Who I am is a sinner saved by grace, and what I believe and what I will do in ministry is a result of who I am. I could not be saved without a Savior. Without the saving blood of Jesus Christ, the providential call of the Father, and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.
I grew up in a Christian home to godly parents, but rejected the gospel and squandered the blessings of the Lord until the age of 27. Not only was I a sinner, but loved sinning and sinned boldly. My life was a testament to my flesh. I was a club DJ and party promoter and I was an activist for secularism and self-worship. Far from home and far from God in Miami, the Lord in His providence crumbled the temple to my flesh that I built around myself. In October 2007, all the things I trusted in and looked to for validation and security were stripped from me and I was bare and broken before God. For the first time in my life, I truly cried out for help, desiring to surrender all I held dear, repenting of my old ways, and committing my life before the feet of my Savior. The Lord had drawn me to Himself and redeemed me from the pit, and it was no longer I who lived but Christ who lived in me.
For the next several years, I grew in knowledge and conviction, praying daily and earnestly for wisdom. I was becoming more confident of who I was in Christ and this was recognized by different people in different stages of my life, most notably my wife. Sherri was with me through this transition and growth and was the first to declare that I would be used by the Lord in a mighty way. I was asked to lead studies, classes, mission trips, and ministries and began to have increased opportunities for discipleship and leadership. As this trend continued, I was reluctant and could not imagine myself worthy of leading God’s people, especially in a pastoral capacity. However, more and more people recognized this and confirmed my calling. I prayed that the Lord would guide me and make my calling abundantly clear. I began attending Reformed Theological Seminary in Oviedo, FL (MABS 2019) to further deepen my theological foundation in preparation for ministry. Every door I tried to create for myself was closed, but yet God opened wide the opportunity to step into a small church and preach. Over several months, the Holy Spirit not only softened and humbled my heart to the people of Grace Fellowship and the city of Sanford but softened the heart of my wife as well. All my growth and failures were in preparation to lead the people of this congregation. Looking back, I can see that God’s plan was perfect and still greater than I ever could have imagined. I accepted the call of Grace Fellowship on May 16th, 2016 to lead and grow the congregation, with a focus on Christ-centered expository teaching and intentional discipleship. I am in awe of what God has done in our little church and I am honored to serve for His glory. I will stay and serve as long as it is the Lord’s will and I will feed and tend His sheep to the best of my ability.
This is the short version, there is always more to write and will be more that the Lord is doing, I praise Him for that!