Principles  and  Practices  of  the  VocationCARE™  Approach  

 
The   church   and   world   need   capable   and   compassionate   leaders.   To   ensure   the  
renewal   of   the   Christian   faith   from   generation   to   generation,   every   congregation  
needs   to   cultivate   leadership   gifts   in   the   whole   church—and   particularly   among  
young   people   who   are   exploring   and   responding   to   God’s   call   in   their   lives.     When  
congregations   create   a   safe   environment   for   all   members   to   explore   who   they   are  
(their  Christian  identity)  and  their  deep  longings  (their  work  in  the  world),  they  have  
begun  a  process  of  caring  for  vocation.  
 
“Vocation   care”   is   at   the   heart   of   forming   Christian   leaders   and   developing   vital  
Christian  institutions  that  make  a  difference  in  the  world.  It  is  what  congregations  do  
together   to   help   identify   and   support   future   church   leaders   and   a   process   for  
developing  the  gifts  and  graces  of  the  entire  community,  resulting  in  a  healthier  and  
sustainable  church.  By  taking  action  to  notice,  name  and  nurture  all  members  in  their  
calling—what   they   are   called   to   be   and   do   in   the   world—everyone   in   the  
congregation,   especially   young   people,   grow   strong   in   Christian   identity   and  
vocations,  including  the  call  to  pastoral  ministry.    
 
The   VocationCARE   approach   is   guided   by   a   premise,   principles   and   four   communal  
practices  by  which  all  Christians  can  grow  together  into  a  life  “worthy  of  the  calling  
to   which   we   have   been   called   together   with   one   another”   (Ephesians   4:1).      
VocationCARE   encourages   a   shared,   intergenerational   process   for   group   reflection  
and   action   under   the   broad   Christian   category   of   vocational   discernment.     This  
commitment   creates   conditions   in   which   diverse   and   gifted   young   people  
throughout  the  Christian  community,  and  the  adults  who  accompany  them,  are  more  
likely  to  hear,  respond  to  and  serve  God’s  call  in  their  lives.  
 
FTE’s  VocationCARE  approach  prepares  facilitators  and  practitioners  who  work  with  
congregations,   church-­‐related   organizations   and   the   wider   community.     Equipped  
with   the   premise,   principles   and   practices   of   VocationCARE,   adult   leaders   have   the  
skills  to  help  call  young  leaders,  renew  the  church  and  change  the  world.    
 
Premise  of  VocationCARE  
 
I  therefore,  the  prisoner  in  the  Lord,  beg  you  to  lead  a  life  worthy  of  the  calling  to  which  you  have  been  
called…  There  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit,  just  as  you  were  called  to  the  one  hope  of  your  calling…    
(Ephesians  4:1,4)    
 
The  premise  of  VocationCARE  is  this:  The  more  we  tend  to  our  sense  of  vocation,  to  
the  vocation  in  each  other,  and  the  more  we  live  out  of  our  individual  and  collective  
vocations,  the  more  likely  our  children  will  do  the  same.    Young  people  are  more  alive  
to   the   questions   of   vocation   when   the   adults   who   accompany   them   and   the   faith  
communities  that  nurture  them  are  alive  with  vocational  questions  and  pursuits.  The  
purpose  of  this  work  is  to  awaken  young  lives  to  God’s  call  by  authentically  exploring  
that   subject   in   the   context   of   our   own   lives,   and   by   sharing   in   conversations   that  
matter  with  young  people  in  our  midst.  
 Principles  of  VocationCARE  
 
While  we  talk  about  choosing  a  vocation,  it  is  at  least  as  accurate  to  talk  about  a  vocation  choosing  us,  of      
a  call  being  given  and  of  us  hearing  or  not  hearing,  listening  or  not  listening,  responding  or  not  responding.  
 
—  FTE  Fellow  Frederick  Buechner,    
                                     “  The  Calling  of  Voices”  in  Secrets  in  the  Dark:  A  Life  in  Sermons  (adapted)  
 
Our  work  is  to  create  space  for  hearing,  listening  and  responding  to  the  vocation  that  chooses  us.  This  is  
necessary  work  because  it  is  not  easy  to  hear  and  listen,  much  less  to  respond.    
 
—  FTE  Calling  Congregations  Team    
 
The  VocationCARE  approach  is  guided  by  eight  principles:  
 
1. All  Christians  are  called  by  God  and  have  a  vocation.    There  is  an  abundance  of  rich  and  
diverse   gifts   within   the   body   of   Christ   waiting   to   be   discovered.   Congregations  
committed   to   caring   for   vocation   foster   a   culture   of   noticing,   naming   and   nurturing   all  
the  gifts  among  Christ’s  body,  including  the  call  to  ordained  ministry.    
 
2. The   care   for   vocation   is   a   communal   and   intergenerational   practice.   The   consistent  
witness   of   Scripture   and   our   own   experiences   tell   us   that   the   discernment   of   call   and  
care   for   vocation   is   done   in   the   company   of   adults   and   young   people   within   the  
community   of   faith.   In   every   generation,   we   have   a   shared   responsibility   to   care   for  
vocation  in  all  members  and  to  call  future  pastoral  leaders  within  our  congregations.  
 
3. God’s   call   is   an   inward/outward   invitation   to   anticipate,   listen   and   respond.   We   are  
continuously  invited  as  the  church  to  listen  deeply  to  one  another  and  together  for  God’s  
call—and   to   support   one   another   in   faithful   action   to   serve   the   common   good   and   do  
God’s  healing  work  in  the  world.    
 
4. Congregations   are   called   to   reclaim   and   teach   vocation   care   practices.   The   church   has   a  
role   to   play   in   noticing,   naming   and   nurturing   the   vocation   of   all   its   members   and   a  
responsibility  to  teach  vocation  care  practices  to  the  next  generation.    
 
5. Change   is   created   one   room   at   a   time.   When   we   convene   people   in   intimate   small  
groups,   ask   powerful   questions   and   listen   deeply   to   each   other,   we   create   the   possibility  
to  fulfill  the  church’s  mission  in  the  world.    
 
6. A  choice  toward  the  future  is  distinct  from  the  past.  VocationCARE  is  a  call  to  action  that  
inspires   faith   communities   to   make   choices   that   say   “yes”   to   a   hopeful   future.   When  
congregations  care  for  vocation,  particularly  among  young  people,  they   plant  seeds  for  a  
renewed,  hopeful  future  and  witness  to  God’s  reign.    
 
7. Storytelling   is   a   process   for   discerning   choices   toward   VocationCARE.   Within   each  
person  there  are  many  stories  longing  to  be  shared  and  heard.    We  use  a  story  process  as  
the   primary   means   to   discern,   discover   and   clarify   a   sense   of   vocation   or   call—what  
people   really   love   or   care   about—and   what   inspires   them   to   act   on   behalf   of   other  
people  finding  their  own  vocation  or  sense  of  call.    
 
8. Learning   reflects   a   process   of   dialogue,   action,   reflection   and   engagement   among  
peers.   The   VocationCARE   approach   is   designed   to   promote   interaction   and   conversation  
in  small  groups;  to  teach  toward  an  open  mind  (ideas),  heart  (feelings)  and  will  (actions);  
and  to  assist  participants  in  retaining  what  they  have  learned.    
 
  
Practices  of  VocationCARE  
 

Christian   practices   are   not   activities   we   do   to   make   something   spiritual   happen   in   our   lives.  
Nor   are   they   duties   we   undertake   to   be   obedient   to   God.   Rather,   they   are   patterns   of  
communal   action   that   create   openings   in   our   lives   where   the   grace,   mercy,   and   presence   of  
God  may  be  made  known  to  us.  They  are  places  where  the  power  of  God  is  experienced.  In  the  
end,  these  are  not  ultimately  our  practices  but  forms  of  participation  in  the  practice  of  God.  
                                     —  Craig  Dykstra,  Practicing  Our  Faith      
                           Senior  Vice  President,  Religion  Division,  Lilly  Endowment  
 
The   VocationCARE   approach   is   grounded   in   communal   practices   connected   to   a  
larger   body   of   practical   scholarship   (www.practicingourfaith.org),   focused   on   12  
Christian  practices  that  are  instrumental  in  shaping  Christian  life.    Among  the  12,  six  of  
the   Christian   practices—Discernment,   Honoring   the   Body,   Hospitality,   Saying   Yes   and  
Saying   No,   Shaping   Communities,   and   Testimony—are   particularly   operable   in   the  
following  four  practices  of  the  VocationCARE  Approach:  
 
C  –  Create  space  to  explore  Christian  vocation  together;  
A  –  Ask  self-­‐awakening  questions  together;  
R  –  Reflect  theologically  on  self  and  community;  and  
E  –  Enact  ministry  opportunities  
 
Create  space  to  explore  Christian  vocation  together.  The  kind  of  space  we  imagine  
for   exploring   vocation   is   both   inner   space   and   outer   space—it   is   not   an   additional  
ministry   program.   It   is   like   the   space   Jesus   made   for   himself   to   pray.   It   is   also   like   the  
experience  of  making  room  in  our  homes  for  something  new—a  new  baby,  a  relative  
come   to   stay,   a   new   piece   of   furniture.   When   this  happens,   we   have   to   create   a   new  
kind   of   space   within   what   already   exists:   taking   out   some   of   what   is   already   there,  
rearranging  some  of  what  remains,  bringing  in  new  things  and  leaving  some  empty  
places  for  what  we  will  need  as  this  reality  develops.    
 
Ask  self-­‐awakening  questions  together.  The  spaces  we  create  for  exploring  vocation  
give  us  room  to  ask  questions  that  will  wake  us  up  to  our  own  lives,  the  life  around  us  
and  to  the  life  of  God.  This  may  not  be  as  easy  as  it  sounds.  Jesus  asked  people  an  
important   question:   “What   do   you   want   me   to   do   for   you?”   Sometimes   he   would   do  
what   they   asked.   But   the   question   always   invited   Jesus’   friends   and   followers   to  
interrogate  their  lives  and  deepest  desires.  It  is  not  a  question  in  the  abstract.  It  is  a  
question  that  comes  to  a  person  in  a  particular  community  and  the  response  is  lived  
out   in   community.   It   is   a   question   that   says   “pay   attention”—to   who   you   are,   who  
you  are  becoming,  where  you  are  and  what  is  needed.  It  bids  us  to  pay  attention  to  
the  presence  and  promises  of  God.  
     
Reflect   theologically   on   self   and   community   together.   Few   of   us   generally   think  
about  theological  reflection  as  a  robust,  revelatory  practice.  As  Christians,  we  know  it  
must   be   done—that   we   must   ask   some   version   of   “Where   is   God   in   all   this?”—but  
good   theological   reflection   does   not   come   easily.   Reflecting   theologically   together   is  
an   opportunity   to   ask   provocative   questions   about   our   experiences   as   we   seek   to  
make   meaning   of   our   lives,   the   life   of   our   loved   ones   and   the   broader   community,  
 and  to  explore  what  might  happen  next  in  light  of  emerging  meanings.      Each  of  us  
sees  needs  inside  and  outside  the  community  that  may  be  hidden  to  others  and  the  
gifts  and  possibilities  that  lie  in  our  midst.    Reflecting  theologically  together  enables  
us  to  hear  and  respond  to  the  call  of  God  who  often  operates  through  many  voices.  
 
Enact  ministry  opportunities.  Jesus  gathered  his  friends  and  sent  them  out  in  pairs  to  
DO   something.     In   a   similar   way,   it   is   important   to   invite   everyone   within   the  
congregation  to  act,  to  try  new  ways  of  following  the  call  of  Christ,  even  as  they  grow  
in   knowledge   they   cannot   fully   articulate.   Experts   tell   us   we   learn   by   doing   and   we  
value  experience  over  abstract  information.  To  care  for  vocation,  our  congregations  
have   to   create   meaningful   ways   for   members   to   try   out   their   vocational   impulses,  
especially   in   the   areas   of   ministry   and   church   leadership—and   then   reflect   on   the  
experience  alone  and  together.  
 

These   four   practices,   over   time,   build   congregations’   capacities   to   shape   the  
vocational   identity   of   church   leaders   and   members   in   new   ways,   to   nurture   young  
men  and  women  for  vocations  in  ministry,  and  to  live  into  a  vision  of  the  future:      
• Where  Christian  disciples  and  the  next  generation  of  church  leaders  and  pastors  are  
nurtured   to   lead   the   church   that   is,   but  also   the   church   that   is   yet   to   emerge.   (The  
church’s  role  in  calling  young  leaders)      
 
• Where   faith   communities   are   renewed   and   restored   expressions   of   a   beloved  
Christian  community  of  vitality  and  vocation  care.  (The  renewal  of  the  church)  
 
• Where   the   church   and   its   leadership   are   energized   to   serve   the   common   good   as  
transformative  agents  of  God’s  love,  healing  and  peace.  (The  church’s  vocation  in  the  
world)  

“Calling   Congregations”   are   vital,   alive,   rich   communities   of   faith   that   nurture   the  
gifts  and  purposes  of  all  members.  They  are  places  where  Christians,  young  and  old,  
are   creating   a   future   that   invites   more   people   to   hear   and   respond   to   God’s   call,   and  
to  serve  a  world  in  need.        

To   learn   more   about   the   work   of   The   Fund   for   Theological   Education   and   its   Calling  
Congregations  initiative,  visit  www.fteleaders.org.