Pastor Rodney Knock on Plankinton UMC's facebook page.

The journey into ministry is not an easy one. It takes hundreds of hours of prayer, discernment, conversations, meetings, and everything in-between. While The United Methodist Church has a set candidacy process, it is important to remember that it will look different for everyone. Pastor Rodney Knock is a great example of this.

Pastor Rodney originally felt his call to ministry when he was at SDSU pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders. After graduating, he went straight to seminary, but was ultimately led away due to unforeseen circumstances. He eventually decided to use his bachelor’s degree and started working for school districts. He served at various school districts for over 25 years and ended his career in education at the Harrisburg [South Dakota] School District working as the director of technology.

Pastor Rodney Knock, seated at far right, presented his experiences with multi-cultural ministry in Plankinton during a workshop at Annual Conference 2021. Photo by jlynn studios.

While in these final years of service in education, he ended up in a church study that discussed following God’s call. The study asked if you were “all in,” meaning essentially following God’s call for your life 100%. This conversation was extremely convicting for Pastor Rodney and he ultimately made the choice to say “YES” to entering into ministry. He was taking classes at Sioux Falls Seminary until he was asked about the possibility of taking on the role of a licensed local pastor. He agreed to this and in 2019, he was officially appointed to Plankinton UMC and White Lake UMC in South Dakota. While discussing his path, he continued to reiterate that God’s timing is perfect.

For Pastor Rodney, his call into ministry did not consist of just one, dramatic, event. His call was much more subtle. He described it as a gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach. This feeling occurred in conjunction with what could be described as his “defining moment.” While Pastor Rodney and his wife were biking, they rode past the church.

Pastor Rodney Knock discussing with two other leaders at Annual Conference 2021 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Photo by jlynn studios.

While they were doing this, Pastor Rodney saw what could only be characterized as a direct comment from God. He saw a flash image of himself up in the front of the church, preaching from the pulpit. Before this moment, Pastor Rodney would go around singing in churches with his brothers, participating in congregations, and serving in multiple lay ministry positions.

While serving in these forms, Pastor Rodney discovered the true joy of sharing the ultimate truth of Jesus Christ with others. Aiding in Pastor Rodney’s formal entry into ministry were those he considers mentors. These people include Revs. Ryan Mutzenberger, Charlie Moore, Steven Trefz, and Dr. Shawn Culey.

Since beginning full-time ministry, Pastor Rodney has experienced a lot. He has gained a significant amount of knowledge from those experiences. One thing he has learned, is that it is okay not to know everything. Faith is not a black and white picture. While there are many ways of looking at the same thing, the ultimate truth remains in Jesus Christ.

When discussing divisive or controversial issues, Pastor Rodney works to show the love of Jesus Christ. He has the firm belief that when disagreements are had, it is important to listen and treat others with respect- no matter what. Comparing apples to oranges does not allow for productive conversation, but causes division. As Pastor Rodney continually quotes: “The ultimate truth is in Jesus Christ.”

Rev. Rodney Knock. Photo by jlynnstudios.

Pastor Rodney has had a very interesting journey to get to where he is now. For those who are considering entering into ministry, he says "Don’t be afraid to follow God’s call for your life. Always try to be open to where God intends for you to go- ultimately, it’s about engaging people in Jesus Christ and always trusting God; His timing is perfect." As for Pastor Rodney, what he hopes for most, is to one day hear these words: “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”