Ryan was initially reluctant to attend Faith, feeling that it was the only viable option after the Lord had closed other doors in his life. Although hesitant, he chose to enroll in the one-year Bible program, believing it would be a temporary commitment and then decided to stay for another year.
A Calling to Pastoral Ministry
During his second year, Ryan surrendered to the call to pastoral ministry—a turning point that significantly changed the course of his life. After submitting to God’s call, he experienced a dramatic shift in his outlook; he began to enjoy his classes and developed a deep appreciation for his time at Faith. Although he had initially resisted the idea of ministry, he began to see the many ways God had been preparing him all along.
In 2009, Ryan graduated from the pastoral program. Looking back, he identifies the friendships he formed at Faith as one of the most valuable parts of his experience. These friendships not only challenged him to grow in his walk with Christ, but they also continue to be a source of encouragement and blessing in his life.
In addition to meaningful relationships, Ryan found great value in the godly and caring professors, the gospel-rich environment, and the structured daily life that Faith provided. This structure, designed to protect even the most rebellious students, proved to be a vital part of his spiritual growth and overall transformation.
A Calling to Missions
Joy was saved at a young age and felt the call to full-time ministry at the age of twelve. Going to Faith was an obvious choice for her because she knew it would prepare her for ministry. She enrolled in the administrative assistant program, with plans to eventually go into missions.
When she and Ryan started dating, she recognized that the Lord had a place for him in local church ministry. She was content to follow the Lord’s plans and serve alongside Ryan, no matter where he went. For her, ministry exposure was an essential part of her time at Faith. Serving in the church and going on short-term missions trips allowed her to apply what she had learned in her youth, to hone her ministry skills, and to develop a passion for it.
A Calling to Colorado
During a hurricane relief trip to Haiti, Ryan became connected with the pastor of Altoona Regular Baptist Church. His friendship with the pastor led to an internship opportunity and a position as the associate pastor. After serving in Altoona for five years, Ryan and Joy relocated to southern Colorado, where Ryan has pastored for the past ten and a half years.
Their church recently celebrated its twenty-fifth year by focusing on the faithfulness of God; there was a special focus on the families that had been a part of it from the beginning and those who had walked through hard times with it. In addition to looking at God’s past works in the church, they looked forward to what He would do in the future. Currently, the church is seeking to take advantage of the opportunities for ministry in their area by planting a second church as an extension of their ministry.
Concerning their ministry, Joy shared that, “It’s a different world out here.” Ryan and Joy talked about how they took for granted the prevalence of fellowshipping churches in Iowa. While churches in Iowa are clustered together and can easily participate in ministry together, churches are far between in Colorado, which makes it difficult to obtain the encouragement and support that being in close contact with other congregations provides.
The Lundquists are desperate for Bible believing churches to be planted in their area because of the maturity that working with other congregations brings to the Christian walk. Despite the isolation from other believers, the community that is being developed through their ministry is steadily growing in their knowledge and love for their Savior.
Ryan and Joy are optimistic about the possibility of planting another church to replicate their heartbeat for Christ-centered ministry. Ministry for the Lundquists is a roller coaster, but ultimately, their struggles melt away in the face of the victories Christ provides.
