Leadership Development for Ministry: How Grace Prepared John McIntosh for a Lifetime in Outreach

John McIntosh was only nine years old when he sensed that God was calling him into ministry.

He felt the call at Clear Lake Camp in Washington, where Grace College students regularly served during the summer camping season. Every year, McIntosh watched these college students invest in campers, modeling to them what it looks like to follow Christ with their whole lives.

“It was there at Clear Lake Camp that at the age of nine, I felt that God wanted me, and I was interested in becoming a pastor,” he said.

That calling stayed with him throughout childhood and into adulthood as it came time to choose a college. When the time came, he said the choice was easy. Soon enough, he was off to Grace College.

What McIntosh didn’t know, however, was how much leadership development would take place during his years at Grace.

Academic Growth Through Probation

When John arrived at Grace in 1967, academics did not come naturally. He had graduated from high school with a D average and entered college on academic probation.

For many students, that could have been the end of the story. But for McIntosh, it became the beginning of his journey in spiritual, personal, and academic growth.

During McIntosh’s second year of college, he married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn. Together, they navigated married life while balancing classes, work schedules, financial pressures, and eventually raising young children.

“I felt the school added additional spiritual and academic pressure, which I look back on now as essential to personal and academic growth,” said McIntosh.

Driving Force of Ministry

When McIntosh reflects on his years at Grace, one aspect stands out above the rest: “The influence of the professors was just profound.”

Grace provided more than classroom instruction. It offered mentorship, discipleship, and opportunities to think deeply about Scripture and ministry.

“I was allowed to take a deep dive into the person of Jesus, who He is, and what He’s done,” said McIntosh. “In a way, that really set ministry in motion for me.”

Two pieces of advice have stood out to him in his leadership development. The first came from a pastor, Jim Custer, who said, “Your people will forgive you for anything but your inability to preach.” The second came from a mentor, Bob Combs, who added, “Your people will forgive you for anything but your unwillingness to love them.”

Those lessons became guiding principles for the rest of McIntosh’s ministry. “Preaching and demonstrating love for people have been the driving force of ministry for me,” he said.

Preparing for Church Leadership

After completing his Master of Divinity degree, McIntosh returned to Washington and began serving at Mabton Grace Church, a small rural congregation within miles of where he grew up.

The church became what he affectionately describes as a “womb experience” for ministry. The congregation loved and encouraged McIntosh and his wife as they continued growing in their calling.

Seven years later, McIntosh accepted a call to Simi Valley Church, California, where he would spend almost three decades serving as the lead pastor. The transition from the community church to a multi-staff ministry with a school of 1,200 students stretched him in ways that he never would have expected.

“I wanted to be stretched,” McIntosh said. “I wanted to know what it was like to be in over my head.”

Those years provided several opportunities for leadership development and reliance on the Lord as he navigated challenges he could never have done on his own.

Over the decades, McIntosh’s ministry has taken him to several leadership roles, and he now serves as lead pastor at the Sandy Valley Community Church in rural Nevada.

A Legacy of Faithful Service

McIntosh’s impact goes beyond the local church. He has served the Charis Fellowship as a moderator, board member, and leader throughout some of its most challenging seasons. In addition, he has served on the Grace Board.

Through prayer, perseverance, and faithful leadership, McIntosh has witnessed God work in remarkable ways. He now celebrates the growth and impact of the seminary that he has loved for decades.

When McIntosh talks about his story, he points to God’s faithfulness. The same God who called a nine-year-old at summer camp continued guiding him through academic challenges, seasons of growth, ministry opportunities, and decades of faithful church leadership.

More than fifty years later, McIntosh’s story serves as a reminder that calling is, in many cases, just that beginning. God faithfully prepares those whom He calls, shaping them into the leaders He desires them to become.

Do you feel called to ministry? Grace Theological Seminary exists to teach, train, and transform ministry leaders for Christ and His Church. Check out our MDiv in Pastoral Studies and DMin in Interdisciplinary Studies to see how you can use a seminary degree in your ministry!