Pastor Paul Belcher
Paul helped plant Christ Church, Cincinnati in 2015. He received his bachelor of divinity from New Geneva Academy in 2012. He serves Christ Church pastorally, administratively, with preaching and outreach, and leads a home fellowship group. He is married to Jessica, and they have seven children.
What led you to prepare for gospel ministry?
I was raised in a non-Christian home. When I became a Christian in high school and began reading Scripture on my own, it was clear to me that I needed to devote myself in one way or another to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the rest of my life.
Why did you choose New Geneva Academy?
Several men I knew and trusted exhorted me that I should be a pastor or elder. I spent years thinking and praying about this. The model that NGA provides was the very clear choice for training me as a biblical shepherd of souls.
What was the most challenging aspect of your time at NGA? What was the most enjoyable?
The most challenging aspect was also the most enjoyable. I received direct and intense shepherding of my own soul from other men who had themselves been shepherds for many years. It was challenging in that I needed to be rebuked and humbled far beyond what I expected. It was enjoyable because of the fruit that these rebukes and this humility produced in my life, and how incredibly helpful this has proven to everybody the Lord has put in my life.
How did NGA prepare you for your current work?
A shepherd of souls needs to read, study, and train. However, that simply is not enough to be ready to shepherd souls wisely. A shepherd of souls must learn from other shepherds what it means to "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2-5).
To be a faithful under-shepherd of the Lord Jesus Christ, a man must learn from other faithful shepherds. I am unaware of any other institution that would have prepared me for this work as faithfully and helpfully as NGA.
I was raised in a non-Christian home. When I became a Christian in high school and began reading Scripture on my own, it was clear to me that I needed to devote myself in one way or another to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the rest of my life.
Why did you choose New Geneva Academy?
Several men I knew and trusted exhorted me that I should be a pastor or elder. I spent years thinking and praying about this. The model that NGA provides was the very clear choice for training me as a biblical shepherd of souls.
What was the most challenging aspect of your time at NGA? What was the most enjoyable?
The most challenging aspect was also the most enjoyable. I received direct and intense shepherding of my own soul from other men who had themselves been shepherds for many years. It was challenging in that I needed to be rebuked and humbled far beyond what I expected. It was enjoyable because of the fruit that these rebukes and this humility produced in my life, and how incredibly helpful this has proven to everybody the Lord has put in my life.
How did NGA prepare you for your current work?
A shepherd of souls needs to read, study, and train. However, that simply is not enough to be ready to shepherd souls wisely. A shepherd of souls must learn from other shepherds what it means to "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2-5).
To be a faithful under-shepherd of the Lord Jesus Christ, a man must learn from other faithful shepherds. I am unaware of any other institution that would have prepared me for this work as faithfully and helpfully as NGA.