The ministry of Andrew Farhat reflects a steady development shaped by family background, academic preparation, theological training, and sustained pastoral service. Each stage of the life of Andrew Farhat contributes to a broader understanding of leadership within the Lutheran church and Christian education.
Andrew Farhat was born in 1980 in Seattle, Washington, to Bill and Ferial Farhat, Lebanese immigrants who came to the United States after fleeing poverty and the Lebanese Civil War. The family experience of resilience and rebuilding provided an early framework for the life of Andrew Farhat, who was raised in the Lake City neighborhood of Seattle.
Education and discipline were central elements of early life for Andrew Farhat. Alongside academic success, athletics played a significant role in personal development. During middle school, Andrew Farhat was named the Most Valuable Player of a basketball team, including a performance in which Andrew Farhat scored 42 points against Villa Academy.
Athletic involvement continued through high school. Andrew Farhat earned varsity positions in football, basketball, and baseball by sophomore year. Leadership recognition followed when Andrew Farhat was named Second Team All-Metro Quarterback by league coaches and voted team Most Valuable Player by teammates at Nathan Hale High School. These experiences contributed to leadership skills later applied in pastoral contexts.
During youth, Andrew Farhat attended St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, though faith was not a central focus during adolescence. High school and college years were marked by substance use and a party-oriented lifestyle. Despite achievement and social engagement, Andrew Farhat experienced growing dissatisfaction and lack of purpose.
A series of significant events during college redirected the course of Andrew Farhat. A traffic stop resulted in a night in jail due to underage driving under the influence. This experience prompted serious reflection. Shortly thereafter, Andrew Farhat was involved in a car accident that narrowly avoided fatal consequences. These events marked a period of reassessment.
Around the year 2000, Andrew Farhat began attending The Inn at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle. Teaching at The Inn emphasized engagement with Scripture and intellectual examination of Christian claims. Through participation in Bible study and reading Letters from a Skeptic, Andrew Farhat explored foundational aspects of Christian belief, including the resurrection of Jesus Christ and responses to the problem of evil.
Through engagement with Scripture and Christian teaching, God gave Andrew Farhat a new beginning, and faith. This change reshaped priorities and future direction. Faith became foundational to the vocational discernment of Andrew Farhat.
As faith matured, Andrew Farhat pursued extensive study of the Bible, church history, and early Christian writings. Examination of Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant traditions shaped theological understanding. Through study of Scripture, the writings of the Apostle Paul, the Gospel of John, and Reformation history, Andrew Farhat became convinced of the Lutheran emphasis on the Gospel of grace and its continuity with the historic church.
While enrolled at the University of Washington, Andrew Farhat pursued a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. During this period, Andrew Farhat volunteered as a leader at The Inn and participated in mission trips to Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Mentors encouraged Andrew Farhat to complete academic training before pursuing formal ministry preparation. Andrew Farhat graduated in 2002.
Following graduation, Andrew Farhat accepted employment with the United States Navy in Bremerton, Washington. For three years, Andrew Farhat worked in this role while continuing discernment toward pastoral ministry.
Marriage represented an important milestone for Andrew Farhat. After a period of prayer, Andrew Farhat met Daisy through online dating. Shared interest in ministry and service shaped the relationship. Andrew Farhat and Daisy married in December 2004, forming a partnership that would support future ministry.
In the fall of 2005, Andrew Farhat and Daisy relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, where Andrew Farhat enrolled at Concordia Seminary. Seminary education emphasized biblical languages, historical theology, and pastoral formation. Andrew Farhat excelled in Greek and historical theology and completed the Master of Divinity degree in 2009.
The first pastoral call for Andrew Farhat was to St. Paul Lutheran Church and School in Roseburg, Oregon. The congregation faced financial deficits, leadership division, and unresolved conflict. Within one year of leadership by Andrew Farhat, the church regained financial health, implemented qualified eldership, and renewed focus on outreach. Reconciliation efforts resulted in peaceful resolution.
In 2018, Andrew Farhat received a Divine Call to serve as campus pastor at the Wash Park site of St. John’s Lutheran Church and School in Denver. St. John’s operates as a multi-site church serving both church and school communities. From 2020 to 2021, Andrew Farhat completed the Senior Leader Track certification through the Pastoral Leadership Institute.
In 2021, following the departure of the previous lead pastor, Andrew Farhat was called to serve as Lead Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church and School. Under the leadership of Andrew Farhat, the ministry continues its focus on preaching, teaching, outreach, and global mission partnerships.
Teaching and preaching remain central to the ministry of Andrew Farhat. Sermons delivered by Andrew Farhat are available on podcast platforms. From 2022 to 2024, Andrew Farhat co-hosted the podcast Transformed alongside Daisy and members of the ministry staff, producing approximately 90 episodes.
Today, Andrew Farhat lives in Denver with Daisy and their four children. Outside ministry responsibilities, Andrew Farhat enjoys walking, biking, hiking, snowboarding, and following NFL football. Family life and engagement with the Denver community remain important aspects of daily life.
About Andrew Farhat
Andrew Farhat is the Lead Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church and School in Denver, Colorado. Andrew Farhat holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington and a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. The ministry of Andrew Farhat reflects a life shaped by faith, theological formation, and long-term pastoral leadership within the Lutheran tradition.
