A well-known trend in the American Church is the “aging” of seminary students. The norm is no longer students entering straight out of undergraduate, but often those seeking a seminary degree after several years in the mission field; or more even those going into ministry after a career in the corporate world. For a 2007 article, the Episcopal News Service contacted 11 seminaries and confirmed that the average age of people enrolled in seminaries associated with the Episcopal Church continues to range from high 30s to the mid 40s.

The United Methodist Church is no stranger to this effect either and in fact clergy or seminarians under the age of 35 have become known as “spotted owls.”

There are many different reasons for this trend, but Romans 8:28 confirms all things work together for the good of those who love The Lord and are called according to His purpose. It is His specialty and is certainly demonstrated in the life of the Will Knuckols, the Summa Cum Laude graduate from Perkins School of Theology, and soon to be Executive Pastor of Bear Creek United Methodist Church.

In his office last Thursday, with “Preaching” and “The Voice of the Martyrs” magazines on his desk, Brother Will shared with me his story.

He got his first impression of his calling around the age of twelve, when sitting in a church service; he thought “I better pay attention for when it’s my turn.” He quickly discovered his peers were more interested in paper football than preaching, but that feeling of the call never left him.

He says that he never could understand how it would happen but “my vision of success was always to be a preaching pastor, in service to a congregation.” Even though his career as a corporate management trainer didn’t involve preaching The Word; oftentimes, people would often come up to him after class, tell him their life story, seek his advice, then ask him if he was a pastor on the side. Despite corporate success, “there was always a voice saying something is missing, this just isn’t it.”

Because of his active life, it was only after their children were born when Will and his wife became involved in their local church. And, there were several defining moments that Will shared in our talk that made him realize God was on the move and moving him towards his calling as a pastor in the United Methodist Church.

On one trip to visit his parents, both his wife and his mother had similar dreams that he was a preacher. On another occasion, a stranger at a gas station stopped him to ask if he was a preacher. When Will replied he wasn’t, the man quoted from Isaiah, telling Will he had the gift to recognize preachers and Will would be one someday. That was a defining moment because when he got back to his office that afternoon, Will began to research seminaries. But once again, there was still a lingering list of reasons not to pursue it.

Then, “One day, I looked at that list and realized God had removed all the obstacles and all the objections were answered. God brought it all together.” So, at the age of 39, Will enrolled at the Houston-Galveston Extension of the SMU Perkins School of Theology.

Being in Will’s office wasn’t so much about being with a pastor, but with someone who knows the Grace and Love of God is real. Will is someone who is not only confident that The Holy Spirit is actively working in the lives of His people and His Church but wants to be a part of that work. “I can’t imagine doing anything else!”

God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. He wants everyone to have an active life in relationship with Him and be fulfilled through it. You don’t have to feel called to life as a pastor or have a perfect resume to be of use to God. As long as you are willing and able to serve, He will find a way, through the life of the church, to use you. Jesus needs real folks living real lives to share His love to a hurting world. If you are feeling called to participate in that – contact your pastor to explore what is out there.

If you would like more information on the Houston-Galveston Extension of the SMU Perkins School of Theology, please go to their website (http://www.smu.edu/Perkins). The extension caters to those seeking a career in the ministry later in life. Classes are Monday nights at St. Luke’s UMC and Saturdays at Moody Memorial Methodist Church in Galveston and at the main campus in Dallas.