural, linguistic and geographical
barriers
• Raise up indigenous pastors in the host
country/culture
– Pastors
• Lead churches in a homeland
• Raise up missionaries and pastors for the next
generation

3. Christian Vocational Workers
• Two major categories
– Missionaries
• Cross cultural, linguistic and geographical
barriers
• Raise up indigenous pastors in the host
country/culture

4. Missionary Workers
• Aging workforce
– Over 40% are over the age of 50
– Under 5% are under the age of 30
– 2/3 of the under 30 are candidates
attempting to raise support

5. Pastoral Workers
• 90% of pastors won't stay until retirement
• 89% of pastors have considered leaving the ministry
• 80% of seminary grads leave the ministry in the first 5 years
• 50% of pastors would leave the ministry if they had another
way to make a living
• 45% who have left senior ministry positions never return to
church related vocations

6. Reason for Leaving
• Conflict / Lack of Unity ... #1 reason
1. Leadership decisions
2. Finance disagreements
3. Change implementation
4. Staff issues
5. Building or renovation

7. Reasons for Not Re-engaging
1. A forced exit from a church
2. Frustration in multiple congregations
3. Chronic loneliness, isolation and
support systems

8. “Dunbar’s Number” = 150

9. “Dunbar’s Number” = 150

10. “Dunbar’s Number” = 150

11. “Dunbar’s Number” = 150

12. Answers?
• Realistic Expectations
• Realistic Process
• Dynamic Participation

13. Christian Vocational Workers
• The Elephant in the room
• We will run out
of pastors and
missionaries
in 15 years if
something doesn’t
change

14. Christian Vocational Workers
• The Elephant in the room
• Does that matter?

15. Christian Vocational Workers
• The Elephant in the room
• Does that matter
to you?

16. Do What?
• Several things ...

17. Do What?
• Several things ...
– Pray ...
• Matthew 9:37-38 “Then he said to his disciples,
‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are
few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to
send out workers into his harvest field.’”

18. Do What?
• Several things ...
– Support ...
• 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 “Remember this: Whoever
sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and
whoever sows generously will also reap
generously. Each of you should give what you
have decided in your heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves
a cheerful giver.”

19. Do What?
• Several things ...
– Encourage ...
• 1 Corinthians 16:17-18 “I was glad when
Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived,
because they have supplied what was lacking
from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours
also. Such men deserve recognition.”

20. Do What?
• Several things ...
– Be Diligent ...
• 1 Timothy 4:15 “Be diligent in these matters;
give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone
may see your progress.”

21. Starting Point?
• Isaiah’s Story ...
• Isaiah 6:1-13 “1 In the year that King
Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and
exalted, seated on a throne; and the
train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him were seraphim, each with
six wings: With two wings they covered
their faces, with two they covered their
feet, and with two they were flying.

22. Starting Point?
• Isaiah’s Story ...
• 3 And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the
whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 At the
sound of their voices the doorposts and
thresholds shook and the temple was filled
with smoke.

23. Starting Point?
• Isaiah’s Story ...
• 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I
am a man of unclean lips, and I live
among a people of unclean lips, and my
eyes have seen the King, the LORD
Almighty.” 6 Then one of the seraphim
flew to me with a live coal in his hand,
which he had taken with tongs from the
altar.

24. Starting Point?
• Isaiah’s Story ...
• 7 With it he touched my mouth and said,
“See, this has touched your lips; your
guilt is taken away and your sin atoned
for.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord
saying, “Whom shall I send? And who
will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I.
Send me!”

25. Starting Point?
• Isaiah’s Story ...
• 9 He said, “Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever
hearing, but never understanding; be ever
seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the
heart of this people calloused; make their
ears dull and close their eyes.

26. Starting Point?
• Isaiah’s Story ...
• 12 until the LORD has sent everyone far
away and the land is utterly forsaken.
13 And though a tenth remains in the
land, it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak leave
stumps when they are cut down, so the
holy seed will be the stump in the land.”

27. Starting Point?
• Isaiah’s Story ...
• Otherwise they might see with their
eyes, hear with their ears, understand
with their hearts and turn and be
healed.” 11 Then I said, “For how long,
Lord?” And he answered: “Until the cities
lie ruined and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted and the
fields ruined and ravaged,

28. Starting Point?
• Isaiah’s Story ...
• until the LORD has sent everyone far
away and the land is utterly forsaken.
13 And though a tenth remains in the
land, it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak leave
stumps when they are cut down, so the
holy seed will be the stump in the land.”

29. Your Story?
• “1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the
Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne;
and the train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him were seraphim, each with six
wings: With two wings they covered their
faces, with two they covered their feet, and
with two they were flying. 3 And they were
calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the
LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his
glory.” 4 At the sound of their voices the
doorposts and thresholds shook and the
temple was filled with smoke.

30. Your Story?
• 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I
am a man of unclean lips, and I live
among a people of unclean lips, and my
eyes have seen the King, the LORD
Almighty.”

31. Your Story?
• 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me
with a live coal in his hand, which he had
taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it
he touched my mouth and said, “See,
this has touched your lips; your guilt is
taken away and your sin atoned for.”

32. Your Story?
• 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord
saying, “Whom shall I send? And who
will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I.
Send me!”

33. Your Story?
• 9 He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be
ever hearing, but never
understanding; be ever seeing, but
never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of
this people calloused; make their ears
dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they
might see with their eyes, hear with their
ears, understand with their hearts and
turn and be healed.”

34. Your Story?
• 11 Then I said, “For how long, Lord?” And he
answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and
without inhabitant, until the houses are left
deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged,
12 until the LORD has sent everyone far
away and the land is utterly forsaken.13 And
though a tenth remains in the land, it will
again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and
oak leave stumps when they are cut
down, so the holy seed will be the stump in
the land.”

35. Your Story?
1. Get a Vision!
2. Get a Grip!
3. Get Cleansed!
4. Get Stirred!
5. Get Going!
6. Get Used to It!

36. Here am I ...
It’s about the next part