Tony Froese's story

How serious can it be, when a twelve-year-old boy feels that God is calling him into the ministry, sometime in the future? How serious can it be when the girl you meet and fall in love with tells you on your wedding day that she has always dreamt of marrying a pastor? Maybe the better question would be, how serious did I think it was?

If there is something that I have learned over the years, as a teenager, young adult, husband, father and minister, it is that God is always true to his calling. God will finish the good work that he has started in you, as long as we are willing to follow. My story, in many ways, may not be very different from that of other students. For me, the journey started as one in which I held the “wheel” and God was my “co-pilot.” In other words, I wanted to prove myself worthy to the world, I wanted to show “them” that I was someone. However, God had far better plans for me. God wanted to show me that I could be even far more than I had ever imagined; all I had to do was trust him.

In seven years of ministry, I had preached countless numbers of times on the issue of trusting God. I mean, I always thought that I trusted God. But when in 2006 in December, God called me and told me that he wanted me to go to seminary, I had to learn what it really means to trust God. Everything that could go wrong went wrong! And then, God made it right. There were countless numbers of times where I just did not know what to do or where to go. It was during those times that God repeatedly asked me, “Do you really trust me?” I wanted to say yes, but I knew that my trust was very lacking at times.

What ensued was a journey for me in which I learned to trust God. At first, I did not even want to come to AMBS, but after many conversations and prayer, God lead me to AMBS. I am very thankful that God has led us to this place. We have made some lifelong friends here, we have met some God-fearing people that have had a life-changing impact in my life, who I will never forget. To me, AMBS is not just about the study of theology, but it is also about community. A community that invites one to be oneself even though we sometimes fall short of allowing people to be themselves, will get up, ask forgiveness and keep trying.

Above all, I want to thank God for his steadfast love and kindness towards us all, especially in light of the call that came when I was only twelve years old. True is the One that calls us, for he will lead you through.

Anton (Tony) Froese completed the Master of Divinity degree with a pastoral ministry emphasis in December 2010. He and Marisa, his wife, and their three children have returned to Paraguay where he is pastor of the Mennonite congregation in Colonia Tres Palmas. Tony previously studied at Canadian Mennonite University and the family lived in Winnipeg, Man., before coming to AMBS.