Current Ministry Setting
From Pulpit to Classroom: A Pastor's Call to Special Education
Why I Stepped Out of the Pulpit and into a 6:1:2 Classroom
For years, I served in children and family ministry, walking alongside families through moments of joy, challenge, and transformation. I preached sermons, led parent workshops, organized camps and Sunday school programs—and above all, I listened. I saw firsthand how deeply children struggle when burdened by things beyond their control: trauma at home, emotional or developmental diagnoses, and the ever-present weight of simply trying to belong in a world that doesn’t always understand them.
In prayer and reflection, I began to sense that God was calling me beyond the pulpit—into the classroom.
Today, I serve as a 6:1:2 Special Education Teacher, working with boys in grades 3 through 5 who need therapeutic support to thrive. Some are on the autism spectrum. Others struggle with ADHD, anxiety, or the lingering impact of family trauma. All of them are brave, capable, and worthy of patient, compassionate guidance.
This move wasn’t a step away from ministry. It was a deepening of it.
Why This Work Matters
Ministry, at its core, is about presence. It’s about showing up—consistently and compassionately—for those who are often overlooked or misunderstood. In my classroom, I get to do just that every day. I help students learn to self-regulate, build trusting relationships, and discover their strengths. I work closely with families who are often navigating the complexities of the education and healthcare systems while trying to do right by their children. And I collaborate with dedicated therapists and educators who believe in second chances and fresh starts.
Carrying the Call Forward
Though my setting has changed, my mission has not. I am still committed to the holistic care of children and their families. My pulpit now looks like a small group table, a sensory corner, or a quiet hallway walk during a tough day. My sermons are spoken in moments of encouragement, in consistent routines, in the safe space I help create.
This isn’t the end of my ministry—it’s an expansion of it.