OCTOBER IS PASTOR APPRECIATION MONTH
Dr. Nace Howell (’11)
The thought of picking up everything and moving to a reservation in Montana might seem like a crazy thing to do, but is anything too crazy for God? Dr. Nace Howell (’11), a graduate of Lancaster Bible College’s Biblical Studies program, currently serves as a pastor on an open reservation in Montana and said his time as a student at LBC has impacted him along the way.
From having to keep in line with regulations from two different governments to studying apologetics, Howell had a lot to learn in order to serve in this unique ministry environment. Living and serving on an open reservation leads to many stories of seeing God move in people and watching them grow in their faith.
When asked to share one of his favorite stories of seeing God’s hand at work, he shared about the opportunity to baptize a 91-year-old man who came from a Mormon background and had been attending Dr. Howell’s services for quite some time. Members of the reservation also share many different religions and beliefs, making Howell’s study of apologetics beneficial to not only him but also to his congregation. To provide people a chance to grow and learn more about their faith, Howell also hosts a time of Q&A each month. And he realizes that his pastoral role on the reservation is no accidence.
“I believe that God brought me through the experiences that He did,” Howell said, “specifically for the purpose of doing ministry here.”
Looking back on his time at LBC, Dr. Howell shared how his time in college gave him a strong foundation, especially in hermeneutics. “Studying hermeneutics was brand new to me at the time, and it opened up a world filled with excitement that I had never before encountered.”
In addition, his study of counseling prepared Howell for ministry, helping open his eyes to concepts and wisdom he leans on today. He shared some words of encouragement for ministry workers and students who may feel uncertain of their calling. “Leaders are readers,” he advised. “Read as much as possible, but don’t hold it all in. Write as much as possible as well!”
Howell took his own advice to heart, starting to write during his time at LBC. He has now written over 150 articles and has over 5,000 pageviews each month on his website. Beyond his blog posts, Howell has also written a book titled “Mormonism: Impossible,” focused on the Mormon faith in hopes that the reader can learn to “have informed conversations with Mormons to lead them to the truth.”
Howell’s motivation through the years has been the many books he has read. One he says never leaves his desk is “Reasonable Faith” by William Lane Craig, which he was introduced to during his time at LBC. It has motivated him so much through the years that he is now a chapter director and leads meetings about the work three times a month. He shares about his time with the book’s author, saying, “I never imagined that I would spend time with him personally, but now I do at least once a year.”