Crossing the country as a career youth pastor, Theo Wilson, is now serving as the lead pastor of Community Covenant Church in Clear Lake, Washington. He shares about his journey in ministry, connecting with God using his camera, and how a grumbler can give thanks.
Transcript:
Erik Cave: Hello everyone. Erik Cave here, your Director of NextGen Ministries for the Pacific Northwest Conference. Today, I'm really excited because I get to introduce you to an old friend of mine who is a new pastor in our conference.
Theo Wilson is the new Lead Pastor at Community Covenant Church in Clear Lake, Washington. But I've known Theo forever. It feels like... I don't know, maybe, Theo, you remember how long it's been? Ever since a long time ago when you were in college and doing ministry here in Portland. And so, it's really fun to have you back in the Pacific Northwest, to be serving alongside you.
So, why don't you take a minute and introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your personal and ministry background?
Theo Wilson: Yeah, it's great to be here. I am a big Pacific Northwest guy. I grew up in Albany; my parents are still in the same house. I went to school in Salem. In fact, that's where I got my call into ministry. I was in the back row of an 8:00 a.m. biology class there at Western Baptist (now Corban).
Erik Cave: Oh, wow.
Theo Wilson: Yeah, like who's taking biology at 8:00 a.m., right? And that's where I got the call to go into ministry—because I wasn't called to ministry in a biology class!
So, I transferred to Multnomah [University] and met my wife [Kyndria] there. She and I have been married 23 years. She's an incredible pastor's wife, an incredible lady.
Our first stint out of Multnomah was in a non-Covenant church. It was a Mennonite church actually, there in rural Oregon. And then the economy hit, and we had to find a new church call. That's actually kind of when we stumbled into the Covenant in 2009. In fact, I didn't even know the Covenant existed when I took that job, and what a blessing it's been. Yeah, I remember you were one of the youth pastors that I met very early on in some of those NextGen or whatever it was called back then, Youthworker Connection I think.
Yeah, it's been a fun ride. I served as a youth pastor in California and Connecticut, and just recently, my parents are getting older and my dad's had some poor health, so I decided it was time to come back to the Pacific Northwest to be close to them.
And so here I am, lead pastor of a church. The funny thing is, as a longtime youth pastor, I actually never wanted to be a lead pastor. But, you know, never say never, right? So it's good to be here.
Erik Cave: Were you by chance in a biology class when God told you to be a lead pastor?
Theo Wilson: No, it was probably in my office! Why would I take a biology class, even? That would be the real question! All the people who love science are like, "Oh, Theo's so judgmental!"
Erik Cave: Good. So you're in Clear Lake now. What are you passionate about in ministry these days? Right now, what's getting you going?
Theo Wilson: Yeah, I'm really optimistic and passionate for this church. They've been through a lot, and it's exciting coming here and just seeing the core group of people who are like, "This is our church. We've been through a lot, but we're just going to keep plugging away." Just a lot of really good, faithful, loving people.
I've taken the first six or seven months just getting to know people, building relationships, building a rapport. I haven't made many changes or big decisions yet, and now I'm ready to do some things. But it's the holiday season, so we'll hold off until January.
I'm really excited about having our leaders really take some ownership of some of the decisions around here. And I just started a young adults group—in a church where most people are mostly over 60, we started a young adults group, and it's been a lot of fun. So a lot of really good things happening here, and I'm just excited for what's to come next year.
Erik Cave: Well, that is exciting, and I'm really excited you're there too. I think God arranged it just right. So, how can we be praying for you?
Theo Wilson: You know, it's funny. Yesterday, my office administrator came in and started asking me questions about Advent. And I mean, I've been a career youth pastor—those are the things that just magically appear because of a worship pastor, right?
So, as I approach my first Christmas season as a lead pastor, just pray for me that I don't forget something important like Advent! Just the responsibility of what it means...
Erik Cave: To forget Advent? Yeah, right.
Theo Wilson: Like I said, I was always just the youth pastor where the senior pastor took over all this stuff. So just prayer that I don't fail Christmas, right? Just a new process. But like I said, it's a great church, and I'm sure someone would gently remind me.
This is the first time I actually have had to study what the three colors represent and... things I gotta care about now!
Erik Cave: Well, I'll be praying for you for that, and for the other things you might forget about as well. I encourage everyone watching to be praying for you too.
Theo Wilson: Oh, thanks. Thanks for sharing that.
Erik Cave: Okay, so we like to have some fun and ask you some kind of quick-fire, randomish kind of questions just to get to know you a little better. Let's jump into these: What is one thing you cannot resist?
Theo Wilson: So, I'm a big hamburger guy. And don't just give me a cheeseburger, but like if I'm at a restaurant, I'll look for the craziest or the most bizarre hamburger, or sometimes the biggest. And so yeah, I'm gluten-intolerant, but still I can't resist a good, crazy hamburger.
Erik Cave: That's fun to know. Next question: What is your favorite thing to do?
Theo Wilson: I really like to just get out and explore places, be a tourist, I guess you could say. I just love learning and seeing things that I've never seen before. I lived in Connecticut for three years and was surrounded by history, so I was always out exploring. And moving now to a part of Washington that I really haven't spent much time in, it's fun just getting out, oftentimes just with my camera. In fact, that's some of the best prayer time I have, just God, my camera, and I. So exploring is kind of my favorite thing to do.
Erik Cave: I didn't know you were a photographer. That's awesome.
Theo Wilson: For a hobby only, you know.
Erik Cave: Sure, okay. Next question: What does leadership mean to you?
Theo Wilson: A while ago, when my wife and I were in a season of struggle and there was some thing we just didn't want to go to, we coined the phrase that "presence is ministry." And so from that day, we've always embraced that idea. True leadership, in my mind, is having a good, faithful, consistent, godly presence. That's kind of been one of those things that pushes us through in moments when it's hard to be a pastor: Ministry is presence; just showing up is half the work.
Erik Cave: Good. How about this one: What is the best book you've ever read?
Theo Wilson: Wait, has anybody else chosen this one?
Erik Cave: Yeah, I think so, though I can't remember the answers off the top of my head.
Theo Wilson: Okay, because I thought about it. There are so many life-changing books, like Dangerous Wonder by Mike Yaconelli, or The Me I Want to Be. But I'm going to give a plug for the best Thanksgiving book. How does that sound?
Erik Cave: A Thanksgiving book? It's the right season, so that's good.
Theo Wilson: The Grumble-Free Year (or The Grumbler's Guide to Giving Thanks). I was introduced to this book at my last church, and it's actually the basis of my current sermon series, along with the Bible of course. This book is probably the best book I've ever read on the topic of being thankful.
Erik Cave: Way to be on-brand seasonally! That is perfect.
Theo Wilson: I've never met the guy, but I should meet the guy because I plug his book hard.
Erik Cave: Maybe we'll link it at the bottom of the video. Okay, last question: Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
Theo Wilson: I have the Covenant logo tattooed on my calf, and I encourage everyone in the Covenant who has tattoos to get one.
Erik Cave: There you go!
Theo Wilson: Yeah, I did. Tim Hawkinson—who is currently in Iowa, but I met him when he was a longtime youth pastor in California—I saw the logo on him and I was like, "Yeah, I got to get that." So, you kind of have the brand on your body. I used to know like three or four people who have that, but I'm not sure anymore. So, Erik, will you join the club?
Erik Cave: I'll think about it, but probably not.
Theo Wilson: Good.
Erik Cave: Well, Theo, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to share about your life and your story with us. We're so glad you're here in the conference with us.
Theo Wilson: Thank you, appreciate it.