Jared: “Like Moses, I told God all the reasons why I was not the person”

Jared N (MDiv ’26)

Hometown

Crystal Lake, Illinois

About Me

I have discovered that I am courageous, powerful, and a follower of Jesus.

Before I committed to Seminary, I did not feel smart enough or capable of becoming a pastor. Like Moses, I told God all the reasons why I was not the person for the job. Yet I sensed God inviting me into Seminary anyway.I courageously applied, got accepted, and have received excellent grades thanks to God’s initial invitation. Over the past year, I have noticed I am becoming more powerful due to the Holy Spirit within me as I follow Jesus on this new adventure of Seminary.

I am simply trying to follow Jesus and take cues on where he is leading.

My Family

My wife and I have been married for 16 years, and we have two daughters, ages 8 and 10. Attending Seminary has been a career and vocational change for me. It is a risky endeavor, and it would have been easier in some ways to stay in the work I was already doing. But my wife and I sensed God inviting me to become a pastor. Therefore, this adventure is actually not risky at all because we are confident this is the path for us.

My Seminary Experience

I chose NPTS because my former spiritual director and pastor was a NPTS graduate. I also appreciate that NPTS focuses on spiritual formation. I also appreciate that the Evangelical Covenant ordains women and has a diverse faculty and staff.

One thing that’s made a big impact on me is the experience of being heard and seen. NPTS classmates and faculty have listened to me at a deep level. I feel seen, andI have been able to name ‘shame.’

Another powerful experience was experiencing the roller coaster of writing a final paper for Christian Theology. I was a bit stuck, I prayed, and God answered my prayer. I gained peace and the ability to finish my paper and receive an A.

My Future

I hope to become a pastor and/or chaplain. Seminary has been extremely formative over the first year. I completed my Clinical Pastoral Education unit at a hospitallast summer, and I was equipped to be a solid chaplain. I am currently a pastoral intern in my church, and I notice I am equipped and energized to provide competent and loving care.

NPTS’s balanced focus on church history, theology, pastoral care, Scripture, and spiritual formation are proving to make me a solid minister. My in-person classes have provided wonderful opportunities to get to know my professors and classmates. I feel part of something bigger than myself, and I feel loved. Recognizing I am loved gives me power to achieve my goals.