Pastor Nathan Hieb, MCCC, 2017

              My parents’ strong Christian faith deeply influenced the home environment in which I grew up, providing a solid, Biblical foundation, and inspiring me to place my faith in Christ as a child.  My Dad has served as a Senior Pastor for many years, and consistently models for me Christian integrity and leadership.  He and my Mom often share with me the wisdom they have gained from many years of faithful ministry, and continue to serve as my greatest spiritual and ministry mentors.

              As I entered adulthood, my faith expanded significantly when God led two friends and me to begin a ministry for unchurched young people in the Minneapolis area, where we lived.  As this ministry grew, we sensed God leading us to transition our focus to an inner-city neighborhood that served as a center for an influential youth subculture, and that struggled with poverty, gang activity, and drug violence.  We set up a “Jesus Kitchen” on the street on Saturday nights to feed the hungry, and held weekly meetings in the neighborhood, during which our Christian punk rock band led worship and one of us shared a simple message about the hope we have in Jesus Christ.  During this season, I also served on ministry projects in South Asia, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

              As I gained more and more ministry experience, I began to sense the need for theological training that would provide deep roots for my future ministry.  I eventually moved to Pasadena, CA, in order to attend Fuller Seminary’s School of Intercultural Studies.  My areas of study included urban ministry, leadership, mission theology, anthropology, and cultural analysis.  My burden for church-based ministry grew, and so after completing the M.A. in Intercultural Studies, I enrolled in the M.Div. program in Fuller’s School of Theology.  I served as the Youth Director of a Filipino church in Los Angeles, where I coordinated the youth group, taught and preached regularly, and developed youth leadership and urban outreach programs.  During this time, I also visited ministries in Central America.

              Toward the end of my time in L.A., I began to sense God leading me toward advanced theological education in order to prepare me for training and equipping the next generation.  I moved to New Jersey, where I enrolled at Princeton Theological Seminary and completed a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology.  Throughout my doctoral studies, God expanded my sense of calling to serve the church.  After graduating from Princeton Seminary, I ministered at a Chinese church in Central Jersey for more than seven years.

              God then opened the door for me to join MCCC, where I serve the English Congregation.  I am grateful for the warm welcome extended to our family, and for the opportunity to serve alongside such gifted pastors, elders, deacons, trustees, and co-workers.  I pray that God will work through the ministries of our church to raise up the next generation to faithfully serve and follow Jesus Christ.