One Seattle police officer is also pastoring a church. He recently told The Christian Post the benefits and challenges of bi-vocational ministry.
Seattle Police Officer Noah Winningham served on the frontlines amid the violent riots that engulfed the city last year. During his breaks, he prepared the sermon he would preach on Sunday as the lead pastor of Sufficient Grace Church — a sermon on oppressed people meeting Jesus.
He told the Post — “As both a pastor and a police officer, I was able to preach that sermon the following Sunday with a unique context and voice that no other pastor can give.”
Though he believes he’s exactly where God calls him to be, the father of four never set out to be a bi-vocational pastor, especially in Seattle. It was a series of unlikely events — and an undeniable calling from God — that led him to plant Sufficient Grace Church in the fall of 2019.
Sufficient Grace Church is a part of the Acts 29 Network, which includes more than 800 other churches worldwide. The Matt Chandler led organization offers church leaders “decades of experience-proven training, guidance, and tools for planting churches designed to grow and thrive.”
Serving as a bi-vocational pastor has undeniable challenges particularly as both pastors and police officers statistically have high burnout rates. To maintain his mental, emotional and spiritual health, he surrounds himself with biblical support, from his wife and the elders at his church to weekly meetings with a Christian counselor.