In every generation, faithful pastors are raised up to lead and inspire their congregations with God’s Word. Dale Montgomery (Pastoral Ministries ’07) is one such pastor who has served for the last 13 years at a church plant in Georgia. Using his ministry education from Pensacola Christian College and his dependence on God, he started a church that is spiritually thriving.
Preparing for Ministry
Dale’s personal spiritual development and interest in ministry began as a young man. The godly preachers at churches, summer camps, and youth conferences served as active examples of what it meant to serve the Lord. “The frequent exposure to the faithful preaching of men of God had a profound impact on my life,” he said. Gradually, he sensed God calling him to become a pastor and share his passion for the gospel with others.
“[PCC representatives] always had an excellent spirit about them.”
For Dale, serving the Lord isn’t just a career—it’s a calling. So when he began searching for a college, he looked for one that was firmly grounded in biblical truth and would thoroughly train him for challenges he would face in full-time ministry. People in his life recommended PCC, believing that the College strives to give its students every tool they need to reach their goals. “I had also been exposed to PCC through traveling groups at churches and [my] Christian school,” Dale said. “[PCC representatives] always had an excellent spirit about them.” Confident that he’d found the college for him, Dale packed his bags and headed to Pensacola, Florida, ready to follow God’s plan for his life.
The spiritual culture at PCC was exactly what Dale was hoping for when he arrived on campus in 2003. Chapel messages, prayer groups, and an education from a biblical worldview all helped Dale flourish in the Lord and prepare for his future in ministry. “[They] were a constant source of spiritual refreshment and needed direction,” Dale fondly remembered. “I still have a Bible given to me from my prayer group just before graduation. [It] is still an encouragement to me to this day.”
Thriving in Ministry
Dale and his wife, Rachel (Church Music ’07), graduated together from PCC and went to Tennessee where he earned a Master of Ministry degree. After completing his graduate degree, Dale felt burdened for the greater area of Savannah, Georgia. He realized that God was directing him to plant a church there. Their home church in Tennessee soon became their sending church, and in 2010, the Montgomerys found themselves in Savannah, eager to reach the community.
“It requires faith and patience to wait upon the Lord to provide the necessary resources or laborers needed to move forward in the work.”
The new church’s first service took place in a rented hotel banquet hall, and the early congregation was made up of Dale, his family, and a few visitors. Although the church was small, Dale wasn’t discouraged and held to the promise that a gospel message never returns void. “It requires faith and patience to wait upon the Lord to provide the necessary resources or laborers needed to move forward in the work,” he said.
By 2016, Dale’s steady faith in God’s provision yielded physical results. The church outgrew the banquet hall and moved onto 25 acres of land where they built a modular building to hold services. A larger sanctuary is already in the planning stages, but he is more excited about encouraging spiritual growth in individuals’ lives. “It’s always a joy to hear personal testimonies from people of how the Holy Spirit used the preaching of God’s Word to transform them to be more like Christ,” Dale said.
Leading and Stewarding
Although Dale got a front-row seat to see God work among the congregation, he’d be the first to admit that leading a thriving church doesn’t happen easily. As a pastor, he must divide his time among various church responsibilities, which can become overwhelming. Fortunately, PCC taught him how to be a good steward with his time. “There are so many different hats that you wear in the ministry, especially as a church planter,” he said. “Maintaining a rigorous class schedule at PCC and being required to be on time was an essential part of learning the necessity of wise time management.”
“Nothing of eternal value is accomplished without prayer.”
“The Bible classes at PCC certainly equipped me to prepare multiple messages to preach each week,” Dale continued. “A great deal of time is spent in preparation for upcoming messages, making follow-up visits to church guests, and evangelism. I love spending time studying God’s Word and then communicating its eternal truths to others.”
Dale Montgomery’s spiritual attentiveness helps him reach out to his congregation and be a consistent worker in his calling. By faithfully following God’s call to ministry and preparing for it, he has become a pastor who can support others in their spiritual growth and continue church ministries in other places. “There is no higher calling than to serve the King of Kings!” Dale expressed.
Read more about how God is directing and working through PCC faculty and alumni.