Way Truth Life Apologetics

I have made the statement “the Christian life is like a roller coaster” fairly often when teaching Sunday school or evening Bible study. There is no doubt that the Christian life somewhat mirrors secular life in that regard—highs and lows, good times and not-so-good times, victories and disappointments, etc. I’d like to share some of the highlights of the past two years.

As I look at the post archive, I realize it’s been almost two years since I last published anything. During that time, God answered a longtime prayer of mine. In September 2023 I received a phone call from a pastor at a church not far from where I live. His youth pastor was leaving to lead a church and when Pastor Steve (my Senior Pastor) reached out to the Senior Pastor at my home church, inquiring if Pastor Harold had anyone in mind to recommend, Pastor Harold gave my name and number without hesitation.

Since 2016, when I was working on my Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies, I was in school full time but not working. I submitted roughly 60 resumes across Maryland, north to Maine, south to Florida, and west to Michigan. I received a handful of responses, thanking me for applying, but nothing panned out. I was getting more frustrated, impatient, and somewhat distressed each day feeling as if God was closing every door. It didn’t make sense. I was excelling academically (eventually graduating Summa Cum Laude) yet there were no opportunities for me to transition to a pastoral role.

Through this hardship and feeling increasing doubt if ministry was part of God’s calling for my life, I began working a secular job, which I still have to this day; I started several months after graduating seminary in May 2017. It’s not ideal but it has allowed me to care for my family. I remained engaged in my home church, teaching an adult Sunday school class, singing in the choir with my wife, and assisting / volunteering where I could. After seven years, God’s answer to my prayer about going into vocational ministry shifted from “not yet” to “yes now.”

I’ve served as a bi-vocational youth pastor since the end of September 2023, was voted on by the deacons in January 2024, formal church vote in August 2024 immediately after my ordination. It has been such a wonderful answer to prayer; having the opportunity to study, prepare lessons, and to preach occasionally! A Philippine church I’ve preached at once per year for several years has me in a monthly rotation preaching as they are without a pastor.

This reflection serves both to update those reading (who may have been following since I began this blog) and to give testimony to how God often works in our lives as Christians. We get impatient when seeking an answer to something we want / desire. God’s timing is not our timing. There was a purpose in my 7 year gap between graduating seminary and being called to serve as a pastor. I am so thankful for His answer to my prayer and the opportunities that have come from it. Being bi-vocational is not my ideal; my prayer these past two years has been for my role to expand to full-time so I can be completely focused on ministry and Kingdom building, not divided between a 40 hour / week secular job and a part-time ministry position. I pray it won’t take another 7 years to make such a transition, BUT I am trusting God for His timing, His plan, and His purpose for my life!

In the mean time, I plan to be more active in posting, sharing other ways God is working in my life and ministry. I will likely also share summaries of sermons (my notes tend to be 8-10 pages long). If you are in a season of waiting on God to answer, please be assured He hears your prayers. God does not leave us alone and isolated. Throughout the time I waited on His answer, I was surrounded by my family, friends, church family, and other Christians. While I waited I followed Greg Koukl’s advice, “Bloom where you’re planted.” When it was time for me to be repotted from my home church to my current church, God did all the work. The time I spent blooming, helped prepare me for the next phase of my ministry journey. God has a plan and purpose for each of us. Trust Him and His perfect timing!

Blessings!