Steven Brotzman:  

On November 3, 1997, I was called to ministry. I was working in a factory, despite the fact that I had a Master's degree. My degree was in American History and there were few jobs to be had. To be honest, I wasn't sure what my career was supposed to be, anyway. I'd studied labor unions in graduate school and this was my chance to experience unionized industrial labor first-hand. I was married, with two small children, and the money and benefits came in handy. The morning of November 3rd I stopped at the Abbey of the Genesee in Piffard, NY. I prayed for a time in the chapel, telling God that I would do whatever God asked, if God would just make it plain to me. Five hours later, I was at work, stacking pallets in the back of the line, and, as it often did, the line went down. I started to talking to the man in the next station, Angel Rosado, who served as a minister in a Puerto Rican Pentecostal church and worked at the factory to support his family. "Steve, have you ever thought about becoming a minister?" "Well, yes," I admitted, "but I've never been called by God." "But you hass all these gifts," and he proceeded to list them off. Good with people, a leader, etc... I interrupted: "But you don't understand! You don't do that sort of thing without a calling from God!" "Steve, did you ever think that THIS is your call?" Angel told me that, for 3 weeks, he had felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to call me to ministry. He prayed about it, and the feeling inside became so intense that "if I do not tell you, I burn up." All Angel asked me to do was try: "All you hass to do is try. Why you no try?" I finally agreed to try, and told him I would. I instantly felt a cool breeze in my chest, the feeling I often attribute to the Holy Spirit. He told me, "Go to your pastor. Meet with her for one hour. Do whatever she tell you." Having heard my intention to try, he was visibly relieved. He drew a breath, exhaled, and said, "There. Is your problem now!" It's been my problem ever since. You may doubt his words. Anyone could go up to another person and say, "God called you to ministry." But Angel never asked me to do anything for him or the churches he served. I followed Angel's instructions; met with my Pastor for one hour. She told me to check out Colgate-Rochester Divinity School. Great place, but after a semester I felt God leading me to move to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. God led me through seminary, two more Master's degrees, Ord...Expand for more