Two Months Later…
About two months ago, I quietly completed my final Sunday on staff at Grace Family Church after nearly nine years. A few weeks before that, I shared that a major reason for my departure was to be freed from the busyness of vocational ministry to pursue more formal training in theology and counseling. Many have asked me to keep them updated or give more details about my next steps, so I am writing here to do just that. I hope to include those who desire to follow along with me by occasionally providing these kinds of updates on my progress toward my educational goals and sharing other happenings, hopes, or prayer requests.
My Schedule
When I finished my final Sunday, I practically immediately boarded a flight to Mexico City, MX, where I spent a week visiting with a dear missionary friend and his wife who are currently furloughed in the city. As I shared on my social media, it was a joy to spend time with dear friends who love the Lord and have dedicated their lives to serving Him. Nothing is more encouraging in ministry than connecting on a heart level with others and allowing them to challenge you and pray for you.
Cheers to ministry friends! Enjoying some “sparkling wine” at a winery in Mexico.
Since my return from Mexico, I have kept pretty busy. I recently had the privilege of officiating a friend's wedding from high school, participating in the bachelor party of one of my closest cousins who is getting married in the summer, and attending the wedding of two other friends. While that all has been fun, my primary focus has been school.
Because I do not have a full-time job, I now spend what were my “work hours” on school. My home-away-from-home is Coffee Grind coffee shop in the Tradition area of Port St. Lucie, where I work on my classwork remotely Monday through Friday between roughly 10 and 4. I am a creature of habit and routine, and it has worked out really well to set a schedule and (mostly…) hold myself to it as I take on academics for the first time in quite some time.
My view from “my corner” of Coffee Grind coffee shop in Port St. Lucie.
My Studies
Many have asked what exactly my classwork actually is, so I want to share that here. I am currently enrolled in and working on two separate certificate programs: 1) a Certificate of Christian Studies through the Bible Mesh Institute (BMI), and 2) a Certificate of Biblical Counseling through the Christian Counseling & Education Foundation (CCEF).
These certificate programs consist of fully accredited and exhaustive coursework that stand alone upon completion, and they are also both graduate degree pathways with partner schools. This means that, upon completion of either one or both of the certificate tracks, I have the option to transfer them and enter Master’s programs at respected seminaries.
The Certificate in Christian Studies through BMI is transferrable to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) in North Carolina. It counts for two-thirds of the requirements for a Master's in Christian Studies. The Certificate in Biblical Counseling through CCEF is transferable to Westminster Theological Seminary (WTS) in Pennsylvania and counts for about half of the requirements to earn a Master's in Counseling.
These two certificates will take me about two years to complete combined if I keep my current pace of double-duty (one class from each track at the same time). I chose these two paths from about two-dozen options for three reasons: 1) accessibility, 2) affordability, and 3) flexibility.
Accessibility. That I can access seminary-level education as a fast track toward a Master’s without a full BA or even an AA (dual-enrollment was not an option when I was in high school…) is remarkable. I am truly grateful that these options exist for aspiring pastors like myself to get the education we desire. I am also grateful that they are accessible remotely, allowing me to school truly from anywhere and at my own pace.
Affordability. It will cost me under $10,000 to complete both of these tracks, much of which is already accounted for and at my disposal in one way or another. Further, because these certificates are degree pathways, significant discounts are available through the affiliated seminaries for the additional coursework required in the Master's programs.
Flexibility. Upon completion of both certificates, I can choose to stop my education and pursue reentering vocational ministry with the certificates in tow, continue my education on one Master's track or another, or opt for some combination of those options. The certificates standing alone should significantly equip me for any church positions I may enter, while either of the MA degrees would provide me with even more ministry options.
Describing Words
On my final Sunday at Grace Family, someone whom I greatly love and respect asked me to give him a word to describe the season I was heading into (unbeknownst to him, for years, I have asked this same question of students or young adults in team or group building activities. I ingeniously title the exercise “one word”). Narrowing it down to one word is difficult for a wordy person like me, so I provided two: preparation and desperation. Here’s what I mean by those words.
Preparation
For years, I have aspired to pastor, but for a long time, I thought that basically meant running a church. Now, I believe to truly pastor is something more entirely. To pastor is to follow in the example of Jesus, the “great shepherd” or “great pastor” (John 10, Hebrews 13), and give your life to the ministry of the Word in proclamation (teaching) and to the ministry of the Word in conversation (counseling).
When we look at Christ and His ministry on the earth, He spent a great deal of time expounding the Scriptures, explaining their meaning, and revealing more about Himself and His divine and complex plan to save the world. That’s teaching. But He spent an equal amount of time conversing with followers and unbelievers alike, revealing His love, mercy, and compassion for sinners and inviting them to change with His help. That’s counseling.
The opportunities I have had to do those things specifically thus far in my ministry journey served to shape this conviction, fuel this passion, clarify my goal, and lead me to the best possible means of pursuing it. In our times, teaching the Word and counseling others, both in the church and outside of it, is a daunting task that requires all the tools you can get your hands on.
I am taking theology courses to deepen my understanding of the Scriptures and better teach them to others. I am taking counseling courses to sharpen my ability to help people apply Scripture to their hurts, questions, and troubles. My prayer is that the Lord will marry all that I learn so that I am equipped to pastor His people wholly and faithfully in whatever role or context that may be.
Desperation
This one is harder to express fully, but I hope the following words are clear enough. In Matthew 19, Jesus challenges a rich man to give all he has — all he treasures — away to follow God. You probably know the story. The rich man went away sad because he had many possessions, and by his going away, he proved he valued them more than following after God. Jesus then tells the disciples that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God (Vv. 24). The rest of the story, though, offers insight into what happens to those who do, in fact, give up what they treasure for the Lord’s sake:
Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?” Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. — Matthew 19:27–29
This story has given me a totally different perspective on the above idea of preparation. The key phrase of the whole passage above is for my sake. If we give things up in hopes it works out better for us — if we give up what we treasure for our sake — we miss the point and ultimately will walk away from God as sad as the rich man. But if we give up what we treasure for His sake, leaving behind what we love deeply for Him, we will gain more than we could imagine.
Preparation is not about taking some tests and earning the right to place some letters at the end of my name or frame a piece of paper I get in the mail. No. Far more difficult than some schoolwork, God has asked for my treasures — real, tangible, deeply loved treasures like my former fiancé, ministry, home church, and house, among others. In this, I have learned and am learning that the preparation for future ministry happens in giving up lesser treasures. In the (painful, difficult, heartbreaking) giving up of what we treasure, we are instead seeking and gaining our greatest need — Him.
In 1 Peter 4, the apostle admonishes, “if anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides.” Simply, to live the Christian life at all, especially to live dedicated to His mission, requires His strength, power, and grace. Serving Him requires Him. To give up what we treasure requires us to desperately seek an even greater treasure…and that is where preparation happens. We cannot lead people to seek God with radical devotion and abandon all other lesser treasures, in the pulpit or one-on-one, if we are not first seeking after Him in this same way ourselves.
To come back to my word choice, I mean by desperation that this time in my life can be nothing less than a time of determination to seek Him consciously and wholeheartedly for His wisdom and grace to do what He has asked of me Preparation is not about my grades or degrees. It’s not about my future ministry positions or goals. It’s about Him — this is for His sake — and I’m desperate not to forget that. I’m desperate to consider Him my greatest treasure and depend on Him wholly.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve read through this far, I want to thank you for taking the time to do so and being invested in my life and current journey in one way or another. Support comes in all different ways, and all of it is meaningful. With that in mind, I do want to share a few personal needs. If and when you think of me in prayer, please pray for:
Patience. I am a planner and an executor by nature — I create a strategy and work to implement it as quickly as possible to achieve the desired outcome. This season has been no exception. I have created a plan, but the reality is that education and learning are a slow process. I need prayer to be “patient with the process,” as I have told countless other people in my ministry days, and allow God to bring about what He desires in His timing. I need to remember that “in our hearts we make our plans, but the Lord directs our steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
People. I have made many lifelong friends and gained many spiritual siblings, moms, dads, and grandparents through my years attending and serving at Grace Family. My friendships and relationships with many are simply irreplaceable in my heart. That’s the power of spiritual family. That said, this time of preparation has taken me away from my former church home but has yet to take me to a new one. This prayer request is specifically for a people — a church family and community to walk with in this new season. That God would lead me to the right church, group, Bible study…whatever for mutual accountability, encouragement, and service.
Perseverance. School is a discipline, and all disciplines require perseverance. I truly believe that the Bible is relevant, exciting, and full of life…but sometimes lectures about it are not! Further, I was never the most diligent or invested student (ask any of my former teachers!), and the reality is I am learning how to study and do school all over again. I will need to continue to push myself to remain on track with my goal timeframe for completion (while, you know, also actually learning!).
Power. I need the help of the Spirit to daily treasure Christ above all the things I have lost (which are sometimes still painful to revisit or recall) and above all the things I hope to gain one day again (marriage, a home, my education complete, a ministry position again, etc.). A verse that has been in my head for a few weeks now is Psalm 147:11 “the Lord is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in his mercy.” I need the help of the Spirit to fight sin and pride and live humbly and hopefully. I need help, point-blank. The Bible promises the Spirit — the Helper — to us who believe and follow Christ. Pray for His presence and power to be obvious and effective.
Provision. By God’s grace, I left my previous job with a bit of financial cushion. Yet, when you’re used to a certain figure paycheck and go down to zero, it can be unsettling, no matter your cushion. I’ve explored many jobs and even been specifically sought out for a few. Still, I am looking for the right kind of job situation — flexible enough to enable me to keep my school routine intact, not overdemanding, and compensating me enough to live and pursue a permanent living situation in this difficult housing and rental market. I am taking a shot at a new (not glamourous, pretty humbling) job starting in a week hoping it will meet these criteria. Please pray that it does, or that I soon find the job (or other means of provision) that will should it not work out with this one.
There is, of course, much more I could say and even more things I could ask for in prayer, but I think this will suffice for the time being. In future writings, I hope to share some additional aspirations, goals, and projects that are currently only in the earliest stages of conception. But for now, I leave you with a paraphrase of a verse from Matthew 6: “seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all things will be added to you.”
I’m not perfect, nor am I seeking the Kingdom perfectly or some days even well. But I am seeking nevertheless, and I hope my journey is of encouragement to you to trust the Lord, consider your priorities, and seek His kingdom. That is when you will gain.
Thanks for reading.
Until next time, God’s grace.
Andrew
