Alumnus Joe Hackman ’04 effectively lives out Messiah College’s mission to “educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership and reconciliation in church and society” as the lead pastor of Salford Mennonite Church in the Philadelphia suburbs. Now in his fifth year with this congregation of 450 members, Hackman provides team leadership for the church staff, interacts with the church board, preaches, teaches, offers pastoral care and helps the congregation with their vision and mission. Hackman says: “…The ethos of servant-leadership that pervades the campus community at Messiah has always been a reminder to me of the value of being committed to a mission greater than myself…This is something that has stayed with me over the years in my vocation as a pastor.”
Storytelling and active listening form the basis for communication in Hackman’s vocation. Equipped with his history degree, Hackman acknowledges that individuals and congregations tell stories all the time—stories about God, themselves, their community, and the wider world—and that these stories matter because they shape our present and our future. He says, “History was a discipline I could use to better understand myself and the world in which I live…Without training in history, I’m not sure I would have the ability or confidence to inspire our congregation to wrestle with the stories we tell ourselves in the same way.”
Hackman’s history education enabled him to pursue his Master of Divinity at Eastern University, and ultimately shaped his calling as a pastor. He says, “Messiah offers the right combination of passionate Christian faith and academic rigor for any humanities student wanting to be challenged to become an effective leader.”
This marriage of Christian faith and academic rigor makes Messiah College a solid foundation for many individuals like Joe, who work to change the world in the name of Jesus.