So I decided that I’d try to put my friend Archie on the spot with a set of questions. It’s sort of his own personalized “Saturday Six” on a Sunday. Here goes:

Q: What made you decide that you wanted to be a pastor?

A: For me it was something that chose me. My Dad was a pastor and ‘you know what they say about those pastors’ kids’ but I didn’t really get to that until I was in College. I just felt from early on that I was going to be a part of something really big. I still feel like that.

But when I was a kid I wanted nothing to do with being a Pastor, I wanted to be a pilot. I saw some of the struggles my Dad had as a pastor and I didn’t want anything to do with that. We went to a terrible church, the people were mean to my family, it was boring, and the old people made it smell funny. Ever been to that church?

But that all changed when I was in 11th grade. I went to a men’s event with my Dad and I really felt God doing something in my heart. I really had this overwhelming feeling that this “something big” in my heart was being a part of what God was doing on the earth: namely, being a pastor.

That was great and I really felt good about that until I went to school on Monday and was made fun of a bit. I kind of floated through the rest of that year and my senior year not really knowing what to do with this new-found calling. I went to College and it was the first bit of real freedom I had tasted. Eight hours away from home was, in my mind, perfect. Most people, when their parents leave them at college on that move-in weekend cry a little bit, especially when you go to a school where you know no one else. Not me. I was like, “don’t let the car door hit ya in the rear on the way home.” Not that I didn’t like my parents but I was ready to start my life.

That first year I went a little crazy with parties and girls and cussing and stuff — it was fun for a bit but I knew that I was called to more than the life I was living. I had a professor that pulled me aside one day and told me that he saw a lot of potential in me and that I needed to get my act together. So I started going back to church and getting involved again and really trying to hear from God, because something had changed in me that I wanted to be anything BUT a Pastor. But that year I couldn’t get away from it; there was nothing else that I thought of doing that sounded remotely fulfilling. Nothing else that I had a peace about.

And I decided one night at College while playing the piano in a dark room by myself that I would tell God, “I will do anything you ask me to do,” and, “I will do my best to always follow you.” When you say things like that to God, we always get scared that He is going to ask us to sell everything we have and move to Africa (I know I was scared about that) and that He was going to ask me to stop doing music.

But what I have found out was that a lot of times he shapes our hearts for the things he will call us to. And we find that a lot of times our desires are His desires, too. Like my desire to do music, or that I love being around people. He will use the gifts that He’s given us to His benefit. And when the things He asks us to do are difficult or when we feel really weak, He promises that He is at His best when we are at our weakest. (2 Cor. 12:9- “My grace is enough for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.”)

Q: You’re already a musical quadruple threat with singing, arranging, drums and guitar: what else would you like to do musically that you haven’t so far?

A: I have always wanted to write my own music. I really feel like my main gift in music is as an arranger, to put in cool little bits that weren’t there before. I have written a few from time to time but really want to make some more time for this. My Brother, Sam (who plays drums and some guitar), and I have begun writing some original stuff and are planning on recording this coming spring when he gets to California. I would really like to release an album on a record label or at least sell it at my church or something. I think I have struggled with writing because sometimes I think, “I don’t have anything to say, or my stuff wont be good enough.” It’s very scary to record things because once you do, it’s out there! People can say what they want about it or take it for granted. All the while, you’ve spent over a hundred hours making something for it to end up under someone’s car seat with some stale french fries. But I think that is just part of our culture to constantly want “new and exciting.” But long story short, I want to write and record my own stuff instead of just arranging my cool parts that I’ve written into someone else’s song.

Q: What are your favorite television shows?

A: The Office, 24, Modern Marvels, Myth Busters, How it’s Made, (don’t tell anyone but So You Think You Can Dance) I watch this with my wife. Most anything on the History Channel, or Military Channel.

Q: Does the attention you’re getting because of your departure make you uncomfortable?

Not really. It’s actually a little humbling and a good reminder that we really do have friends that love us and care for us and want to see the best for us. It has been great in these last few weeks because you get to say all the things that you really do feel for some people but never say. Like, “You changed my life” or “Thanks for everything.” I think that we too often get too caught in our own little worlds to help people or to appreciate another human being for the beauty that God has placed inside them.

But it’s times like these when you can say, “A month from now I won’t be here,” it makes you change the way you interact with those closest to you. It has to, or this time will just float off and blend into the past with all the rest of the friendships that have faded by time and distance. But you can say to those closest to you, “We may not always be able to go to Mexican at the drop of a hat anymore, but thank you for being a part of my life and loving me, and being a friend; and I hope I have done the same for you.”

Q: And you have. Next question: What’s a goal in your life that you think most people would be surprised to hear about?

A: A couple of things I think might surprise people are that I would like to get my pilots license and I would like to go on tour singing my own music with my brother.

Q: Final question: I can’t let a pastor get away without asking, “What’s your favorite bible verse?”

A: 2 Cor 5:17:

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!”

I love this verse because it reminds me that there is always hope to be a new person. If you don’t like who you are today, change. God tells us in another verse that “His mercies are new every day.” He gives us so many opportunities for forgiveness and second chances. And this verse is telling us that when we are in Christ, we are new. The old has gone away but he offers newness everyday.

Thanks for your answers, Archie.

I hope everyone reading these posts will consider making a donation as Archie and Bekah pursue a dream to do God’s work in California. Click here  for more information. Coming up at 11:00am in the Arch-a-thon, I’ll embarrass myself in the name of friendship by running my high school senior portrait, so be sure to check back.