A Life Shaped by Faith and Family
Jenny Rowan, pastor at Wave Church, wife, and mom of four, carries a unique heritage that reflects the global body of Christ. Born to a Colombian mother and Korean father who each found Jesus after immigrating to the U.S., Jenny grew up in a home marked by evangelism and mission. Her father became an international evangelist, and from age 10 onward, Jenny witnessed firsthand the miraculous power of God on mission trips across the world.
Those early encounters with God’s power formed a foundation for the pastoral calling she walks in today.
From Diagnosis to Destiny
Life hasn’t been without struggle. At 23, just newly married, Jenny was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The prognosis included not only fear of the disease itself but warnings that she might never have children.
“I had seen tumors shrink before my eyes on the mission field. I wanted that miracle for myself. But God showed me healing can also come through doctors, surgery, and the long road of recovery. What He promises is His presence — in sickness and in health.”
Now, 23 years cancer-free, Jenny and her husband Mark are celebrating 25 years of marriage and raising four children.
Called to Care
Jenny never set out to “become a pastor.” But the secret desires of her heart and her God-given gift of hospitality led her naturally into pastoral care.
For the past six years, she has served on staff at Wave Church, overseeing pastoral care and hospitality. That means:
- Visiting the sick and sending encouragement.
- Walking with families through weddings, funerals, and baby dedications.
- Creating a culture of warmth and welcome so that people feel truly seen.
Her role demonstrates that pastoring isn’t just about preaching from a pulpit — it’s about loving people in everyday life.
Miracles, Missions, and Making Room for God
Jenny often points back to her foundation of seeing miracles overseas: blind eyes opening, deaf ears hearing, tumors vanishing. These encounters fuel her conviction that God is still moving today.
She uses a powerful metaphor when teaching about the Holy Spirit:
- At first, He’s in the driver’s seat, leading the way.
- Over time, He may slip into the passenger seat, then the back seat, and finally the trunk — out of sight, out of mind.
Her pastoral challenge: “Where is the Holy Spirit in your life right now?”
Leading With Love Beyond the Church Walls
Jenny believes that the heart of a shepherd is for every sphere of life — business, school, family, and community.
- In schools: Her own children have launched Bible studies in public schools, with dozens of students (and even teachers) choosing to follow Jesus.
- In the home: The Rowan household is known as “the fun house” — full of teenagers, food, and peace. Jenny jokes, “Food is people glue. If you feed them, they will come.”
- In business: She encourages leaders to take a pastoral approach — seeing employees as people to be celebrated, supported, and cared for in both their victories and valleys.
A Shepherd’s Encouragement
Jenny’s story reminds us:
- God sees the secret desires of our hearts.
- Miracles are still for today.
- Pastoral care isn’t limited to pastors — it’s a call to love and shepherd others wherever God places us.
“Do the people around you feel seen and loved? That’s the heart of a shepherd. That’s how lives are transformed.” — Jenny Rowan