Our people: Pastor likes helping others experience God

Jon Forrest, lead pastor with First Christian Church of Clovis, wasn't asked to enter a preaching contest when he was in high school -- he was told to enter by the headmaster of the school he was attending.

He entered and the rest is one of the stories of his life he shared with The News recently.

Q: Where were you born?

A: Oklahoma City, Okla., at Deaconess Hospital. It's still there.

Q: What do you remember about your early life?

A: We moved to Tulsa when I was 6 months old. My father was a pastor. I don't remember anything about Tulsa either. I was told it was humid.

Q: What brought you to Clovis?

A: There was an opportunity for ministry here with First Christian Church. I felt there was a need for a change in my life.

I was real impressed with the leadership here and I thought it was a good place to come.

I arrived here the fifth Sunday in July 2000.

Q: Tell us about your family.

A: Cheryl is my wife. I met her when we were both freshmen at Dallas Christian College.

She was a secretarial science major and I was a ministerial major, but we met in the college's premier traveling music group, Revelations Singers and Brass.

She had the lead role and I was a backup singer.

We have two children.

My daughter Shannon, she's the oldest. She's married to Jared Reeves and they live in Portales. They have three children.

My son, Andrew Forrest, he lives here in Clovis and his wife is Tiffany and they have three children.

Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?

A: Goodness, lots of things.

I wanted to be Roy Rogers.

I thought I wanted to be a pilot at one time. I just thought it would be fun flying planes.

I eventually thought about being a choir director.

Q: What attracted you to being a pastor?

A: I didn't want to be because my dad was one. Lots of people thought I would be one because my dad was one. I resisted that.

But I found myself sitting in church hearing pastors preach and I thought, "I'd like to be saying that."

My high school senior year I attended Heritage Christian Academy, on the same campus as Dallas Christian College.

They had a thing called "High School Days" every year and there were competitions for many things including preaching.

The headmaster came and told me "You're going to enter the preaching competition."

As I was putting it together, I said, "Lord, if you help put something together that I think is worthwhile I will go into the ministry."

To my surprise, I won the competition.

Q: What do you like about your work?

A: I like helping people experience what God wants them to be, to grow, to learn and share the message of Christ.

Q: To you, what is the single most important passage in the Bible?

A: I think probably the most important one is John 14:6:

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Light. No one comes before the Father except through me."

Also, in Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. First to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

Q: What is the best meal to have after church on Sunday?

A: Nothing beats fried chicken. I've put a lot of chickens in the ministry.

Serve it with mashed potatoes and gravy and whatever else comes along with it.

But I do like a lot of other things.

I like my enchiladas green and it's hard to beat a good ribeye.

Q: What is your favorite smell?

A: I think just fresh, hot bread in the oven.

Q: What is your favorite movie and why?

A: I have a hard time beating "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

It's just a lot of fun.

Q: What do you do in your personal time?

A: Personal time? Goodness. I just like to spend time with my family, whatever's going on.

We try to go to all the things the grandchildren are doing -- sports, musicals, and such.

Part of my personal time I spend as I'm needed for Plains Regional Medical Center's hospice service as a chaplain.

Q: What is your greatest individual accomplishment?

A: That's really difficult.

I've had a few things I'd call highlights. I don't know if they're accomplishments.

In the 1990s I was invited to give the opening prayer for the Texas House of Representatives.

We helped to establish a church in Moscow, Russia.

I always feel a sense of joy when I get the opportunity to baptize someone into Christ.

Q: Who is at Jon Forrest's fantasy dinner party?

A: My parents both passed away this year, I'd like to have them there.

I would be glad to have Jesus there.

My family and my friends.

And I want to have a good time when we eat.

Q: Who's your inspiration?

A: My dad, Gilbert Forrest.

One of my professors in college inspired me a lot, things I learned from him ... Mark Berrier, he changed my life.

And my wife inspires me. We'll be married 48 years this December.

Q: What's your favorite Bible verse, saying or quote?

A: Romans 8:28: "For we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose."

Another favorite saying I have is "Wherever you go, that's where you're at."

And one more. I heard George W. Bush's pastor say this:

"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've already got."