Written by Matt Pearson
If you live in Middle Tennessee long enough you will learn who the “unicorns” are. The unicorns are those who are actually from Middle Tennessee. We call them unicorns because they are so rare. The vast majority, so it seems, are from all over the United States. Individuals and families from throughout the country have migrated to the Nashville area. When someone says that they are originally from Nashville, you probably need to take a picture. You won’t find many of them around.
In a similar fashion, I am learning that I myself am becoming a sort of unicorn. I graduated high school in 1995. I graduated college in 1999. I started seminary in 2000. In 2003, I received an MDiv. In 2010, I earned a PhD. While in seminary, I had the luxury of pastoring two churches. This arc was, as they say, the traditional way of “going into the ministry.” Twenty years ago, it was the norm. Now? I’m a unicorn. This isn’t the way most ministers are equipped to fulfill their calling anymore.
The reasons for this are legion. The internet. COVID. The myriads of church models. The job market. Cultural trends. On and on and on we could go. In short, times are different now. Add to this the fact that many of those who do attend, and graduate seminary aren’t going into the pastorate. This means that even traditionally seminary trained pastors are becoming unicorns. The “normal” way one gets trained and enters the pastorate is no more.
So, what does one do when they feel called by God to pastor a church but (a) can’t quit their job and go to seminary; and/or (b) can’t find a church to pay them enough to pastor full-time? How does one fulfill this sort of calling if they are in their 30’s or 40’s or 50’s with zero academic tools in their toolbox? This is why I love the Engage Church Network (ECN) School of Ministry (SOM). It is designed, not for the unicorns out there, but for what is fast becoming the majority of Spirit-called pastors. It is for those who deeply desire to do something meaningful with their life and make a kingdom difference where God has them. The SOM’s purpose is to provide “on the job” training that can practically be put to use immediately.
My role in the SOM is to train and equip preachers. Mike Glenn reminds me often that if someone compliments one of my sermons, they aren’t really saying much. The way Mike sees it (and I agree), the bar for good preaching is very-very low. If someone compliments a sermon it probably means they were able to stay awake or at least follow my train of thought. The state of preaching, in other words, has fallen on hard times. This reality grieves me, and I am burdened to do something about it. God’s Word is practically begging to be preached with passion, zeal, knowledge, and love. Congregants are starving to know the God of the Bible and how an actual, real relationship with Him changes everything about their lives. By God’s grace, I have been given the task to equip preachers to prepare and preach sermons that help hearers encounter the God of the Scriptures.
If you’re from Middle Tennessee, you are a unicorn. There aren’t many of you around. If you are a “traditionally” trained pastor, you too are a unicorn. By and large, that ship has sailed. If there are going to be healthy churches in the future, they will need to be led by healthy pastors. This means the way they are trained and equipped will need to change. The way they are taught to preach will need to change. I’m excited to hopefully play a small role in moving on from the few unicorns of good preachers out there into an army of good preachers who consistently and continuously connect their people to the reality of God.
