Coshocton Christian Tabernacle welcomes new pastor
The Coshocton Christian Tabernacle recently welcomed new senior pastor Mike Jansen. He and his wife Sandy have eight children and the three who are still at home with them joined them in their move to Coshocton from Walton, NY. Josie Sellers | Beacon
COSHOCTON – The Coshocton Christian Tabernacle recently welcomed new senior pastor Mike Jansen.
Jansen and his family moved here from Walton, NY. He has served as senior pastor in several New York rural communities and has master degrees in divinity studies and business education.
“I just love rural communities,” Jansen said. “I love the lay of the land and the people. People in rural communities are just good hardworking blue-collar folks.”
Before becoming a pastor in 1997, Jansen taught in rural schools and has quite the story to tell about how God led him to his new profession.
“When I was in my 30s, I lost my wife suddenly and was left alone with my four-year-old and a lot of questions,” he said. “It took me a year to decide that I wanted to study the spiritual side of life. I started reading the Bible and it was like a light bulb came on.”
Jansen’s goal was to take a year sabbatical and study the Bible, but he kept getting told he should go to seminary school, which he didn’t really have any interest in doing.
“I kept fighting with the spirit,” Jansen said. “I applied at three different Bible schools and got told by all of them that I should go to seminary so I finally decided to look at Asbury in Kentucky, but I wasn’t going to stay unless I had a place to live and a job.”
Both requests were quickly met and Jansen is excited that God has now led him to Coshocton.
“This church has a strong children’s program and a strong youth program, but they also launched small groups,” he said. “Those are great because they really give people an opportunity to grow, learn more about God and do ministry.”
For more on the Coshocton Christian Tabernacle, visit cctab.org or call the church office at 740-622-4133 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Worship service is at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
“I really want to help people know God and be more aware of him,” Jansen said. “I’m looking forward to being part of the church and a blessing to the Coshocton community and beyond.
Category: Faith Renewed
