Hello

My Story

I grew up in New Jersey, the son of a Baptist pastor. I was in church three times a week, was baptized at a young age, but ultimately went wayward after high school. God allowed my willful rejection of Him to go on for several years, until I was brought to my knees in 2013 after my carnality had destroyed my life, my relationships, and any foreseeable future. There was a long, painful, and humbling process of repentance that followed. I believe that the first fruits of true conversion in my life began to take place in August of 2014 when the Spirit brought me to a very intense time of repentance on a Sunday morning with a group of men that are now my very dear

brothers in Christ. It was that August that I committed to give all of myself to Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer. For the first time, the weight of my past was lifted. I could stand in the freedom that Jesus died and rose for me to have.

I met Martha only a couple weeks later, a believer with great faith who just so happened to be a pastor's kid as well. Our shared faith in God allowed us to trust what He was doing with us, and we were married a year later. We attended the small church that I grew up in in Basking Ridge, NJ, where my father was (and is) still the pastor, and we were quickly given opportunities to serve and lead. For me, this ranged from Sunday School teaching, youth group leading, becoming staff worship leaders, starting a small groups program, being ordained as deacon, and more. It was an intense few years of very accelerated spiritual and ministerial

growth at the church.

Meanwhile, Martha and I both took full-time positions in the performing arts/theater department at the high school in Basking Ridge. Our roots grew deep in this community; God allowed our relationships to thrive, our ministry to expand into the world of public education and theater, and our work to be unexpectedly and overwhelmingly successful. Between our involvement in the church and the school, our community was well established. We had two children, a lovely little home, and we began to regard Basking Ridge as where we would possibly spend most of our lives.

After turning a four year bachelors into a twelve year process, I graduated from Dallas Baptist University in May of 2021. Such milestones always lead to the logical question, “what's next?” Martha and I had to acknowledge that our hearts wanted to minister full-time, but it didn’t seem like the time, nor had any opportunity to do so been presented. A month later, my dad had a stroke, and his recovery would keep him out of the pulpit for many months. After a month, the church and my dad asked me to preach in August. I was incredibly humbled and terrified, but I said yes. Through this opportunity, God revealed both a gifting and a passion as I filled the pulpit from August to October, and then 1-2 Sundays a month after my father was able to return to his pastoral duties. 

Eventually, it became very clear to us and others that God was leading us towards full-time ministry. While we very much wanted this ministry to be with our church home, God showed us it was time to wrap up our lives at the school and the church. It was time to go to seminary in Fort Worth to be equipped for a life of full-time ministry. It was the hardest decision we have made thus far, but despite the painful transition, God affirmed through our friends and family over and over that this was where we were to go.

Since we have been in Fort Worth, God has blessed us so much. We have a place to live at the seminary. We have a loving church home and a church family that cares about us. Both of our kids have schools that they love. We don’t know what our future will hold, but we are excited to follow Jesus where he has our family now and wherever he may lead us next. 

In this season of life, we are serving at University Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. My wife is the Minister of Preschool and Children. I have received a Master of Theological Studies from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I am continuing my studies toward a Master of Divinity, . while also actively pursuing what God wants us to do next in our family's journey.