Cody Huber wasn’t a good student his first time at Faith.
He admits it freely now.
When he arrived at Faith Baptist Bible College in 2007, he thought he was going to pastor a church somewhere. But while he was at Faith, he “wasn’t taking it seriously.”
In fact, at one point, the pastor from his home church, hearing about his failure to study well, encouraged him to return and get involved in the church.
Finally, after three semesters, he moved back to North Iowa.
For some people, that would have been the end of the story. But for Cody, God was just getting started.
A Second Chance
Several years passed. Cody worked in his family’s business. He and his wife (a more studious Faith alumnus) moved to Minnesota to manage a branch of the business, and they got involved in another church up there for six years.
But Faith kept pulling at him.
In 2016, they moved back to Iowa, and Cody chose to re-enroll at Faith.
This time was different, though. He was serious about his education, and, in 2018, he graduated with his degree.
Shortly after graduation, the Hubers moved back to their church in Minnesota where Cody joined the staff as an associate pastor and put his education into practice.
While at the church, Cody enrolled at Faith again, this time to take online classes from Faith Baptist Theological Seminary from 2020 to 2022.
The school that he left after one mediocre year became the place where he would spend a total of six years across three different stretches of his life.
Why Faith (All Three Times)
That first time around in 2007? “I chose to attend Faith because of the biblical foundation that I knew they’d give.”
It was also close to home, and he knew a lot of people growing up in the state of Iowa. “I thought, oh, it’s close by.”
When he returned in 2016, the reasons went deeper. He and his wife chose Faith because of its solid biblical foundation and its strong counseling program.
Cody had been working at his church in Minnesota and saw that “counseling was highly important and [I] wanted to get a good biblical counseling foundation as well.”
The third time, the Hubers decided that Cody would benefit from graduate-level Bible training, and Faith’s seminary would be the best continuation of his college education.
The Path God Had in Mind
After moving back to Minnesota as an associate pastor, Cody wanted to continue his education at Faith without having to move back to Ankeny again. Because FBTS offers all of its degrees 100% online, the seminary was a perfect fit for him.
“That was actually really helpful to be able to go to seminary while also being an associate pastor.”
Even then, as he continued to serve and study, Cody had no idea where he would ultimately land.
After three years back in Minnesota, the answer came in an unlikely place: Clarion, Iowa.
“I used to sell welding supplies around in this area,” Cody laughs. “I remember in high school coming down here and delivering welding supplies and thinking, who would want to live here?”
God apparently had other plans: “And yet God led us here, and I love it here. And I love pastoring in a church that’s in the middle of a cornfield.”
What Faith Taught Him
Looking back on his time at Faith, Cody sees how the school shaped him. “Faith had a profound impact on our lives. Just being there and seeing how the staff and faculty worked with the students. And they just truly love people.”
But it wasn’t just about people skills. “I learned to love God’s Word as well and just grew deeper in my appreciation and love for it, and being prepared for ministry and seeing how faithfully everyone there at Faith served.”
Ministry Today
Now Cody serves as pastor at Holmes Baptist Church, a place he never imagined he’d live. “We love it here. We’ve been here for four years. Plan to be here for a very long time.”
One of the recent highlights was the church’s 125th anniversary celebration, or, as the Hubers’ son called it, “The Feast.” They are also looking forward to baptisms at the church as they continue to grow.
When asked about challenges in life and ministry, Cody is honest. “Yeah, there have been a few challenges in both life and ministry. I think that’s just par for the course.”
But through it all, “God has proved himself to be faithful.”
Full Circle
From a student who wasn’t taking it seriously to a pastor faithfully serving in the middle of a cornfield, Cody Huber’s story shows what God can do with a second chance.
The young man who left Faith after one year came back to finish what he started. The student who didn’t know where God was leading now leads others.
The person who once asked, “Who would want to live here,” now can’t imagine being anywhere else.
Sometimes the best stories aren’t about getting it right the first time. They’re about coming back and trying again.
Ultimately, the best stories are about God’s faithfulness in the lives of his servants.
