First Presbyterian Church

Faith Journey

My faith was birthed and nurtured as a member of a loving Christian family.

My father was a strong man of faith who led us in Bible study and made sure we were in church whether we wanted to be or not. He provided a model of Christian faithfulness for his four boys.

My mother provided the nurturing hand that pointed us to God’s kingdom. I believe that my call to ministry was the fulfillment of her unfulfilled call to the mission field.

There has never been a time that I didn’t know the presence of God in my life, but it was in my teen years that I made a commitment by saying, “God, if I am not a Christian I want to be.”

"My family and I would like to thank you for your gracious welcome and
I look forward to working with you for many years to come."

I then began preparing for fulltime Christian work as a missionary. I attended Asbury College in Wilmore, KY where my reformed faith was questioned and challenged. It is also where I met my wife. After experiencing the mission field during two summers one in the Amazon Jungle and one in the Philippines, my ministry goals changed direction and I prepared for the pastorate. Yet missions still hold a special place in my heart and I continue to look for opportunities to lead mission trips.

I attended Louisville Presbyterian Seminary where my faith was further challenged as I prepared for the pastorate. My doctoral work was done with a well know worship scholar, Robert Weber, at the Institute for Worship Studies in Orange Park, Florida.

I have served five churches in my twenty some years as a minister and look forward to continuing my ministry for many years to come.

Family

I am a pastor who loves serving the Lord through my family, Church, and community. My wonderful wife, Tammy, has partnered with me in building our family for 27 years. We are blessed with three fantastic children: Brandon, 25 living away from home; Kenton, 21 now in the Marines; Cameron, 17, is in 12th grade and our only girl. Over the years, I have drawn much support and comfort from my amazing family and I believe that they are my most important ministry.

Tammy works with special needs children through a local service agency called Jay/Randolph Developmental Center that was started in First Presbyterian Church. Her support, love and comfort have meant a great deal to me over the years.

Brandon works for a company in New Albany, Indiana. Kent just returned from Iraq. Cameron loves animals and hopes to work with them in her career. We are proud of all our children and have watched their faith grow and blossom.

Interests

Though the ministry takes most of my time and family concerns are high on my priority list, I do manage to have a few other interests. Along with most of my family, I love the outdoors (Kent thinks the outdoors is a waste of space!). Hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing are passions I indulge whenever I find the time. Tae kwon do is my source of exercise and I have earned a green belt. I love to cook, paint, and do woodwork.

Personal and professional lives are often intertwined in the ministry and I have found ways to integrate the two. Examples include: cooking gourmet soup for Lenten gatherings; offering Tae kwon do classes with a Christian emphasis at the church; performing “chalk-talks” for children sermons; leading retreat/fishing trips; leading work mission trips to build church buildings; and camping, hiking, and hunting with church groups and individuals.

Professional

As a pastor for over twenty years, I have used many skills to minister to God’s people. In preaching, I seek the power of the Holy Spirit to communicate the gospel through biblically based sermons. Storytelling, drama, music, and art sometimes appear in sermons when they enhance the message. My background in music, Christian education, youth and missions has given me a comprehensive knowledge of the ministry and has allowed me to work knowledgably with both professionals and volunteers in all sizes of churches.

I find working with the sick, distraught, and dying to be the hardest part of the ministry, but the most fulfilling. I have learned that through prayer, scriptural guidance and Christian compassion the Holy Spirit works to comfort and heal.

Though I have many interests and skills in the ministry, it is vital for a church to understand that all God’s people are ministers. A pastor must be a motivator, talent scout, cheerleader, enabler, instructor, tail-twister, and evaluator. Sometimes the best thing for a pastor to do is to step out of the way when the Holy Spirit is at work in a church. Ego and jealousy have no place in the Kingdom of God.