Lots of people have decided to dedicate their lives to God totally, and become priests/pastors. I think this is a serious decision, which requires lots of faith and virtue.

As long as me, I've never thought about it, because Eastern Orthodoxs can have only male priests.

But what about you? Have you ever thought of serving God as a priest/pastor?

Funny you should make this thread...when I converted, I was told repeatedly I should become either a priest or a monk. (I too am Orthodox.) Being me, I ran from that just as fast as I could. But lately, as in the last year, I have been reconsidering becoming a priest. So who knows? But to answer the question, yes. And it is a great responsibility. Just want to make certain this is the correct move.

I like the choice of the words "serving God."
I personally think it's just as easy to serve God on one's own accord. I grew up and, to this day, remain a Methodist, so I really tend to stress the fact that we were given free will. So, being that religion is one of my favorite conversation topics, I tend to use conversations as sort of a forum to convey His word.

Being a pastor, though, is certainly a tall order. I don't think I'm quite knowledgeable enough to take on the task, being that there are still several parts of the Holy Bible I've yet to read. Occasionally I do think about speaking in front of my church, but otherwise I think my current role as a Sunday School teacher will suffice as service to the Lord, in addition to the spreading of the word mentioned above.

Haha, funny you should mention it, I've been told multiple times (in part due to the multiple impromptu devotions I've given for our church's soccer league) that I would make a good preacher... and that's one of the things I've been including a bit in my considerations of... what exactly lies ahead for me.

Well, not really. I just don't think I can commit to being a priest/pastor. But who knows, that might change over time.

We need to remember that being a pastor is not a "pick and choose" type of thing, like "oh, I decided that I should be a pastor" This position is a ministry that God must call you into. Therefore, one must know whether God is calling a person to go into ministry.

One of the most important way of distinguishing that is whether you are gifted by God for this. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Ephesians 4:11-12) God will equip gifts of the spirit those who He has called into ministry. Others can see whether there is evidence of God's calling of being a pastor. In the end, one must discern whether it is God's will for one to become a pastor.

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:11-12)