Isaiah Swain’s calling started with an Echo article.
Swain, the assistant director of the Sacred Roots Initiative, oversees the publishing and distribution of a 35-book series of Spiritual Classics designed for the benefit and use of urban, rural and incarcerated pastors.
The Spiritual Classics offers a series of theological classic works that have influenced and shaped the trajectory of Christian thought, offering a myriad of perspectives throughout history. It also equips pastors who may not have access to formal ministry training with rich theological insights, enabling them to get a broad, culturally diverse range of perspectives, Swain said.
“When I read Augustine, I'm getting a very different North African perspective,” he said. “When I read Athanasius, I'm getting a more Eastern perspective… There's these different themes that come out in different parts of the world based on how different people, over time have interpreted scripture. And so by reading spiritual classics, we can read through time, if you will.”
Swain, a Taylor student at the time, had initially turned down an offer from Hank Voss, associate professor of Christian Ministry, to help with a research project. He was perfectly content with his own leadership positions and playing Rugby for Taylor. But one day, while walking in the Euler Atrium, he picked up an Echo article and began to read.
“I was happy,” he said. “I was a youth pastor at a church. I didn't need another thing to do, and so I just ignored it. But then I was walking with my then girlfriend, now wife, through the library atrium. I had never picked up The Echo before.”
“I promise I pick them up every time now,” he jokingly added. The front cover displayed an article displaying the new research grant Taylor University had received for the purpose of helping pastors. He added, “Why wouldn't you do that if you're being asked to? So, I was like, Okay, I guess I'll do it.”
Swain’s time at Taylor was formative, allowing him to partner with Voss to develop the project, using C.S. Lewis’ love for spiritual classics as inspiration for the project. Now, the project has enjoyed enough funding for Swain to be full-time, which Swain acknowledges as a gift from God.
“I feel like God equipped me for this,” Swain said. “He put me in the right place at the right time. He shoved me along randomly, you know, and with these super weird God moment coincidences that shouldn't have really happened. And so yeah, I feel like I'm exactly where God wants me to be. I love my job. I love working for Taylor. And I never would have thought I would, but that's just how the cookie crumbled.”
The Sacred Roots Initiative allows readers to understand and place themselves within the tapestry of faith. It also offers pastors serving in rural or urban poverty, incarcerated and international contexts to gain important theological resources. But, it also cultivates healthy spiritual practices and aims at developing deep, intimate friendship with God through the wisdom of Christians who have gone before us, a message that resonates with Swain.
“Doesn't matter if you're a youth pastor in your dream job or if you just got fired. As long as you're in your 20s and you're listening to God and responding correctly, you are on the right track.” He added, “That consolation, that feeling of knowing that God is with you, and that this is the thing that God is pleased that you're doing, that can be had. And so I would say [the most important things are] just listening to God, opening yourself up and asking God, where do you want me?”
