Faces of Faith – Mason

In 2023, the new mission in North Liberty, Iowa, started a campus ministry program at the University of Iowa and the surrounding colleges. What I didn’t expect was Eastern Iowa to be a location that was prime to inspire young men to be pastors. I met Mason two years ago when he started attending Kirkwood College, studying in Beef Science Management. He began coming to campus ministry and church right away, but it was immediately apparent that he had another calling. Soon, he began talking to me about what life would look like going to become a pastor after graduation. I asked Mason how campus ministry inspired him to consider this. He said, “Campus Ministry inspired me to share with others the Word that God has shared with me; to introduce them to my closest friend, my Lord Jesus Christ. Now that he has been accepted into Martin Luther College (MLC), he is, “Excited to dive deep into God’s Word and know day by day that Jesus’ grace is abounding in love. And then to leave the doors of the school and express my faith to the world.”

Mason wasn’t the first student in campus ministry here to show an interest in the ministry. Last year, we had another student (Noah) who went on to become a pastor after graduation. Being a transfer-graduate student myself, I am excited to see young men like Mason and Noah being encouraged and willing to become pastors even when their plans are focused elsewhere.

Written by Lucas Callies, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, North Liberty, Iowa .