I first discerned a call to ministry when my youth pastor asked me to lead music for worship in my youth group at age fifteen. This led to my involvement as a musician in church on Sunday mornings as well. I am thankful for my youth pastor planting this seed, because having a role as a musician is what kept me engaged in church life through the formative years of high school. It gave me a sense of belonging and purpose, which many of my peers sadly did not experience. Feeling valued by the church I grew up in made me expect to experience the same thing in campus ministry in college. By this time, my confidence as a music leader translated into confidence in other areas of leadership, such as facilitating Bible study discussions and public speaking. The campus ministry staff was instrumental in affirming my gifts in ministry, nurturing the seeds that were growing in me. Although my studies were not explicitly ministry-related, by the time I graduated it was clear that my experiences as a leader in campus ministry had prepared me for life after college more than my actual major had. So, it felt very natural to accept a youth ministry position, incidentally at Berkey Church of the Brethren, which was my first experience in this denomination.

I threw myself into this role and continued doing music ministry as well. Engagement with a variety of ministries and church programs was tremendously valuable because of the friends I made, but I began to feel a little disillusioned with the modern institution of the church when it appeared to function more like a business than a community of Spirit-filled believers. With the encouragement of a trusted friend, I decided to step away from vocational ministry and enroll in an ecumenical graduate program in worship studies, which turned out to have nothing to do with music, and much to do with liturgy, theology, church history and spiritual formation. This experience gave the seeds of ministry new life in me and renewed my love for Jesus as the faithful Shepherd of the Church.

During this time, I was working in a cafe, and I began hosting small worship gatherings on Sunday mornings when the cafe was closed. This was a very fruitful time of building relationships and honing my skills in planning and leading liturgies. I became aware that I am called not just to be a worship leader, but to be a “gatherer” of those who are on the fringes of the church. It also became clear that I simply cannot help but “do ministry,” at least in the sense of initiating friendships with the intent of creating spiritual community. The seeds were bearing fruit.

No matter what sort of work I do to earn a living, making friends and planting seeds of the Gospel is my focus. Whether I am coaching soccer for the school district, writing songs with other local musicians, or volunteering in the housing projects, I am always imagining the spiritual fruit that all my friends would produce if they had a place to connect with one another and benefit from one another’s gifts.

When the opportunity to serve as the pastor of Morrellville Church of the Brethren unexpectedly came my way, it was as if everything was suddenly coming together. I am so thankful to find myself in a role where I can use my gifts to help others feel like they belong in the Body of Christ. I know I still have much to learn, and I am excited to continue as a student in the ACTS program through the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center, nurturing the seeds that God has planted in me through the members of his church.

Originally from central New York State, Dan Becker has lived in Johnstown, PA for fourteen years. Dan began serving as pastor of Morrellville Church of the Brethren in March 2022. Dan is currently an ACTS student through SVMC supplementing his previous ministry training.