Pastor Daniel Bishop of The Grove Community Church in Riverside

• How did God call you into pastoral ministry?

I never grew up wanting to be a pastor, but a landscape architect. I had my mind set on that career for years. However, I had the opportunity to lead one of my best friends to the Lord when I was about to enter college. My youth pastor approached me after this and encouraged me to go into ministry. I thought about it for a second, but the thought quickly disappeared. A couple weeks later my Dad sat me down and told me he believed God created me to go into ministry. He spoke truth into my life about my giftings which he thought would go to better use in ministry. That conversation with my dad made me rethink the direction of my entire life. How good is a timely word? I started to pray more, asking God what He wanted with my life. I was scared to go into ministry, but was willing if that is what he wanted for me. Soon after praying I received a call from a family friend who worked at CBU telling me about a new major they were starting called Bachelors of Applied Theology. When I met with the Dean of the program, Dr. Dan Wilson, God used him to draw my heart to the calling he had on my life. The next week my church, The Grove, called me and offered me an internship in the Jr. High department. God was making it clear one step at a time that he was calling me into ministry. He has continued to make it clear these last 21 years in ministry. 

• What is a Bible story or passage that you think best describes the role of a pastor?

In this season of ministry the entire book of Jeremiah has taught me what a pastor should and should not be. God called Jeremiah to preach about judgment and hope, a task the prophet did not want. Jeremiah was faithful to God by delivering the entire message and not leaving anything out, even when many didn’t listen. Jeremiah 3:15 says, “Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.” I believe God wants to raise up shepherds and pastors who share his loving heart of bringing people to repentance by telling the truth of his word faithfully.

• What are your favorite books?

My favorite books are Knowing God by J.I. Packer, The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, and Shadow of the Almighty by Elisabeth Elliot.

• What brings financial health to churches?

I’ve seen financial health at churches when they are committed to reaching new people with the Gospel in their city and around the world. They are not focused on themselves, but the Kingdom. I have attended the same church for the past 31 years. We have had times of financial hardship, but even in those times I believe we were healthy because we were doing our best to use what we had to make disciples. I have seen God test our church financially and be faithful to our church in our finances. Our church does not have a large group of “major donors,” but we have many generous people who give sacrificially to the Lord out of what He has given them, so that others might be saved.

• What is your advice to families who are considering whether to leave a portion of their estate to Kingdom causes?

I have witnessed first hand how someone leaving a portion of their estate to the church can bless them immensely and take them to a new level of ministry. There was a season where The Grove was struggling financially and we were in a bad loan situation. A woman at our church who lived a simple life in a trailer died and left over $700,000 to us. Nobody would have ever thought she had this type of money. She lived a simple life and left everything to our church. Her gift helped make it possible for us to pay down debt and refinance. We are now raising a million dollars a year as a church and giving it away to other ministry partners to expand the kingdom of God around the world. God made this possible first and foremost for our church, but he used a humble woman in our church and her gift to help make us the generous church we are today. Remembering the church in your estate can make a bigger difference than you could ever imagine.

• How has God used ministry to bring you closer to Him?

Pastoral ministry has grown me immensely in my relationship with God. Preparing for sermons almost every week has made me fall in love with God and his word in new ways. I have learned to love people and God on a deeper level by being committed to him and his purposes. Ministry has once again made me realize how much I need God for everything I do in life including serving him and his people. I am blessed beyond measure to serve the Lord in the Local church.