Herring new student minister at First Methodist
Drew Herring was recently welcomed as the Director of Student Ministries at Philadelphia’s First Methodist Church.
“What excites me most is seeing the Holy Spirit already at work here,” Herring said. “It’s amazing whenever you go to a place where people are already hungry for the Word and on fire for God.”
Before officially starting his role, Herring attended a worship service on the Wednesday before his first Sunday and said he was moved by how the Holy Spirit was present in the room and how the congregation responded in worship.
Herring, who grew up in Morton, felt called to ministry after attending a spiritual retreat in North Carolina.
“I felt like God was tugging on my heart to serve,” Herring said. “I didn’t know in what capacity, but I just felt like he was calling me to do more in ministry.”
At the time, Herring began serving through his talents of singing and leading worship. He later earned a bachelor of music degree from Belmont University in 2012 and is currently pursuing a master of divinity through Asbury Theological Seminary and Wesley Biblical Seminary.
Herring said his studies have given him a deeper understanding of biblical context, which he uses to communicate meaning better. He has also collaborated with local pastors to gain different perspectives and better connect with the community.
In his first week, Herring focused on getting to know the church’s youth by learning about their interests, like some who play football and others who perform music.
“I’m looking forward to supporting the students whenever they are playing and performing,” Herring said. “It really means a lot to students when you support them in what they’re interested in.”
Herring plans to involve the youth in more mission work and has already joined them on a spiritual life retreat, Elevate, in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
This spring, the group is planning a Stop Hunger Now food drive, where they will pack rice to help meet the most basic needs of people in need.
Herring is married to Ivette Herring, and they have a one-year-old son, Nathan, with another child on the way. His wife, who supports him immensely, said that she always wanted to be a pastor’s wife.
Preaching runs in Herring’s family. His brother pastors Grenada First Methodist Church, and his grandfather was a United Methodist minister.
“My parents have been very supportive of my ministry, too,” he said. “They actually helped us move into the parsonage.”
Herring said he prepares for his services through prayer and study, focusing on addressing the immediate needs of the congregation and avoiding routines that don’t promote spiritual growth.
“It’s really important to me to be obedient to the Holy Spirit whenever it’s convicting me of something that needs to be said and also holding people accountable,” he said.
Herring’s immediate goal is to build relationships within the church and help members grow in their knowledge of the Bible and their relationship with Christ.
“I hope to continue encouraging the people of this community to seek after God and His perspective on things,” he said. “Even if we don’t understand what He tells us is good and true, it’s still good for us to obey what He has to say.”
He also hopes to build connections between different age groups within the church, noting that shared interests can bring people together in surprising ways.
“I’ll be talking with a 72-year-old man about how we both like Westerns, and a 13-year-old kid will say, ‘Hey, I like that movie too,’ and they become friends just like that,” Herring said. “It’s hilarious.”
Outside of ministry, Herring enjoys spending time with his family, playing board games, fishing, swimming, kneeboarding, and skiing.