How Pastor Training Actually Prepares You for Ministry: “Fight Club” with Jim and Anne Brown

How do you become a pastor? For Jim Brown, the path to ministry began with a simple conversation and a willingness to step into ministry. For Jim and Anne, that moment became the beginning of a shared journey to say yes to where God is calling them.

Many blessings and challenges await those who say yes. Jim said yes to pastor training at Grace Theological Seminary when he felt a call to ministry. This led him to start Fight Club, a men’s ministry now operating in 750 churches across the U.S. and seven different countries. 

The Call to Ministry

Jim and Anne’s story started years before they started working in vocational ministry. After graduating from high school, Jim started a ministry for singles in his hometown of Hagerstown, Michigan. What began as a small effort quickly grew to nearly 300 people. 

One evening, a friend offered Jim some encouragement that would stay with him. He said, “When you speak, people listen. You should really think about going into ministry.”

At the time, Jim was working at the post office, but within six months, he enrolled at Grace College to pursue ministry. At Grace, Jim met Anne, a transfer student from Michigan State University. Jim completed his associate degree in biblical studies and married Anne at Grace College. He then returned home to work as a carpenter and serve as a lay youth pastor. 

As he began leading Bible studies and investing more deeply in the local church, he sensed a growing call toward full-time ministry. That calling led Jim, along with his wife Anne and their young son, to move to Winona Lake so he could pursue pastor training with a bachelor’s in biblical studies and a Master of Divinity at Grace Theological Seminary.

Seminary became a deeply formative season. Small class sizes allowed Jim to build meaningful relationships with professors who invested in him not only as a student but as a future leader. One faculty mentor in particular helped him understand what it meant to live faithfully in all aspects of his life. This pastor training deeply influenced his vision for discipling other men.

“Grace is more than a school. It is a family,” Jim reflects. “Seminary made me a better pastor, but also a better husband, father, and man.”

Church Ministry at Scale

After graduating from Grace Theological Seminary, Jim became the pastor of Grace Community Church. What began with just 64 people has grown over three decades into a thriving multisite ministry marked by a commitment to loving God, loving others, and reaching people far from Christ. Together, Jim and Anne embraced the belief that church life extends far beyond Sunday mornings, leading their congregation in practical outreach and intentional discipleship.

About fifteen years ago, Jim sensed a new burden forming in his heart. He saw the need for strong men in the Church. “When you reach the man, you reach the family. When you reach the family, you reach the community. And when you reach the community, you can reach the world for Jesus,” said Jim.

He began gathering a small group of men to train together spiritually and physically. The idea developed over time into what is now known as Fight Club, a men’s discipleship movement rooted in the challenge of Nehemiah 4:14: “Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

When the first official gathering launched, Jim expected around one hundred men to show up. He was surprised to see 450 men show up at midnight, eager to belong to something meaningful. 

God deeply blessed and multiplied Jim’s ministry. Today, Fight Club has spread to 750 different churches across the United States and into seven different countries. Participants complete challenges together, grow in accountability, and develop confidence in their role as spiritual leaders.

Building the Church

Anne has witnessed firsthand how this intentional investment in men transforms entire families and church communities. “It is powerful to see men become proactive and intentional in their faith,” she shared. “When men grow spiritually, families become healthier, and churches become stronger.”

Through Fight Club, men who once felt disconnected are now worshiping freely, praying together, and serving throughout their congregations. Many have stepped into leadership roles both at home and in ministry.

Jim encourages others to follow the call God has on their lives. “If you feel the tug in the call, don’t resist it. There are some things I would’ve never learned had I not said yes to Jesus. So many things are on the other side of yes.”

How Do You Become a Pastor?

Looking back, the Browns see the pastor training at Grace Theological Seminary as a critical part of how God prepared them for this calling. The theological depth, relational mentorship, and practical ministry training they experienced continue to shape their leadership and vision. 

“Grace Seminary is one of the best choices I’ve ever made in my life for my ministry,” Jim said. “There are principles and practices that I still put into practice that I learned in seminary.”

Jim often encourages others not to resist a similar tug on their hearts. “Step out in faith,” he said. “It is the ride of your life. It is hard, fun, challenging, and joyful, but it’s so worth it. So much is on the other side of saying yes to Jesus.”

Through their shared commitment to Christ and the local church, Jim and Anne continue to see the ripple effects of that yes unfold in the lives of men, families, and congregations around the world.

So, how do you become a pastor? If you feel the call to deep theological education and pastor training, check out Grace Theological Seminary. We exist to teach, train, and transform for Christ and His Church by equipping and launching leaders into effective ministry. Check out our MDiv, which includes several concentrations and delivery formats to meet your calling and needs.