As part of an ongoing series, we are discussing and interviewing members of the Young Pastors Network (YPN).

Part of our 2009 Venture Capital Program, the YPN initiative, developed by Rev. Adam Hamilton and Rev. Mike Slaughter, pastors of two of  the largest churches in the connection, set out to train and mentor 50 young pastors nominated by their bishops for having the potential of leading churches with weekly attendance of more than 1,000.

For our second interview, we talk with Rev. Jacob Armstrong. Rev. Armstrong serves as pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.

• Describe your call into ministry including the most influential persons in your life

I first felt the call to ministry at the age of 18 while providing leadership on a retreat for other youth.  In a time of silent prayer I audibly spoke the words “God, I will serve you as a pastor.”  Not only had I never considered that vocation, I wasn’t all that excited about it either.  I had other plans!   Over the next couple years, I gained the courage to share my call experience.  I was surprised and grateful to hear people give confirmation to my call to become a pastor.  Most notably, my mother and future wife, Rachel, gave affirmation and encouragement.  I began working at First United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, TN at the age of 19.  There, under the guidance of great mentors and friends, I continued to discern and live into this call.

The most influential people to me have been my parents, John and Nancy Armstrong.  They prayed for me, loved me, and gave me the freedom and empowerment to explore and live into my call to be a minister.

I am a life-long United Methodist and have been blessed to have many pastors who have taken time to teach and care for me.  Dr. Jim Clardy, Rev. Jerry Mayo, Rev. Cathie Leimenstoll and Rev. Tom Halliburton are just a few.

• What excites you most about being a pastor in the UMC?

I am excited to be a United Methodist pastor and excited about the future of the United Methodist Church.  In my current setting as pastor of Providence Church in Mt. Juliet, TN, I have seen the theology and emphases of the United Methodist Church bear much fruit.  I believe that we are positioned well as a church that holds up the grace of God as well as the requirement to love our neighbor  and we carry those things hand in hand out into the communities we serve.

• What have been some of the keys to the success of your ministry?

Providence Church is 18 months old and now worships over 400 people each Sunday.  The driving force of our church is to see those that feel disconnected from God and the church encounter Jesus.  This is our focus and hope.  We let this purpose guide our decisions and ministry.  We no longer operate under the old paradigm that if we provide adequate facilities and sufficient programming that the people will come.  We know that we have to encounter and serve our community in ways that offer other “open doors” for people to come to church.  We know that most people come to church because of a relational connection, so we seek to empower our people to encounter their spheres of influence with the good news of Jesus.

We strive to make Sunday morning worship an experience where there are few hindrances for people who may be new to church (or coming back after a long time) to hear about the grace of God through Jesus Christ.

• What role are you playing in identifying other future leaders for the church?

I have learned quickly that the church cannot function effectively and in a healthy way if I am the only leader.  Our church functions using 4 ministry teams that oversee all the ministries of our church.  Each Team has a Director and five other leaders.  Their job is not to “do” the work of the church but to empower and equip the laity to do so.  One of the last things that Adam Hamilton emphasized in the YPN was our role in indentifying and empowering young leaders. I take this seriously.  We currently have one young woman entering the candidacy process.

• How has the YPN added value to your education and gifts?

YPN gave me hope for our denomination, a connection with many like-minded colleagues and practical tools for ministry.  Hearing Adam and Mike’s stories, as well as their practical advice was an invaluable experience.  They brought unique and at times differing viewpoints but with a common bond to reach people and teach people about Jesus.   Often times as a “younger” clergy person you can feel that you are in the great minority.  While, I know the statistics substantiate this feeling, it was encouraging to be around other young clergy from around the country.

I would like to sincerely thank the Foundation for Evangelism for their consideration of this project and subsequent gifting to it.  I have been blessed.

• Are the any web links we can go to for additional information about your ministry?

Providence Church website:  www.provumc.net

Recent article in Circuit Rider:

http://www.umph.org/pdfs/circuitrider/U301ReOu.pdf

(Image courtesy of UMC.Org)