By Erik Cave, Director of NextGen Ministries, PacNWC
Enjoy this interview with Phil Moore, the new Lead Pastor at our new Church Plant, The Garden, in Spokane, WA
What is your personal and ministry background?
Hi friends! I’m Phil Moore. I was born into a wonderful family who were church-planting missionaries helping start new, locally-empowered faith communities in Europe. When I was about five my family moved back to the states and settled in Gig Harbor, Washington. I spent my high school and college years involved in youth ministry and worship arts. About eight years ago, while a student at Whitworth University, I joined a core team of passionate folks who planted Immanuel Church in Spokane! Doing life together with Immanuel (an ECC church) changed my whole understanding of what church could be like, and changed my life really. I was an intern for a year and then later a pastoral resident with Immanuel. And it’s out of this church family that we’re planting The Garden, a new Cov church in the West Central neighborhood of Spokane!
What are you passionate about in ministry right now?
In ministry right now I’m most passionate about stories. Lately the narrative of God’s love for humanity (and all the created order) through Jesus has been compelling me to lean extra closely into real people’s stories of injustice, pain, and suffering. And also joy, growth, and goodness.
How can we pray for you?
Thanks so much for asking! Please pray for our new church community, The Garden, as we begin worshipping God and loving our neighbors in Jesus’ name starting this August! Pray that the Spirit would empower us to join God’s shalom dream in our neighborhood as we seek to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Five things you didn’t know about Phil:
Where is the best place you’ve traveled to and why?
One time I got to spend a month visiting smaller cities and towns in Thailand with my family and I really loved it. I enjoyed the people we spent time with, the land, culture, food, art, and more.
What does true leadership mean to you?
Jesus is the embodiment of true leadership. It’s a little bit long for this, but I can’t help but pass along this quote from Henri Nouwen’s brief read, In the Name of Jesus. “The Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self. That is the way Jesus came to reveal God’s love. The great message that we have to carry, as ministers of God’s Word and followers of Jesus, is that God loves us not because of what we do or accomplish, but because God has created and redeemed us in love and has chosen us to proclaim that love as the true source of all human life.”
What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?
I would probably be a star point guard in the NBA. I considered it but took the high road and chose to serve as a pastor instead…
If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
I’d be a public high school teacher for one day. Teachers (and everyone in the education system) are my heroes.
What is the best book you have ever read?
The Christian Imagination by Willie James Jennings is the latest book I’ve read that I can’t stop thinking about
Visit Phil’s Facebook Page to learn more