William Vanderbloemen joins us for the next episode of the Find Your Calling Podcast. In it, William offers suggestions for finding and following our personal calling, such as why unlocking our past offers us clues into our calling, as well as discovering what does—and what doesn’t—evoke in us a white-hot passion.

Since age six, William has been connecting dots of opportunities—exactly what he does now as the founder and CEO of Vanderbloemen Search Group, one of the largest leadership search firms for churches. He articulates his personal calling clearly and succinctly: “I serve the Kingdom by creating connections.” In the podcast excerpt below, William talks about the first time he really understood what it felt like to not be working in his sweet spot.

“After pastoring three churches for a total of 15 years, I went to work in human resources in a large company. It was the first day in my life that I ever understood what people were talking about when they said, ‘It’s hump day’ [the week’s almost over!]. It was also the first time I ever maxed out my vacation. When that misfit starts to happen, we have to just start asking ourselves the question, ‘Why is this such an energy drain for me?’ Can you identify the things that are not fitting so that you know what would fit?

My son is a senior in college. Just in talking to him, I came up with four questions to ask yourself when you’re looking for or considering a job.

Can you find something that:

1. you’re good at?
2. the world needs?
3. improves the world before you—leaving the world better than you found it?
4. something you enjoy giving your energy to?

If these four things align, you’ll be well on your way to moving into a job that will be part of your call. Just keep going back to those four questions.”

Check out William Vanderbloemen’s web site www.vanderbloemen.com/blog.

Combining 15 years of ministry experience as a senior pastor with the best practices of leadership search and recruitment, William Vanderbloemen serves as president and CEO of The Vanderbloemen Search Group. In that role, he speaks across the United States in both churches and at leadership conferences. He is also the author of Next: Pastoral Succession That Works (Baker Books). Besides helping connect churches with key staff and preaching, William spends a whole lot of time with family and connecting with people. He, his wife Adrienne, their seven children and their poodle Moses live in Houston.

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