Evangelist Pastor

My name is Jay T. McCaughtry. I live in the United States of America and I feel called to be an evangelist pastor. There are many challenges we face ministering here in the United States today, but I thank God to be alive here in this time. Although there are many difficulties to be faced and mounting opposition to our cause, I still believe there is great hope here.

When I look back on how I came to know the Lord, I realize how I was so unaware and yet so very blessed. I knew and had a loving relationship with Jesus from my earliest memories. For most of my life, I thought this was how everyone experienced Jesus. I did not know that this is the spiritual gift of discernment until I was told so a couple of years ago by a close friend and mentor who serves as assistant pastor at my church. I was telling him about knowing and loving Jesus at a young age “like we all do” (or so I thought) before falling away in my teen years. I did not even know that such a gift existed. I grew up in a church that did not teach about spiritual gifts.

My goals in ministry are: 1.) To seek out and serve the lost, the hopeless, and the fallen in my community and anywhere else God wills me to go. 2.) To help bring unity to this community and the churches that serve it. 3) To minister to the needs of the homeless so they will know their lives matter, they are loved and someone still believes in them. 4.) To be a mentor to tomorrow’s Christian leaders today and help them build a good foundation for their ministries.

I have really enjoyed the Bible connection class. It has reaffirmed my calling and given me some good tools to strengthen my walk with God and help my wife and family in their individual walks with the Lord and our family walk with God.

I identify most with the term evangelist pastor. I identify with evangelist because I love to share the Good News with others and look for opportunities to do just that everyday and everywhere I go. I identify with the term pastor because I minister to my brothers and sisters in Christ every day, young and old. I love helping them better understand the Word and how they can apply that understanding to their walk with Jesus. I love encouraging, comforting and praying for them. My greatest joy in life is to share the love God has put in my heart with others and to see His love grow in them and produce fruit for our Lord.

I would have to say the moment I knew I must become an evangelist pastor came earlier this year when I was in physical therapy after neck surgery. I walked into the therapist’s office one day and the receptionist was doing some work for a sociology class she was taking. She asked me a question that she had been asking people coming into the office all day, “If you could have any job besides the one you have now and were guaranteed success, what would it be?” I answered without even thinking. “Minister, I would spend my time adding to God’s kingdom.” She went over to a dry erase board where she had been writing people’s answers all day and wrote my answer down. The board had answers like “accountant “, “bank robber “, “lottery winner”, and the like written on one side of the board. Written on the other side of the board away from all the other answers, in a different colored dry marker, was the word “minister.” That’s the day I knew that I must become a minister.

There are several major challenges that the Kingdom is experiencing in the United States at this time. Every week roughly 700 churches in the United States are closing their doors. In a recent poll of the millennial generation, 50% have claimed “none” as their religious beliefs. There is a lot of hopelessness and unrest in our country. Many are of the opinion that this is the post-Christian era in the US. If there was ever a time revival was desperately needed in this country, it is now.

I believe the most important part of every day is the time I get to spend in God’s Word. The Bible encourages me, guides me, instructs me, inspires me, brings me wisdom and comforts me. The Holy Spirit leads me to deeper understanding every time I re-read through a book, chapter or verse of scripture. God’s Word transforms me daily.

My local church is a wonderful place. As I have been moving forward in my calling and training, I am mentored by two of our pastors. I have been blessed with some leadership roles to give me experience and help me grow while I help, encourage, mentor and disciple others.
I am blessed to be able to say that my wife and family support me in my mission. The time we spend studying, praying, and worshipping together is priceless to me. We grow closer with each other as we grow closer to the Lord together.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to have a scholarship at Christian Leaders Institute. Without a scholarship, training to be an evangelist pastor would only be a dream for me at this time. My family is on a tight budget. If you would like to pray for me, I would definitely appreciate it. I would ask you to pray for encouragement and resources to undergird my works spiritually and financially and to give me comfort for my painful spinal issues. May God bless you in all that you do!

Learn about minister ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.