After graduating from Pensacola Christian College with two Bible degrees, Jonathan Stormer (Bible: General Studies ’03, Evangelism ’05), is now a U.S. Army Captain at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he serves as a resident physician for wounded servicemen. “Being a physician is inherently physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. It can be difficult to balance time with God, family, church, work, study, and exercise, but the rewards are worth it,” he said.
In 1999, Jonathan left the cold Upper Peninsula of Michigan for PCC in sunny Florida—a welcome change of weather conditions. While there, Jonathan found support in the malleable years of his life during college. “I experienced some significant physical problems that left me very discouraged during my time at PCC,” he recalled. “[Evangelist] Dave Young (Evangelism ’92, M.A. Bible Exposition ’09) was a very popular speaker and teacher among my peers and me, and really reached out and invested himself into my life, allowing me to travel with him and his family. His mentoring was very encouraging and helped me get through a difficult time in my life.”
During a message at PCC, Jonathan surrendered to follow God’s will and transitioned out of the biology program. It was then that he began to find God’s direction for his life. “Initially, I thought that meant I had to go into some kind of full-time Christian service, so I changed majors and completed two Bible degrees,” he said. “I further developed a biblical worldview while teaching high school Bible for three years up in Houlton, Maine, and realized Christian service encompasses all aspects of life, so I returned to pursuing a ministry through medicine. As an image bearer I wanted to glorify God by maximizing my potential to serve others and utilize my gifts to relieve their suffering.”
Since then, Jonathan married Meredith (Jago, ’06), a nursing graduate who is finishing her family nurse practitioner degree, and together they’re raising three young sons. Jonathan also received a bachelor’s in biology in 2013, graduating summa cum laude, and then earned a Doctor of Osteopathy in 2017, graduating with honors.
Jonathan is currently serving his third year as a resident physician in physical medicine and rehabilitation, a small specialty that focuses on maximizing function, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Because the center treats many musculoskeletal complaints, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, and pain management, the study is a hybrid of orthopedics, neurology, and anesthesia. Jonathan uses electrodiagnostic studies, ultrasound-guided injections, regenerative medicine, amputee care, manual manipulation, acupuncture, prosthetics, bracing, and more to enhance function for patients. “By the dangerous nature of their job, special operations forces members are frequently seriously injured and eventually require rehabilitation,” he said. “We are intimately involved in the Wounded Warrior care, and it is incredibly rewarding to meet and treat these elite members of the armed forces.”
Looking back, Jonathan Stormer sees how God orchestrated different points in his life leading up to PCC and onward. “I definitely developed personal discipline and study skills there that have been pivotal in propelling me forward in my career. It is also at PCC where I began taking responsibility to develop and maintain a personal relationship with God and learned to trust in Him to enable me to perform the tasks that He calls me to do,” he said. “My journey since has been very difficult with significant challenges, but my relationship with Christ has carried me through.”
Although his course didn’t go where he thought it would, Jonathan Stormer has continued to serve God. “While my role as a physician isn’t directly related to church ministry, the foundation in biblical knowledge and training in communicating God’s Word has enabled me to continue to teach and preach in various settings as well as share the gospel with my patients and coworkers. Being immersed in God’s Word through devotions, Bible classes, chapel, church services, and conferences is invaluable since it pertains to relationships, finances, occupation, health, and every other facet of life.”
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