I am a preacher and pastor with special interests in spiritual formation, children and families ministry, worship design and leading, and creative ministry.
I believe one of the pastor’s main responsibilities is to provide times and spaces in which it is easier for the people to hear from, listen to, and respond to God.
I am informal and formal. I value both tradition and innovation. I’m a unique mix.
AWARDED the Bryan F. Archibald Preaching Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Preaching by Michael Quicke and the rest of the faculty of Northern Seminary.
Skills
Ministry
Preaching – Spiritual Formation, especially Experiential Learning and Contemplation – Children’s Ministry – Youth Ministry – Worship Design and Leadership – Curriculum Development and Writing – Devotional Writing
Creative
Video Production and Editing – Creative and Dramatic Readings – Direction for Drama in Worship – Song Writing – Devotional Writing – Facebook Engagement
Experience
Children’s Minister
First Baptist Church of Elm Mott, Elm Mott, Texas, September 2020 – present
- oversee all aspects of ministry for age 4 through grade 6
- plan and teach Sunday school and Children’s Church
- plan and oversee all Wednesday night activities
- plan, develop, and direct special events and summer activities, including VBS
- recruit and train volunteers
- screen and choose all curriculum used for this age group
- oversee Children’s Ministry budget
- provide pastoral care to children and their families
- give Children Sermons
- advocate for the children of the church
- preach on Sunday mornings, as needed
Volunteer, Children’s Ministry
Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, Texas, October 2018 – August 2020
- teach Sunday school for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders
- attend summer camp with 3rd – 6th graders
- prepare and give children’s messages for Sunday worship service
- help with extended care (nursery) during Sunday morning worship service
Minister of Worship Arts
Federated Church of Wauconda, Wauconda, Illinois, January 2017 – May 2017
(moved to Texas to be closer to my family)
- work to bring diversity and variety into worship services
- explore creative ways for people to worship and experience God
- lead adult prayer retreat
- plan, write, and direct creative readings service for Holy Saturday
- plan and give children’s sermons
Assistant Coordinator of Youth and Children’s Ministries
First Baptist Church, Aurora, Illinois, 2014 – 2016
- teach Children’s Church
- plan and give Children’s Sermons
- help direct and coordinate Children’s Christmas Program
- help organize VBS; teach VBS, all grades
- run games for youth group
- plan and lead youth girls’ retreat
- help recruit volunteers
- write, decorate, coordinate, and teach for Sonrise Saturday, Holy Saturday event
- help plan and lead alternative worship experience
- coordinate and provide holiday devotional material for children and families
- teach Sunday school as needed
- chair Christian Education committee
Pastoral Intern
Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Warrenville, Illinois, 1/2014 – 3/2014
- preach
- plan and give Children’s Sermons
- plan and lead childen’s Sunday school worship time, pre-K through 5th grade
- help plan and lead Sunday evening alternative worship service
- write and prepare prayer stations for alternative worship service
- help select VBS curriculum
- help lead Sunday morning worship
Intern, Children and Youth Ministry Focus
First Baptist Church, Aurora, Illinois, 8/2013 – 12/2013
- develop, plan, write, and teach special 10 week Sunday school curriculum for 4 year olds – 2nd grade
- plan and teach 8 week special youth class
- plan and give Children’s Sermons
Contract Writer, Blooms
Jellyfish Labs, Wheaton, Illinois, 8/2013 – 12/2013
- develop scope and sequence for going through the Bible in one year
- research and write weekly family devotional
- choose a weekly psalm and weekly memory verse for family devotionals
Creative Projects:
Writing – Devotional Readings for Advent and Lent
Writing – Creative Reading: This Little Light, God Saw it was Good, performed at First Baptist Church Aurora, Aurora, Illinois; Here’s What You Should Know, performed at Northern Seminary’s Beginning School Year Convocation; nine creative presentations of Scripture for Holy Saturday service, performed at the Federated Church of Wauconda, Wauconda, Illinois
Writing – Dramatic Reading: Going on a Treasure Hunt, performed at Northern Seminary’s Closing School Year Convocation
Video – YouTube series: Micro Bible Stories (animation); YouTube series: I Bet You Didn’t Know (Bible trivia show)
Song Writing – I Hate That I Know, entry in the Art Collective at The Commons in Westmont, Illinois; The Jesus Song, winner of Gospel Slam at the Academy of Preachers’ National Festival of Young Preachers; Books of the Bible songs by Genre (Law, History, Wisdom, Major Prophets, Minor Prophets, Gospels, History, Pauline Letters, General Epistles, Apocalypse); others
Education
Masters of Divinity
- Northern Seminary, 2015
- Lisle, Illinois
Masters of Arts, Biblical Studies
- Wheaton College Graduate School, 2006
- Wheaton, Illinois
References Available Upon Request