Rev. Phill Tague

Apr. 22, 2019

 

  1. When & where were you born? I was born in Sioux Falls, SD in August of 1978. (Yup, I’m 40).
  2. Tell us about your childhood. I grew up as the third of four adopted children. My parents loved us fiercely and did their best to point us in the direction of Jesus and of faith. I was pretty involved in youth group growing up, but near the end of high school and in my first year of college, I really struggled in making my faith my own.
  3. When & how did you commit your life to Christ? I first prayed to receive Christ at kids camp as a child, but it wasn’t until right before my sophomore year of college when God confronted me on my hypocrisy and I fully surrendered my life to Jesus Christ.
  4. Tell us about your education. I got my undergraduate degree, a BA in Pastoral Ministry, from Oklahoma Wesleyan. I received my MA in Ministry & Leadership for Indiana Wesleyan/Wesley Seminary in 2007. I’m still waiting on the honorary doctorate! 
  5. How did you become a Wesley Seminary Board member? I was approached by Dr. David Wright and Dr. Colleen Derr about the possibility of serving on the seminary board. I had not honestly considered it, and yet God had already been forming some strategic partnerships between the seminary and our Awaken Church Planter training program (awakenthechurch.org). The alignment of these two programs seemed to be a clear indicator that serving on the seminary board and dreaming about its future was a strategic and God ordained move.
  6. What do you love the most about Wesley Seminary? That they feel like the “seminary for anyone.” In a world where seminary education is frankly being undervalued by our culture, Wesley Seminary is striving to not only draw people into their traditional programming, but also to ask how the seminary can become relevant to the average believer. This inspires me.
  7. What do you want people to know about Wesley Seminary? Basically just what I said above. Wesleyan isn’t only for Pastors and theologians. They want to help believers start where they are and grow closer to Jesus and in their personal calling. There is something for everyone.
  8. What has been the most challenging thing for you in your life? One of the most defining and challenging moments in my life was a rock climbing accident in 2006 that nearly claimed my life. But it wasn’t the fall itself that was the challenge. Rather, it was what I learned about myself and my leadership as God chose to spare my life and heal me. I realized how my entire ministry was dependent on me because I had chosen to BE the leader rather than to train a generation of leaders. That has changed everything about the way I lead.
  9. What has been your greatest accomplishment in your life? Honestly, my family. I am blessed to pastor a local church where God has blessed tremendously. We have grown, seen so many miracles, made a lot of mistakes but also done a lot of things right. I am proud of The Ransom Church. But in all of it, my wife loves me and I love her, my kids love me and love Jesus and they don’t hate the church. In the midst of ministry, my wife felt and followed her own call, and will be ordained next year. Having maintained my family in the midst of ministry- that is my greatest accomplishment.
  10. What do you want people to know about you? Just that I love Jesus so much, I love the Wesleyan Church and I desire to see us be as effective as possible in reaching the lost. I’m just a regular guy who really loves Jesus and who feels called to help other regular people who love Jesus learn to be Disciple Makers who help others love Jesus too.