My Story

I’m from Florida, born to two wonderful Christian parents and a loving family. I accepted Christ at only seven years old, hearing Jesus speak to my heart and He told me He loved me. This profoundly shaped my childhood as I sought to know Jesus deeply. When I was thirteen, I had an experience with God through the Holy Spirit that was undeniably powerful. I went on a mission’s trip to Mexico and through that ministry saw God perform miraculous healing. I led worship for our large youth group in high school for almost three years. Me and some friends started a ministry where we walked along the beach and talked with people about Jesus, inviting them to accept him.  I was influenced by amazing youth leaders and powerful Christian mentors. In college, I struggled to stay faithful and fell away a bit. I was unable to find a church I felt at home with and focused only on my personal time with God.
 

During college I visited a friend in Shanghai, China. On that trip I met an amazing girl and started chatting online when I got back to the states. Throughout years of video chats and long conversations, we fell deeply in love. I moved to China to be with her and had only planned to stay for a year or two. I lived in China for eight years and Brazil for a year after that. 
While in China, my wife and I were active parts of the body of Christ at a church called Abundant Grace International Fellowship. The expat community at Abundant Grace was like a family away from home. I served on the worship team and spent four and half years doing audio-visual ministry and leading the team of volunteers. I moved into the youth ministry and found my calling in life. Through two and a half years of volunteering as one of the leaders in the youth ministry there, I was spending every spare moment helping with the youth ministry. I was given the opportunity to lead a small bible study group of middle school boys and was also preaching in the youth service. God’s calling to full-time ministry was undeniable. 
 

I had been a teacher in China and began helping tutor special needs students. One student’s family asked me to home school their son and I joyfully accepted the opportunity. We took a trip to Brazil to visit his family and continue his education and COVID hit. We were unable to return to China. We lived in Brazil for a year teaching and caring for the boy.
 

We visited my parents in the states and saw how much they needed our help due to health and business concerns. We decided to stay in the States and I worked at the family business and found a small church that wanted to hire an audio engineer to run their volunteer AV team. Christ Church of Longboat Key has been an amazing community of great people that we have fallen in love with. 
 

God has placed a burden for the lost on my heart. I want to spend all my time and effort serving God in ministry, not just the time and energy that is left over after working a full-time job. I feel an unquenchable need to help people and care for people in very real ways. What I have been doing just isn’t enough. God’s church world-wide is crying out for pastors as a generation of pastors is aging out and I would like to serve him in a church full time. I can honestly say there has been no dramatic ‘calling moment’ where the clouds parted and angels sang and a voice from the sky said my name. I simply want to serve God and love people with my entire life and every part of me worth giving. 
 

God has confirmed this calling over and over again during prayer, time in his Word, and serving in his Church. I have received constant encouragement and confirmation from other Christians and leaders supporting me in this. 
 

Seminary is the path to becoming a good pastor. I have not been a student for nearly 15 years so this will be quite a life change but I am confident that it will be a good one. Formal training will give me a solid theological foundation and will train me in specific areas where I am weak. I want to be prepared to serve God and help people in the best way possible. I want to be faithfully prepared – spirtitually, biblically, and practically – so that I can serve the church for all the rest of my years. 
 

I hope to become the kind of pastor that someone would want to come to about real issues, real opportunities, and most of all the kind of pastor that leads people to Jesus on a regular basis. 
For my future ministry, I plan to preach faithfully, disciple people, care for struggling families, help people who are feeling lost and forgotten, build authentic Christian community, counseling and genuine pastoral care. 
 

Please come and partner with me on this journey. There are many ways to do that. Prayer is a big one. Hitting your knees on my behalf and lifting me and my family up in prayer is huge. Encouragement is another one. Call me. Write me a text or email. Come and speak with me. You can also help support me financially.
 

Seminary is expensive. I am raising support so that I can go to school and become the kind of pastor that God has called me to be. Monthly support of any amount would be ideal, but a one time gift would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for considering it and taking action in real ways that help me. 
 

There is deep hope and joy in the opportunities that God is laying before me. I step into this future and I hope that you will partner with me in whatever way that you can.