Some moments in our lives leave indelible marks on our memories. If we close our eyes, we can recapture the feelings they invoked.For Jason Woll, answering the call to ministry is one of those vivid memories.
“One night when I couldn’t sleep, I stayed up all night praying,” said the 2019 graduate. “I prayed, ‘God tell me what to do.’” The next morning God did.
Before this call to ministry, though, Woll was certain of his path. He enjoys working with his hands, and he likes cars. After finishing high school, he planned to attend a trade school and become an auto mechanic.
But God had another plan. When Woll bought a car of his own and began working on it, he realized he wasn’t called to be an auto mechanic. Like many of us, he faced the big question: What am I going to do with my life? This crisis brought on that sleepless night when he cried out to God for guidance.
God answered—immediately. The very next morning, Woll’s pastor suggested he enroll in an online ministry program. But the prayer God answered wasn’t just Woll’s.His decision to accept God’s call was an answer to a much older prayer as well. Two pastors in the Dakota Conference prayed for years for a student who would return home to minister.
God’s answer to Woll seemed instantaneous, but in reality God spent years preparing him. During Woll’s sophomore year in high school, Brad Gienger, the pastor at Dakota Adventist Academy, saw something special in him. Gienger recognized Woll’s heart for ministry, and spoke with him about the possibility of studying to be a pastor, but Woll wasn’t ready to listen yet.
But God is patient, and when Woll was finally ready to listen, God called again.Even after Woll realized the online ministry program wasn’t the right fit, he recognized the voice of God calling him to ministry.
After high school, Woll enrolled at Union College and began his degree in theology. Throughout his four years at Union he never once questioned his calling.
“Friends would ask me,” said Woll, “‘If you could do anything else—anything you wanted—what would it be?’ I had no answer. I knew I was called to ministry.”
His choice of schools was also God-led. Like all of Union’s theology majors, he was required to do a semester-long internship during his senior year.
Union’s groundbreaking pastoral internship program immerses seniors in a community for an entire semester where a pastor/mentor is assigned to guide the student.
Many students complete their internship close to Lincoln, Nebraska, but Woll knew he wanted to return home to the Dakota Conference.
He was placed in the Bismarck Adventist Church in North Dakota, where he assisted Pastor Tyler Bower. The conference provided a duplex on the academy campus 15 minutes from the church.
“It was great to be off campus,” said Woll. “I found it extremely beneficial to focus on ministry and not worry about school.”
Woll’s semester spent in ministry was edifying. Pastor Bower guided him and allowed him to lead. He gave Woll opportunities to experience the life of a pastor—and it’s not all potlucks and preaching.
“Pastor Bower was open and honest about the issues and conflicts that happen in the church,” admitted Woll. “It was eye-opening, and I learned a great deal.”
His pastoral internship didn’t simply teach Woll about the job and its challenges; it gave him a glimpse into his own heart for ministry. That semester was a time of self-discovery and personal growth. He found he delighted in one-on-one Bible studies, and his passion for youth ministries was reinforced.
“One of my favorite experiences was with a student from Dakota Adventist Academy,” Woll said. “Once we started the Bible study, it was exciting to see the student’s growth. It was great for me too, because I was able to feed myself for the day through the Bible study. Throughout the experience, I saw growth in the student and in myself.”
Woll’s time at the Bismarck Church prepared him for a future in ministry. “It was an amazing experience,” Woll shared. “I appreciated the opportunity to learn what actually happens in a church. Being in a classroom is great and important, but being able to apply those things in the field was invaluable.”
Woll’s enthusiasm and commitment to ministry did not go unnoticed. When the president of the Dakota Conference came to talk with the junior and senior theology majors, he offered Woll a job. Woll was the student the two pastors had prayed for years to return home and serve in the Dakota Conference.
Jason Woll graduated in May 2019 with a B.A. in Theology, with an emphasis in Biblical Languages. His life in ministry began this fall when he was assigned to be associate pastor of the district in central North Dakota including the Mandan, Turtle Lake and McCluskey churches under the mentorship of Pastor Harold Chin.
His advice to theology students approaching their senior year is, “Go off campus for your student pastoring. It is so beneficial.”
