SA国际传媒

By Kim Plummer Krull

When a new academic year begins, it鈥檚 not unusual for first-year students to include those following in a family member鈥檚 footsteps. But while Joshua LeBorious treks the same pastoral ministry path as his grandfather and two uncles, he鈥檚 also starting his SA国际传媒, St. Louis journey at the same time as another relative 鈥� his father.

鈥淓veryone in our family is very supportive of us 鈥� although at first, my mother was moderately concerned that my dad might be 鈥榮tealing my thunder,鈥欌�� Joshua said with a laugh. The younger LeBorious, 22, assured both parents he was happy and 鈥渘ot at all surprised鈥� when Pete LeBorious, 50, announced a few years after his son that he, too, planned to enroll at the Seminary.

This fall father and son each began journeys to become pastors, but through two different academic programs. Although they decided to pursue ordination at diverse points in their lives, they share the same goal 鈥� serve as shepherds to God鈥檚 people.

Distance program opens door to ordination for veteran DCE

Pete LeBorious, a Director of Christian Education (DCE), and his wife, Sonja, were already praying about whether he should enroll in the Seminary鈥檚 Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Program when Joshua 鈥� their eldest son and a college student 鈥� changed his focus from mathematics to ministry.

鈥淎s our church looked forward, I was looking forward to what I wanted to do ministry wise,鈥� said Pete, in his 10th year as DCE at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Warner Robins, Ga., and in his 26th year serving in congregational ministry.

With hearts for parish ministry, the couple felt God leading them toward the four-year SMP distance education program. The online academic classes and short-term residential courses meant that Pete need not move his family, which includes five sons, the youngest being 16-year-old twins. He also could 鈥渃ontinue to serve the congregation I鈥檓 blessed to be at now.鈥�

Mount Calvary鈥檚 youth provided another nudge toward ordination. Their DCE pondered 鈥渉ow great it would be to not only walk with them through their high school and college years,鈥� Pete said, 鈥渂ut also to perform their marriage ceremonies, baptize their children and be a pastor to them into their adult years.鈥�

Pete sees the retention of LCMS youth in the church as a priority. He鈥檚 excited about his SMP classes, an opportunity 鈥渢o reshape and develop more tools for doing ministry.鈥�

Tackling those courses while continuing his DCE duties will, no doubt, be demanding. He鈥檚 been encouraged by other Seminary graduates 鈥� Rev. David Brighton, Mount Calvary鈥檚 pastor and LeBorious鈥� SMP mentor, and Rev. Gerhard Michael, LeBorious鈥� father-in-law and former president of the LCMS Florida-Georgia District.

Michael, who鈥檚 in his 70s and working with a mission congregation, 鈥済ot me thinking about serving beyond my 60s,鈥� Pete said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a retired pastor but not retired.鈥�

Switching gears to teach what 鈥榠s most important鈥�

鈥淚f I鈥檓 going to teach, shouldn鈥檛 I teach what I think is most important?鈥�

The answer to his own question prompted Joshua to switch gears when he was a college sophomore planning for a career as a high school math teacher. Three years later, he鈥檚 a residential Master of Divinity student preparing to serve as a pastor and proclaim the Gospel.

鈥淎lthough I enjoyed my education studies and mathematics classes, I began to battle with a feeling of 鈥榃hy am I bothering with this?鈥欌�� Joshua said of his initial major.

He called the Seminary and Rev. Bill Wrede, director of Ministerial Recruitment and Admissions, helped Joshua determine that he could finish his undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University and meet Seminary admissions requirements with the addition of a few classes, including biblical Greek and Hebrew.

Today Joshua enjoys the academics at the Seminary as well as the 鈥渟piritual and friendly campus climate. 鈥淭he material here, the readings, everything is more relevant to what we鈥檙e going to be doing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also more relevant for me as I take a look at my own spiritual life as well. Guys will be standing outside and talking about something from a class or an aspect of faith, and they catch you up so you can join right in.鈥�

Conversations with peers also made him realize how daunting the decision can be to pursue pastoral ministry. Growing up the son of a DCE made him 鈥渓ess hesitant,鈥� Joshua says, to what some see as the challenges of a vocation that can leave little separation between professional, family and spiritual lives.

But in his household, Joshua says, he saw his parents 鈥渘ot only hurdle any such obstacles but thrive.鈥�

He also gleaned encouragement from the other pastors in his family, including Michael, his grandfather, and uncles, Rev. Greg Michael and Rev. Tim Droegemueller, also Seminary graduates.

鈥淚鈥檝e benefited from getting to listen to them and ask them questions,鈥� said Joshua, who鈥檚 already looking forward to holiday dinner table talk with his family.

Kim Plummer Krull is a St. Louis-based freelance writer.