Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
New Sweet Home Evangelical Church Pastor Gary Englert stresses the importance of relationships in his ministry.
One of his favorite verses is Gen. 2:18: “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.'”
The passage is talking about more than the creation of Eve, Englert said, keying on the phrase that “it is not good that man should be alone.”
God created an avenue for us to be with other people, and that’s demonstrated in the verse with the “help meet,” he said, but “God also wants us to be in a relationship with each other,” relationships like Adam and Eve and by extension kids, families and cities.
That idea dictates his style as a pastor.
He emphasizes relationships, getting to know people and encouraging individuals to be available for others.
“That’s how healing occurs,” he said. “That’s how wholeness occurs.”
It’s true not just with individuals but with the church, he said. “It needs to be a part of the community. It’s a strongly held position that I have that we don’t work in isolation.”
That’s the foundation he works from, seeking the opportunity to be there for other people, he said. By being there, it may mean helping others grow to holiness, being a disciple, to coach each other or just being a friend.
“It doesn’t mean ignoring other people,” he said.
Sweet Home Evangelical has been in the community for some 120 years, he said. “My sense is the church has always been connected to the community at some level.”
That would be something he wants to continue to emphasize.
Englert, 42, succeeds John Sill, who retired after pastoring Sweet Home Evangelical Church for five years.
He was pastor at Dryden Community Church in Dryden, Wash., between Leavenworth and Wenatchee, for two years. The church, like Sweet Home Evangelical, is part of the 56-church Evangelical Churches of North America conference.
Englert grew up in Newburg and then moved to Eugene to attend college. He earned his bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of Oregon in 1987.
“I grew up going to church,” Englert said. As time went by, “I walked away from the Lord. I chose my own way and discovered my own way wasn’t very good.”
Eventually, “I didn’t want to be here any more,” he said. That’s when he started talking to God, and God revealed Himself to Englert, he said.
“I’m thankful for his Son, who made my life so much better,” he said. “I serve Him now.”
Englert was 28 years old at the time.
He attended Western Evangelical Seminary and graduated in 1996 with a degree in Christian counseling psychology.
After graduating from seminary, he worked as a crisis counselor on the phone for seven years prior to traveling with his family to Uganda to serve as a missionary in 2004. His mission lasted one year, and then he became the pastor at Dryden.
Each step, from crisis counseling to the mission field, prepared him for the next step, he said.
“It’s fulfilling,” Englert said of the ministry. “There’s always some learning or growing period. I enjoy working with people and enjoy being available in times of difficulty and challenging them in being who God is asking them to be.”
The Englert family moved to Sweet Home in August, Englert said. “It’s definitely a small town. Everyone knows everyone, and Sweet Home people are good people.”
He is looking forward to getting settled down and involved in the community, he said.
Englert is married to Sheila Englert. They have three children, including twins Korey and Kasey, 6, and Gabriel, almost 3.