Christine Stride is Executive Assistant to the Baptist National Leader and works at the Baptist National Support Centre in Auckland. She is part of Titirangi Baptist Church.
There’s no job with a greater impact on eternity than that of a pastor, says Arnie Hall. It’s a big claim, but with nearly 30 years of pastoral ministry under his belt, Arnie seems well-qualified to make it.
The pastor of Nelson Baptist Church concedes the job can be hard and, at times, heart-breaking, but he sees beyond the challenges.
“I see pastoring as this beautiful thing [where] God shares his glory with me. We’ve got to embrace the pain and the beauty and make the most of those things.”
Arnie was once an accountant who had stepped away from his faith. Things weren’t going so well in his life, so he returned to church. Despite trying to fly under the radar at church, Arnie eventually felt God’s call to step into pastoral leadership. And once he did, “everything clicked into place”.
For 28 years, Arnie worked in various ministries in his home church of Manukau City Baptist (formerly Papatoetoe Baptist), making friends, getting married, raising a family, and eventually becoming Senior Pastor. Then, out of the blue, he received a phone call that would change his life again.
In a new podcast show called ‘A Beautiful Work’, Jonny Weir (Director of Ministry Training at Carey Baptist College) asks Arnie how pastors know when it’s time to finish, how best to make that transition, and how to start all over again. This podcast show will be great for anyone thinking about pastoral ministry – perhaps you’ve already felt a nudge from God, or people in your life have suggested it.
Check it out!
Listen to Arnie’s episode in ‘A Beautiful Work’ here:
Or find it in our podcast library on the Baptist NZ app!
Article cover photo: Arnie Hall and his wife Aly being farewelled from Manukau City Baptist Church. Supplied by Manukau City Baptist Church.
