Young adult
Old enough to begin in earnest, young enough to take the long way.
You're past school and into the working world, and the call has either resurfaced or never left. Now the questions get concrete: which form of ministry, how to afford seminary, whether to keep your job.
This is a season where formal candidacy genuinely makes sense — and where you can shape it around the life you already have.
What to actually do next.
- 1
Talk with your pastor and your district superintendent
Your pastor opens the door; a letter to your district superintendent formally begins candidacy.
- 2
Register for your conference's candidacy entry point
Most conferences have a summit, orientation, or intake gathering. In Rio Texas, that's the Candidacy Summit.
- 3
Compare elder, deacon, and local pastor honestly
Read the forms of ministry and notice which description makes your chest tighten with recognition.
- 4
Map the money before you commit
when you're readyLook at the Ministerial Education Fund and seminary aid now, so finances inform the path rather than ambushing it.
The things worth naming honestly.
Elder or deacon is a real question now
The difference matters: elders are itinerant and sacramental; deacons bridge church and world and often hold their own appointments. It's worth sitting with both.
You may not have to quit your job
Bivocational and local-pastor paths let many people serve while still working. Seminary itself is increasingly hybrid and online.
Starting the process gives you companions
Entering candidacy pairs you with a mentor and a group. You stop carrying the question by yourself.
Keep these in view.
- Don't assume seminary means moving and quitting — ask about hybrid options first.
- If you're partnered, bring them into the discernment early; this shapes a household, not just a career.
- It's normal for the elder/deacon question to take a year to settle.
Your annual conference is the on-ramp.
Candidacy is run by your annual conference. We've mapped the on-ramps for Rio Texas and North Georgia — and how to find yours if it isn't listed yet.