Introduction

My name is Ben and I am a bi-vocational minister for New Covenant Baptist Church of Toledo, an American Baptist church. By profession I am a pipe fitter for General Motors in Toledo. As a child I was raised in the Apostolic charismatic tradition but later became a Baptist minister in the year 1986. I graduated from Defiance College with a B.A. in Christian Education in 1976 and am presently enrolled in the Master of Art in Family Ministry program at Winebrenner. I am not certain as to how my denominational affiliations might affect our journey together, but I am certain that through them God has given me a greater appreciation and respect for other persuasions of the faith. I have been serving there as pastor for the past 13 years. For me the vocation has served as a process for enhancing my relationship with people, God and self. I have come to realize that in order to be able to develop healthy godly relationship with family, church and community, there must be a spiritual balance. Spiritual direction can provide that balance for us that we need to successfully continue in ministry.

I intend on using this class as a process for getting closer to the heart of God and better realizing my own spiritual self-worth. I am praying that this class will help me to experience more of God and enhance my ability to balance numerous relationships and effectively deal with distractions so that I might come to better know Him and who I am in Him.

I am presently looking at the possibilities of retiring from General Motors within the year 2008. Retiring will allow me more time to devote to the ministry, school as well as doing other things that I most enjoy like riding my Harley Davidson “Streetglide” My goal is to continue in pastoral ministry but with a stronger emphasis on the “performing arts, youth ministry, missions and spiritual direction as the primary focuses for expressing and experiencing God’s love.