Nate Gerber
February 27, 2024
God has used FBBC to shape my affections. Before I was here, I didn’t have a desire to go to church and to serve in a local ministry. Now, through the help of the Holy Spirit and the school, I want to attend my local church and let service flow from that desire.
Nate Gerber is a current junior who is studying music education with an emphasis in choral and instrumental conducting. He is from Indianola, Iowa. Nate recently shared with us about his experience at Faith and how God is using it to prepare him for a life of service.
Q: What do you love about FBBC?
A: I love FBBC’s emphasis on local church ministry because God’s program for the Christian today is the church.
Q: Looking back, what do you think your favorite FBBC memory will be?
A: My favorite memory would have to be the first time that I got to conduct the Faith Community Orchestra. Dr. Chris Ellis had to be gone one evening when we had a rehearsal, and he had asked someone to cover for him. The day of, he came up to me and said that the person he asked said they couldn’t be there. He then asked me if I could run the rehearsal. I was a first-semester freshman. I knew I had a baton from high school. I knew I could do basic conducting patterns because of my experience watching conductors through the years. I said yes, not knowing everything I was about to get into. That night at the rehearsal, of course, I was nervous, but, from the first time I waved that baton, I knew that this was what I wanted to do with my career.
Q: How is God working in your life now?
A: God is currently working in my life by showing me my smallness. Ecclesiastes 6 talks about the evil that is common to man. This evil is a desire outside of what God gives. In verse 10 it says, “That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with Him that is mightier than he.” This is talking about man contending with God. This is man saying to God, “Okay, God, you have given me all of this, but I want more.” Or, “It’s not enough, God.” When we say this, we are contending with the One who is mightier than we are. I am small. I am nothing compared to almighty God. I should not contend with Him. Instead, I should be content. Verse 9 says, “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire…” This means what is right in front of me is better than thinking about everything I think I should have. This does not mean that I can’t desire other things, but I need to have God in that framework. I need to say, “God, you have blessed me with this. This is enough. If it be your will to grant me this, let it be done. If it is not your will to grant me this, let it be done.”
Q: What are your plans for after graduation?
A: My future wife will be working full-time at Faith, so I will be staying in the area, looking for a teaching positions.
Q: How has FBBC prepared you for future ministry?
A: FBBC has definitely prepared me for future ministry. My two main ways of service in the church are teaching and music. Faith has helped prepare me for those areas of service by allowing me to take music and education classes.
Faith exists to equip vocational Christian workers and other servant leaders while inspiring them to take the Word to the World. Do you know someone ready to take the next step in preparing for ministry? Tell them to contact our admissions team at https://faith.edu/admissions/.