If you were to survey Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary students as to the route they took to the seminary, most would have similar, traditional paths. However, a few, including me, took a different path. God made each of us unique, and we all have different backgrounds. It is our individual experiences that shape us and make us who we are. It is my privilege to share the path God has led me along in pursuing a career change into public ministry.

With a passion for the outdoors, my initial aim after college was to become a conservation officer. However, a different opportunity presented itself, and I was hired by a sheriff ’s office in Minnesota as a patrol deputy. Six years later I was promoted to an investigator. For the next fifteen years, I worked general investigations ranging from property crimes to death investigations and everything in between. During that time, God had blessed me with a wife and six children. At this point in my career, an opportunity for work arose in Alaska. My wife and I struggled with the decision. After many prayers, I applied and was hired, and our family of eight moved to Alaska where I served as a police officer.

It was in my mid-forties when the demands the job placed on my body began to tell me, “Enough is enough.” Law enforcement is primarily a young man’s occupation. As a result, many of my older co-workers would look for something that they could transition into later in their career. I had been active in congregations we were members of, even having been asked if I had ever considered public ministry. “No,” I replied, “that is not for me.” Little did I know God had something different in mind for me.

It was in Alaska that, with the help of my pastor, I took the first step towards a career change. One of the biggest decisions of my life was to resign from full- time employment (with insurance benefits) and move our family to New Ulm to enroll in MLC’s Seminary Certification Program. I was the sole bread winner for our family, I was leaving the known for the unknown. There was no turning back. My decision to leave a good- paying career to return to school to become a pastor was something many of my co-workers did not understand. Still, something had convinced me during all those years. God had given me a front-row seat to witness how utterly corrupt the sinful nature was and how desperately people need to hear his gospel message.

Looking back on this journey, it has been truly humbling and incredible to see how God has blessed us—more than we could ever have imagined! Feelings of fear and doubt have been replaced by trust and assurance, knowing that God is with us wherever we go. It is incredible to see how supportive people have been to my family and me during this process. As I reflect, I have much to be thankful for. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Still, who am I to be doing this work? I do not have any relatives who are called workers. How could I be considered to share God’s Word with others? Little did I know my work and life experiences would shape and prepare me for this journey. Along the way, God showed me things that most people would never care to see. Those experiences left their imprint on me, convincing me of the urgent need to share Jesus. Through law enforcement, God gave me an appreciation for how fragile life truly is; no one is promised tomorrow. We do not need to travel overseas to a foreign country to find a mission field. Through my work I saw firsthand how few people believe and how desperate the need is for witnessing in our communities.

I am thankful that God has been with me all the time along the journey. I joke with people who know what I did in my prior career, saying, “For the first half of my life I dished out the law, and God-willing, for the second half I’ll dish out the gospel.” Both law enforcement and the pastoral ministry serve people, but in different ways. Instead of protecting people physically, a pastor is protecting them spiritually. With our synod’s current shortage of pastors, it is my prayer more may consider the calling to serve in public ministry.

Chris Gorr served as vicar at David’s Star Lutheran Church in Jackson, Wisconsin, during the 2023-2024 school year.