What a privilege it is to write for GO! Christian Magazine! I am passionate about sharing my ministry experience with other pastors and ministry leaders. GO! Magazine has given me a great opportunity to do just that.
Here is a little bit about myself. I grew up in the Chicagoland area. I met my wife Melissa (Missy) while in college working at Walmart. We have been married for more than 30 years. We have two children – Josephine (Josie) and Hannah. Both of them attend Florida State University (Go Noles!). We have two dogs – a golden doodle named Boston and a shitzu named Oreo. We currently live in Freeport, Florida.
My personal faith journey began at the age of eight. I attended a Christian camp in Wisconsin. It was my first time away from home – this kid was nervous! The week was filled with games, music, swimming, and the Gospel was presented in a clear and compelling way. My heart was moved and at eight years old I decided to follow Jesus. Church was always a safe and nurturing place for me and the decision to follow Jesus only solidified that. Because my love for Christ and the church was so deep at an early age, I knew I wanted to be there (and with Him) as much as possible. This desire translated into an early call to ministry. As I grew, I served in leadership positions in both middle and high school. God was growing me into a mature follower of Jesus so that I could serve Him in the local church!
This calling was confirmed as I served at local churches throughout my college and young adult years. After graduating from Northern Illinois University, we moved to New England to continue my education. I attended Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where I earned my Master’s degree in Church History. My journey brought me at Boston University where I earned my Master of Theology and Doctor of Theology in Historical Theology. Our time in New England was special. We made lifelong friends. In addition, it was a wonderful place to live and do ministry.
After 20 years in New England God called our family back to the Chicagoland area for six years. During this time, we spent a lot of time with extended family while still serving in full-time ministry as a senior pastor. The time we spent there was a huge blessing. There we also made lifelong friends and enjoyed ministering there.
While serving in New England and the Chicago area was a real blessing, Florida (and its warm weather) was calling us. Snow is great, but you don’t have to shovel sunshine! We followed a ministry call to the panhandle and Santa Rosa Beach Community Church. I have been serving at SRBCC for six years.
Ministry has been my home for 30 years as an associate and senior pastor. My ministry passions include discipleship and building community that reflects the Kingdom of God. I also had a 10-year career teaching in the university setting. The subjects I taught included history, theology, Latin, English, world religions, philosophy, popular culture, and ethics.
Some ask, “why do you like being a pastor?” My answer is this: I can’t think of anything else that I would rather do! I love seeing people become deeper disciples of Jesus Christ. I also deeply love the church. As the church was a home and refuge for me, I love for it to be those things for others. In addition, I love to see the church be a change agent in the world. One of my mantras in ministry is “the church is just a different place . . . it just is.” The church is capable of changing the world if we would only pick up the mantle and be the true, as Paul refers to it, as the “body of Christ.”
I love ministry, but it isn’t all that I do. I find time to rest, recharge, and relax. In my spare time I love to watch sports, play guitar, listen to music, write, and read. These activities help me to stay grounded and live the life that God has called and equipped me to live.
“Sola Gloria Deo!”
