Graduate Profile: Jordan Esch (Certificate)
/“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). I am very grateful to God for placing the desire to pursue a life in ministry on my heart. I give him, and him alone, the glory for giving me all the strength and provisions necessary to press on towards that goal!
My name is Jordan Esch, I reside in a rural area of Michigan just north of a town called Big Rapids. I am blessed to share my home with my lovely wife Consuelo, and our 12-year-old daughter Ava. Four years ago, we moved to our current home, and we have worked to build a simple life here on our small cattle ranch.
My wife and I were both raised in Roman Catholic families and when we met early on in life, neither one of us understood what it meant to be a follower of Jesus Christ. After having our daughter at a young age, God began to work on our hearts. God was so gracious in allowing me to feel the weight of my sin and begin to recognize that I was in fact spiritually dead. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:4–5). By God’s amazing grace, I came to understand the gospel, and in my early twenties, placed my hope and trust in Jesus Christ! My wife also came to faith around the same time, and we joined the local congregation at Red Pine Bible Church. Together, we have been growing in our faith and learning to lean on Christ alone as our solid rock and foundation.
From the earliest stages of my Christian walk, I enjoyed studying the Scriptures and became an avid reader of the Puritans. My love for reading and studying soon blossomed into a love for teaching, and for the past six years I have been teaching and serving in a leadership role at my church.
A few years ago, my church family offered me an on-staff position in leadership, and I continue to serve in that capacity. I have been blessed to learn hands-on many of the intricacies involved with Christian ministry. This firsthand experience, along with several years of self-education has only confirmed how much I love ministry and all its challenges. This love spurred my decision to pursue a more formal education, which I felt would be very beneficial for future ministry opportunities and would help me to become a more useful servant of my Savior.
Through RBS, I have been able to stay serving my local church and continue gaining valuable hands-on experience while pursuing my seminary education. I am so thankful for the Christ-centered, Bible-focused education that have been able to receive here at RBS! I would like to thank the professors and staff at RBS who work so hard to provide that education! I would also like to thank my wife and daughter for putting up with the many hours I spent behind closed doors studying. Also, thank you to my mentor and proctor, Pastor Rick Miller, who has been such a shining example of the moral character and integrity which are so crucial for anyone who is pursuing a life in ministry.
I do not know for certain what the Lord has planned for my family and I, but pray that whatever it is, we will serve him faithfully and bring glory to his name!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jordan Esch