God's call to attend seminary is the start of an adventure that causes a shift in perspective and a deepened commitment that reveal intriguing possibilities for the future. Some have heard God's call in a crisis: a friend dies, life takes an unexpected turn, or God's mercy becomes real in a moment of truth. For others, the path to seminary emerges more gradually.

The following stories provide glimpses of how some of God's people sensed his call to seminary as they experienced the Holy Spirit's work. We are grateful to those working in public relations at the seminaries and to the students who provided these accounts.

Mark dreamed of becoming a doctor, but he did not have a sense of peace until he answered God's call and began to prepare for ministry at Capital Bible Seminary in Lanham, Maryland.

Growing up, Mark Tanious had one dream: to become a medical doctor so he could help people heal. The youngest of three boys, Mark was the joy of his father's heart. Then Mark's father died suddenly. At age 14, Mark was unable to deal with the pain of losing him. "I cut myself off emotionally and buried myself in my studies," he says.

But there was a problem: Mark had no peace in his life. During his senior year in high school, a new pastor came to Mark's church. He remembers how they connected immediately. As their relationship grew, Mark became more transparent. Eventually, he let down his barrier and began dealing with the pain of his loss and feeling God's healing power.

That's when everything started changing for Mark. He felt God's call to go into ministry, but was afraid to listen. He had just been accepted at the University of Maryland, where he planned to study neurobiology. Mark wavered, but at the encouragement of his family, decided to go.

At a retreat during Mark's freshman year, God began to work in his heart. At one service, Mark was moved to tears. He again felt God calling him to ministry. This time, although he was still afraid, he was ready to listen. After meeting with his pastor and his brother, Mark responded. "God gave me a gift I never had experienced before: total peace," he says.

While finishing his degree in neurobiology, Mark began looking for a seminary that met his needs. He sought one that was committed to teaching the Bible in its original languages, where he could connect with his professors inside and outside of class, and where he could continue to have a ministry as he studied God's Word. Today, Mark is preparing to be a soul physician, to help people heal with God's love.

Helen avoided Christian missionaries when she was serving in the Peace Corps, not yet a Christian, but God intervened. Now Helen is earning a master's of divinity at Palmer Seminary of Eastern University in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.

After graduating from Brown University, Helen Davis went to Honduras in 1998 as a Peace Corps volunteer. She could never have predicted that six years later, she would be a seminary student. She avoided Christian missionaries, whom she regarded as cultural imperialists. From 1998 to 2000, Helen trained village leaders and young people in health education. She lived and worked in Honduras for four more years after her Peace Corps service ended.

Helen would later learn that Christians in the community were praying for her. She says God used struggles in her personal life to open her heart. In 2002, she accepted Christ. This new understanding of the gospel's call to personal salvation, however, did not dampen her commitment to serving the poor.

Helen had never heard of Palmer Seminary or Eastern University. But one day her truck was at the mechanic's shop, and she hitched a ride with a World Vision staffer. The worker told Helen about a fellow staffer who was enrolled in Eastern University's M.B.A. program in economic development.

Helen looked into Eastern and Palmer Seminary. "I became convinced," she says, "that Palmer and Eastern were a perfect fit, given my values, especially my conviction that the gospel is both personal and social." In 2004, she enrolled in the school's dual M.Div./M.B.A program. She was able to do an internship back in Honduras in 2006, and is on track to graduate in December 2008.

Until recently, Helen never saw herself as a pastor. Now she feels God may be calling her to pastoral, advocacy, and service work in the Latin American immigrant community.

Michael did not expect military service to lead eventually to ministry training, but his journey to The Master's Seminary in Sun Valley, California, began in Iraq.

Michael Cha remembers becoming interested in Jesus on a junior-high church retreat. During high school, however, he started to "run with the wrong crowd," he says, and began a spiritual rebellion. After graduation, Michael reported for basic training at the Military Academy at West Point, from which he received his commission as a U.S. Army 2nd lieutenant in 1999.

His military career began in the Republic of Korea, where Michael was an artilleryman. Eventually he was deployed to Iraq in March 2003. "There, I prayed for the first time in 11 years," he says. "I could not let go of the Bible. … Despite recurring enemy mortar attacks, AK-47 fire, and suicide bombings, I felt at peace with Christ." He remembers the very day he offered his life to Jesus: August 8, 2003.

Michael intended to work as an overseas medical missionary once his service was completed. He enrolled in the postbaccalaureate premedical program at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. After completing one semester, he was accepted to the Thomas Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. He then began questioning his motives. "I withdrew from the Bryn Mawr program, withdrew my acceptance to Jefferson Medical School, and returned to my family [home] in Northridge, California."

That started a time of reflection for Michael in 2005: "I pondered the reality of life after death and the crucial reality of heaven and hell, and my thoughts of vocation turned toward becoming a preacher."

Michael decided to attend The Master's Seminary for what he expects will be a lifetime of pastoral service. "I believe this seminary properly educates, trains, and develops servants of Jesus Christ who are relentless in proclaiming and defending his gospel and committed to loving and serving his church," he says.

Her questioning friends played a crucial role in Heather's desire to become skilled at articulating Christian beliefs, something she expects her studies at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, will enable her to do.

A year ago, Heather Johnson was living in San Diego and working as managing editor of Outreach magazine, which explores how to reach unchurched people. As a writer and editor, she had a chance to interview church leaders about their toughest issues and success stories. She often talked to them about what was ahead for the Christian church, and, on a trip to Israel, she began learning about what lay in the past: the church's history. These experiences inspired Heather to consider going back to school for theology. But even more instrumental were her non-Christian friends who are seeking, but not finding, answers to their tough faith questions. "I know I won't find all the answers for myself or my friends, but I want to think critically about different perspectives to better articulate Christian faith responses," she says.

Heather quit her job and moved to Minneapolis to begin Bethel Seminary's Christian thought degree. She is now enrolled in courses dealing with the problem of evil and suffering, pluralism, and evolution—things her seeking friends wonder about. She hopes to graduate better equipped to infuse her writing and editing with Christian principles from a strong foundation of faith, and, perhaps down the road, take this to the secular publishing world. She says that seminary is turning out to be a very personal journey with God.

"Do I have moments of doubt about my decision? I do," says Heather. But coffee dates with friends, challenging class discussions, and an increased understanding of her own faith reassure Heather. "I'm where I'm supposed to be, at least for right now."

A former Minnesota Vikings player, Anthony began to understand God's purpose for his leadership gifts when he went to Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Anthony Bass was a safety with the Minnesota Vikings for over two years before he answered God's call to run after a new goal. "Everything that has happened in my life led me here," he says, referring to Regent University. But the path was not always clear.

Growing up in West Virginia, Bass was a gifted athlete. What he didn't have was guidance. "I made some bad decisions back then," he says. As a scholarship athlete at a small Florida college, Bass was a team leader. However, leadership on the gridiron was one thing; off the field, he was floundering.

A campus pastor noticed that the troubled young man had a leadership gift and told Bass that God could use that gift. Bass was unmoved. He remembers the night the young pastor prayed for him over the phone. "I was actually high at the time," Bass says. "I didn't know what he was saying [praying in the Spirit], but a voice inside told me it was important, that it was for me."

The next night, Bass and some teammates went to a local club. When a fight broke out, his teammates followed Bass into the fray. By night's end, several players had been seriously injured and one was shot dead. Bass did not have a scratch. "I knew in an instant that the pastor's prayers meant something. This was a last call. I just fell to my knees."

Bass enrolled in Regent University's dual M.Div./M.B.A. program "I have seen at Regent what it means to lead like Christ," he says. "The academically rigorous program and … reputations of the professors here could have made it intimidating." Instead, he says, they were an inspiration. "They hold you to a standard of excellence because it's a serious calling."

Scott was a successful attorney who loved his job, but recognized his call to ministry through his involvement in church life and in training to be a pastor at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

For 10 years, Scott Barber defended doctors and nurses when they were sued for medical malpractice. "I loved practicing law, loved the procedures and the formalities. I loved … having people come for help when they faced the crisis of being sued. I even loved wearing a tie every day."

But Scott sensed God calling him to something different. "I was active in my youth group. My summers in college were spent going back to intern with my youth minister from high school. I was interested in seminary because I wanted to seriously study the Bible, but I did not feel called to go to seminary."

During law school and while practicing law, Scott was active in his church. As he became more involved in the life of his church, he sensed God's call. "Others whom I respected often asked me if I ever thought about seminary or felt God's call to full-time ministry. These outward confirmations of the inward call I was sensing encouraged me to pursue vocational ministry."

Seminary training was essential for obtaining the theological foundation he needed. At Covenant, Scott felt a sense of community that he desired as an environment to prepare him and his family for ministry. "I was impressed by their commitment to teaching not only the truths of the Bible but also seeing that those truths transformed our hearts so that we would be empowered to lead and serve the church."

Scott misses practicing law, but is convinced that God will use his legal background as well as his training at Covenant. "That plan may even include the things I loved about practicing law … Being used of God to build his kingdom sometimes involves an intellectual chess match. People go to their pastors for help during times of crisis. And some pastors even wear ties every day."

Karen was being drawn by God to heal souls, a call that led her to ask questions and pursue the answers at Drew Theological School in Madison, New Jersey.

Karen Puckett was born and raised in Alabama, in the heart of the Bible Belt. That culture did not encourage women to pursue ministry, but the Rev. Dale Clem was one who told Karen as a teenager that she was being called. Karen says she did not think ordained ministry was in her future. She intended to become a clinical psychologist instead. But during an internship at an adolescent drug-rehabilitation clinic, Karen had a significant realization: Caring for a person's mind was not enough for her; she was more interested in caring for a person's soul.

Soon after that experience, Karen studied for two semesters in Canada, where classroom conversations about social justice were commonplace and seemed to fuel her spirit. Karen heard her own calling in the words of Henri Nouwen: "I pray that this will be my ministry: to join people in their journey and open their eyes to see you."

Karen shared her sense of calling with a friend. This same friend's untimely death caused Karen to ask deeper questions as she followed her call to ministry: How do Christians reconcile the joy of heaven with the pain of loss? Why are those who grieve not encouraged to be honest with God about their struggles? What can be done to change the pattern of Christian communities' frequent failure to acknowledge that loss extends beyond the funeral? These types of questions gave purpose to her call to ministry, and led Karen to Drew Theological School in Madison, New Jersey. Karen felt at home at Drew. The Wesleyan tradition of social justice resonated with her commitment to ministry.

Karen was able to do theological reflection that would prepare her to work with people coping with grief in their lives. After graduation, Karen began serving as pastor of Burley United Methodist Church in Burley, Idaho, where she continues helping people through times of sorrow.

Mullery was stretched beyond his limit with church and family commitments and the requirements of seminary. Then he found that the Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development had a better way for him.

Mullery Jean-Pierre was working for an insurance/finance company on Wall Street and climbing the corporate ladder. But after the death of his father, the pastor and church planter of Beraca Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York, Mullery came to believe that God was calling him to serve there.

Mullery started out as a bi-vocational pastor, working full time in finance during the day and serving the church on evenings and weekends. However, his busy schedule left little time for family. He became less effective at home, at work, and at church. As he and his wife prayed, they sensed that God was calling Mullery to be a full-time pastor. With five children at home, Mullery trusted that the Lord would provide for them for two years on only his wife's income. "It was through that experience I felt the confirmation of the call," he says.

The church began to grow rapidly—from 8 ministries to 33—and Mullery realized that a formal education was necessary for him to support the growth. He also felt that the young professionals, whose numbers were strong in his church, were accustomed to higher education, and he wanted to minister to them on their level.

Out of school for a number of years, Mullery expected seminary would be academically challenging. Also, he needed to spend time with his family, as well as with the church family, especially to train lay ministers. He gave seminary most of his attention and had little time left for anything. Yet Mullery fell behind in his studies anyway. His preaching began to suffer.

Then, Mullery's pastor friend invited him to attend a presentation from the Antioch School about its theological education and leadership development for churches. Antioch answered Mullery's dilemma. "I felt like I was in the desert and someone gave me a cup of cold water. This is one of the best opportunities I have seen to advance God's kingdom through the local church," says Mullery.

These stories show how God individually calls people to attend seminary. One common thread among them is that those who are called recognize God's voice because of their openness to the Holy Spirit. A praise song has these lyrics: "Great things happen when God mixes with man." The body of Christ is reaching the world in greater ways because some who "mixed" with God are going to seminary and to the places where he sends them.

Diane Vescovi is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Her writing for online and print publications has focused on holistic mission and ministries.

Part 1: Ministry Myth Busters

Part 3: How to Get Into a Great Master's Program