Meet Sean Baker, Your Church Discernment Consultant

What is a Thrive Ministry Consultant?

Ministry Consultants bring together a wide array of experiences and expertise that allow them to serve congregations with wisdom and compassion. They are practitioners, pastors, and seasoned ministry leaders who are eager to develop tools or serve as resources for the wellbeing of your congregation.

In what areas of ministry do you encourage and equip congregations? 

I am typically invited to work with a church when things have gone “a little sideways.” “Sideways” can mean anything from a big conflict between a pastor and the council, a controversy impacting the whole congregation, or just a persistent sense of malaise. For some reason, things aren’t right, and the council senses it would be helpful to have an outside set of eyes and ears to help the church understand their situation, discern what God might be doing through it, and determine faithful next steps. My support mostly comes in the form of consultation and coaching, as well as by guidance through one of our discernment pathways: Next Steps or Crossroads Discernment, which both help congregations discern and make decisions in anxious seasons). 

How did you come into your role? 

Born in Ontario and raised in British Columbia and Michigan, I now live with my family in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After Calvin Seminary, I helped to start a campus ministry at Michigan State University (Go Green!) before returning to Grand Rapids to serve as pastor of Creston CRC for ten years. I joined what was then called “Pastor Church Resources” (now Thrive) in 2020 and have a passion to see pastors and churches thrive, particularly during seasons of conflict and discernment. 

What are you most passionate about as you journey alongside churches and ministry leaders? 

In my experience, there is nothing quite so powerful as witnessing two siblings in Christ reconcile after a serious conflict and estrangement. It is the greatest privilege of my work to see Christians realize that the reconciling work that Christ accomplished for them on the cross can and should be practically translated into interpersonal expressions of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. 

How can congregations connect with you?

Visit the Thrive website at crcna.org/thrive/consultants