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Michael Malmin
7010 Inlay Street Southeast Olympia, Washington 98513
Email: mmalmin@mountainviewlife.org
Objective To faithfully communicate the message of Jesus Christ as a lead/senior pastor in a local congregation. To serve the local church by implementing strategies, creating organizations, and encouraging communities that lead to a climate of spiritual and numeric growth and maturity within the church.
Education 1989, BA Communications, University of Washington, Seattle 2006, MA Religion, Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, ID
Positions Held
2006-Present Associate Pastor Mountain View Church of the Nazarene, Tumwater, WA Serve as primary preaching pastor when senior pastor is absent. Oversee adult discipleship and marketing for a church of about 800 people. Direct and teach adult Sunday school. Developed and implemented LifeGroup home-based small group program that reaches about 300 adults. Supervise a large Celebrate Recovery program including a paid counselor and support staff. Oversee a youth department with two full-time youth pastors.
1999-2006 Youth Pastor Mountain View Church of the Nazarene, Tumwater, WA Transitioned youth program from approx. 30 students to over 150. Managed paid and volunteer staff. Develop curriculum and programming and served as preaching pastor when senior pastor was absent.
2004-2005 Co-Director/Creator The Call to Ministry Conference at Northwest Nazarene University. This is a groundbreaking program that awards college credit to high school juniors and seniors pursuing a call to ministry.
2002-2005 President Washington Pacific District Nazarene Youth International Oversaw large (600+) camping program. Directed and expanded district youth missions and leadership training events.
1997-1999 Youth Pastor Church of the Nazarene, Tillamook, OR Oversaw youth program of approximately 90 students. Coordinated volunteer staff. Developed curriculum, missions and camp programs. Served as primary preaching pastor when senior pastor was absent.
1991-1997 Anchor/Reporter KIMA-TV, Yakima, Washington Evening news anchorman for local (CBS) television affiliate
1989-1991 Anchor/Reporter KLEW-TV, Lewiston, Idaho Reported the news on-air for local (CBS) television affiliate
Presentations Speaker/Seminar Presenter Nazarene Youth Convention, Houston 2003 Conference Panelist District Leadership Conference, St Louis 2005 Chapel Speaker Northwest Nazarene University, 2005
Awards/Honors Outstanding Young Leader, 2003 The Daily Olympian Newspaper (Olympia, WA)
References Available upon request
NORTHWEST DISTRICT Prospective Pastor Questionnaire
Q. Describe your sense of God’s call on your life. A. In 1997, after eight years working in television news, God called me to a position of full time ministry in the church. At the time I was already involved heavily in lay ministry at my local church. The title of "Pastor" was never one I set out to have. God simply, and somewhat miraculously, made it clear that ministering full-time was something that I would be doing.
Until recently I have never considered myself called to a specific area of ministry. The first nine years of my calling were spent in youth ministries. The last 3 have been spent as an associate overseeing multiple ministries in a large church. During this time I have routinely served in a preaching/teaching role. It is something I have truly enjoyed doing.
At the same time, I have been encouraged by people to consider that, given the joy that comes to me through teaching, combined with my administrative skills, I may be uniquely wired for the job of Senior/Lead Pastor. While it is something I have realized may be a possibility for some time, only recently have I felt the timing was correct to leave my current ministry position.
Q. Describe how you tend to your own spiritual growth and health. A. I enjoy spending time with my God! I begin each day reading and meditating on scripture. I read other Christian authors who help to shape my view of Christ and my role in this world. Recently I have started fasting more in an attempt to be more focused during my prayer time.
In addition, I have tried to think of life in more devotional terms. I am working hard and trying to find God at work around me, in both the miraculous and the mundane. He is everywhere. When I start to see all of life in spiritual terms, the role I play as an agent of grace is clarified, and my spiritual life seems to come alive.
Q. Describe how you and your spouse approach the pastoral role together. A. This area was an enormous challenge early on in our ministry. When I began in ministry, my wife, Anita, felt isolated from what I did. I have had to work hard in recent years to include her in what we do. Anita is a pastor's daughter, so she has a unique perspective on the challenges of being a pastor's wife, and the child of a pastor.
I have come to realize that one of the most important jobs I have as pastor is to keep my family healthy. In recent years we have been far more intentional about setting time aside each week for ourselves. My marriage has become a tremendous source of comfort for me. Anita does an excellent job of managing the home and this takes a huge load off my shoulders.
Anita has become my number one supporter. She tends to take things a little less personally than I do, so she is a good sounding board for me. She is not the kind of pastor's wife that will want to lead a choir or teach Sunday school. But she is a people person who is a good friend to women. Women enjoy her counsel and friendship. She is very musical, and enjoys plugging into worship ministries, but is open to other areas of service as well. Where she serves is up to her, and I support her decisions.
Q. What are your unique ministerial interests, spiritual gifts, and strengths? A. My greatest gifts, I would say, are preaching, teaching and administration. My role at Mountain View has involved a bit of each.
I have a bit of a history being a "fixer". I enjoy the challenge of stepping into situations that are struggling and helping to bring solutions and build consensus. I enjoy making people laugh and I have noticed that this gift seems to put people at ease.
Q. Have you taken any personality profile assessments? If so, what were the results? A. Oddly enough, I took one last week for a parenting class I am teaching. It is the DiSC test. Disc stands for Dominance, Influence, Conscientiousness, and Steadiness. I scored high on dominance and influence.
Q. Knowing your calling, gifts, interests, and personal “comfort zones”, in what setting(s) do you feel you would be most effective? A. Urban and Suburb. Explain: I have spent most of my life in either and urban or suburban setting. Consequently It is where I am most comfortable. I served in one small town as an associate quite successfully. However, I believe my wife and children would be most likely to thrive in a more populated setting as it is what they prefer.
Q. What books have you read in the past two years and what impact did they have on your ministry? A. I am currently reading a book called 50 PEOPLE THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW. It contains brief biographies of famous evangelicals since 1499. History fascinates me. It is interesting to see that many of the controversies we see in the church today are nothing new. There is truly nothing new under the sun. I think wise students of church history are less likely to repeat mistakes of the past.
One of my small group coaches recently handed me a book by Dallas Willard called THE GREAT OMISSION. In it Willard drives home the point that evangelicals have often stressed conversion to the detriment of discipleship. I am a strong believer in evangelism, but as a church we need to develop relationships and processes that encourage the growth of disciples. To this end I have become a huge believer in small groups, recovery ministries, and mentoring.
Q. Describe your computer skills and the programs you use frequently. A. I am actually pretty computer savvy for never having had any formal training. I am well versed in most of the Microsoft Office suite. On the worship side I have a bit of experience with MediaShout. At Mountain View I have been responsible for all media and marketing campaigns which have relied heavily on computer skills.
Q. What web sites do you frequent that are most helpful in ministry? A. While I am a frequent visitor (daily), to the web, I don't use a lot of ministry sites per se. I am far more likely to visit news sites like CNN, Fox News, Seattle Times, and local papers to get a pulse of the community and times in which we live. I also find them to be an excellent source of illustrations and examples of how scripture is so applicable today.
Q. What media/technology do you currently see as part of the life of the church? A. We live in a media savvy society. My initial college training was in communications. I am fairly well versed in studies of how people learn and retain knowledge. To that end I am likely to use video media occasionally as a part of a sermon. You also need to be careful not to rely on media too often as people can tune out this type of illustration when over done.
I am a strong believer in utilizing media to improve communication in the church. A lively and up-to-date website can go a long way toward communicating with your people and attracting visitors.
In addition, new web-based databases (such as Fellowship One) can simplify email communication with your members as well as allow for online registration for events and classes. Many younger families do much of their purchasing online, and these systems allow for online giving if a church chooses to go that direction.
Technology, in the end, is simply a tool. In cannot replace personal contact and relationships. If it is used to enhance these things, it is great. If it is used to replace them, it defeats the purpose of church
Q. Describe yourself as a preacher. A. I am a high-energy preacher, who often uses humor and stories to illustrate what I am trying to communicate through the message. Often times the stories will actually take the form of testimonies of people in the congregation. I have been told I am fairly engaging to listen to, but my wife may disagree! I like to leave people with an "action point", some form of a challenge for the weeks ahead where they can take what they've learned in church and apply it to their life.
Q. Provide a brief statement of your philosophy of worship. Describe your “approach” to worship, including the elements of worship that you prefer to include in a worship service. A. Perhaps first I should give you my definition of worship. Romans 12 tells us that "offering our bodies as living sacrifices" is "our spiritual act of worship". Therefore I believe that worship is far more that simply singing. It is how we live and relate to one another.
Sunday should be a celebration of this kind of worship. Everything from greeting strangers to the offering can become worshipful. The sacraments we typically celebrate, communion and baptism, can be central times of focused worship. Testimonies are underutilized in our worship services and can be an intensely God-honoring time.
Far too much has been made over what "type" of music is sung. I have served in two churches that have had a mixed approach to worship music (old and new) leaning more toward the contemporary side. I have worked well in this system. Although I am personally partial to newer musical styles, I understand there is tremendous theological meat in some of the hymns. Interestingly, younger generations are attracted to many of the older worship traditions.
Q. Describe your activities in the area of discipling believers. A. This has been my primary responsibility at Mountain View. I have personally discipled several men. I have also overseen the startup of a large small group ministry and men's mentoring ministry.
My main goal here has been to create small communities of believers who are holding one another accountable, meeting each other’s needs, encouraging spiritual growth, and praying for one another daily.
Q. Describe your activities in your development of prayer ministry. A. I have attempted, with some success, to focus our small group ministry around prayer. Instead of having a separate "prayer" ministry, we have trained our small group leaders to emphasize prayer in their communities. That way prayer is not divorced from life. They are meeting regularly with those they are praying for. They have the privilege of seeing God at work in their midst.
Q. Describe your activities in the area of evangelism, including your personal involvement as well as your development of evangelism in your church. A. I am not a natural evangelist. I probably have more of a personal strength in the area of discipleship. At the same time I have worked hard to develop relationships with non-believers. I am not afraid to discuss my relationship with Christ. I have had the honor of leading people to Christ individually.
I love using the church facility for community events (school functions, social gatherings) to get people into the church. I have found in doing so we become the church of choice for people who have a need and evangelism becomes more natural.
I have asked our small groups to have an open chair. They are encouraged to invite people from outside of the church to be a part of their community. We have found there are people that would come to a small group that would never step into a church.
Q. Describe your use, if any, of small groups in your ministry. A. See above. Two years ago we had a handful of small groups. Now we have small groups everywhere. We are constantly trying to expand them. A recent poll found our church had about 300 adults participating in some form of small group. If you were to include our youth and Celebrate Recovery ministries, the number would exceed 400.
Q. Describe your leadership style. A. I like a collaborative approach. I think I am a pretty good team builder. I view my job as being one where I am empowering and equipping my people to do the ministry of the church.
While I do not enjoy confrontation, I realize this can be a part of the job. I am learning to do this in a graceful and redemptive manner. I am not afraid to make tough decisions. At least that is what my personality profile told me.
Q. Have you ever had staff? If so, describe how that worked for you. A. Currently I have two full-time youth pastors and our Director of Celebrate Recovery (a full time counselor) reporting to me. I enjoy these relationships.
Q. Describe your conflict management style. A. I am not afraid to confront. If I see conflict, I like to address it quickly. Having grown up in the church I've seen how conflict, when allowed to fester, can get out of control.
At the same time, I would hope I am confident enough to realize that I am not always right, and there may be times that changing my own behavior may eliminate some conflict.
Q. What have been the changes in your thinking and perspective in the last year? A. The big one is "control" and the fact that control is largely an illusion. God is in control. I am not. My job, simply put, is to be faithful in the moment. To do what God would have me to do right now. This realization has given me freedom to fail, and therefore be more creative and bold in my approach to ministry.
Q. What has been most fulfilling for you in the ministry? A. Seeing people get a glimmer of what it means to be a disciple, and how it will change the entire direction of their lives.
Q. What do you most love to do in ministry? A. Sitting across the table from one of my men, drinking a cup of good coffee, and listening to what God is doing in their life.
Q. Describe the three most significant programs, activities, or ministries of your ministry. A. Celebrate Recovery- A Christ-based ministry addressing hurts, habits, and hang-ups. I've see countless people delivered from painful addictions.
Mountain Men Ministry- A men's ministry we started where the guys seem to be getting it. They are disciples and have committed themselves to reproducing more disciples through mentoring and other programs.
LifeGroup Small Groups- Our small group program. It is a constant battle to keep momentum going, but I believe our current generations need these smaller groupings to be connected.
Q. What do you least like to do in ministry? A. Conflict resolution. Paperwork.
Q. Describe your schedule for a “typical” work week. A. Sunday- Preach/Teach/Dine with a church family member Monday- Staff meeting and evaluation of previous Sunday. A good day to do some of the busywork of ministry. Tuesday- Study Day/Sermon Prep Wednesday- Administrative work of the church (budgeting/programming/etc). Long term and short range planning. Thursday- Visitation and calling. Wrap up loose ends from rest of the week. In addition, I would like to start a practice of spending focused time interacting with a board member each week and coaching them on their role in ministry.
Q. Do you have a personal accountability partner or group? If so, please describe it. A. Both. I meet routinely with three men who I have asked to hold me accountable. They have liberty to ask me any question. I would describe one of these men as an accountability partner. He has become a close confidant in ministry. I would need this wherever I go.
Q. What is the greatest challenge facing the church today? A. Speaking truth to a rapidly changing culture. Being graceful and orthodox at the same time. Loving one another within the church so that we are seen as a loving community outside the church.
Q. What kind of changes do you believe will be necessary for the church to effectively reach the rapidly changing North American culture? A. We need to be visible members of our communities. We must be a safe place for children and teens. We need to meet the physical needs of the poor and hurting. More importantly, we need to be a place where people can build relationships. In church people need to feel safe to journey alongside of us as we introduce them to Jesus. We need to be patient to answer questions. I think people are genuinely interested in Jesus, we just need to let them experience the true Jesus as a part of his body- the church!
Three relationships should be emphasized. First is the relationship to Christ. A true encounter with Jesus will transform people. The next relationship is with each other in discipleship and accountability. The third relationship is with the world. Each believer must be challenged to find their place of ministry and service in the world. Disciples can be trained on Sundays, but they are doing the work of God the rest of the week.
Family Information Spouse’s Name: Anita Malmin
Spouse’s background – birthplace, church experiences, education, etc.: Daughter of Pastor Paul and Marie Barber. Born in beautiful Dayton, Washington. Grew up in the church. Attended Lewiston High School, Northwest Nazarene University, Lewis-Clark State College.
When and where were you married? October 12, 1991, Lewiston, Idaho
Describe spouse’s involvement in the ministry of the church. Has worked extensively in worship ministry and youth ministry.
Spouse’s gifts, strengths, abilities: She has managed a local coffee-house/roaster for seven years. Good with employees. She has excellent people skills. A very good listener.
Spouse’s interests outside of the ministry: Cooking and gardening. Loves watching HGTV. Loves to read.
Names and ages of children: Johnathan – 13 Emma - 11 |