Nathan Pylate, M.Div.

Today, many students arrive at a Western campus—whether San Jose, Sacramento or Portland—with significant practical ministry experience. Nathan Pylate was among them. In coming to Western he acknowledged that, while he had field experience, he didn’t have all of the resources necessary for effective pastoral ministry. As Nathan puts it, “Specifically, I realized my need to develop my knowledge of the Bible...to work through each major section of the text...to read at an in-depth level while hearing from an expert.”

Moving one’s home to go to seminary is no small step, but in 1999 Nathan and Sara Pylate took it. That step came with two specific prayer requests: to locate an effective place of connection with the community and to find a ministry mentor. Both prayers were answered through New Life Church (formerly known as West Linn Baptist Church).

There Pastor Scott Reavely, a Western graduate, made a place for the Pylates both in his heart and in his ministry. The Pylates found friends and Nathan specifically found a pastor eager to help him develop critical ministry skills. With those prayers so powerfully answered, he could focus on the motivations that led him to Western.

Through his own personal growth as a Christian and previous ministry experiences, Nathan had acquired what he would describe as a “loose smattering of theological convictions.” Realizing that he didn’t personally own those convictions, he was eager to be focused and deepened through his Western experience. And he wasn’t disappointed.

“The theology professors did a lot to stretch me...forcing me to make the effort to develop what I believe from what the Bible really says. I now have a basis for my faith and teaching—not just some belief I picked up along the way. It’s a great feeling of security to believe something because you know the Bible says it.”

Along with gaining important Biblical and theological roots, Nathan knew he needed exposure to new models of, and approaches to, ministry. He was eager to gain understanding of church ministry, both from the dynamic history of the church and from today’s most notable pastors and teachers as well. Again, his hopes were fulfilled.

"Nathan Pylate is biblically-rooted for a
lifetime of ministry through the influence
of Western Seminary professors and
alumni."

“I remember one specific pastoral class with Dr. John Johnson. We talked about the care of souls and we read portions of a work by Richard Baxter. Baxter saw people in his community as the ones over whom God had put him to care for their souls. It gave me a heart to pastor people and challenged, in a good way, how I saw my role—caring for and shepherding people’s souls.”

And Nathan is finding out what it looks like to pastor souls. Concurrent with his graduation in 2004, his internship turned into a church planting opportunity. The time spent studying God’s Word, deepening his theological roots, learning from Pastor Scott’s leadership, and expanding his practical ministry experience has clearly prepared Nathan for this important moment.

He knows that a church plant will only be as strong and dynamic as its roots. In Nathan’s words, “When you are starting at ground level, if you are not grounded in what the church is supposed to be, you could really go astray, even developing things God did not intend for His church. Christ will build His church. I want to work with Christ to build the type of church found in the Word. Western helped me to clearly see who I am supposed to be as a pastor and what my pastoral tasks are. My short time at Western was about preparation for a life-time of ministry.”