Not entirely by choice. For over the last decade, it has been my pleasure and my life's calling to serve in pastoral ministry at a church that my family and I helped plant. However, as an organization we have been working hard over the last several years to manage multiple mortgages and steward finances and debt, and while we have made great strides, we finally ran out of fat to cut - which means muscle is all that is left. As an executive team, we talked, and I volunteered for the lay-off in the hopes that no one else would have to have pay cuts or worse. I love More Church and the entire team there, and it's my greatest hope that everything continues up and to the right for them. 

That said, I believe in the sovereignty and ultimate provision of God, and trust that this is Him working things for my good in an effort to get me to walk through a door I never would have otherwise. I am running into this next season with hesitant obedience.

My family and I have been born and raised in the DFW metroplex - our lives are planted here, and so it is unlikely that we would be open to relocating anywhere outside of the area.

I have backgrounds in HR (specifically talent acquisition), marketing and social media management, sales - specifically in account growth and management, in the technology sector primarily in help desk and internal system maintenance, and in training and talent development. 

The elephant in the room - what about ministry? While it was never my plan to pastor anywhere other than More Church, I do not believe that my season and calling in ministry are by any means over. As a family we are open and praying for opportunities to step into a new season of full-time ministry and trusting God to open the right doors.

Complementarian vs Egalitarian

I believe that the kingdom of Heaven has been and will continue to be built on sons AND daughters. And after examining the various translations and interpretations of biblical passages relating to the role of women in the first-century church and applying biblical principles to contemporary church practice, I cannot find convincing evidence that the ministry of women is restricted according to some sacred or immutable principle.

I believe that a believer’s gifts – not their gender – make way for their ministry in all levels of ministry and spiritual leadership.

Holy Spirit 

I believe that the gifts of the Spirit are alive, active, and available for all believers - including tongues and prayer languages. That said, I do not believe that a prayer language defined specifically as "initial physical evidence" is the sole indicator of an indwelling or "baptism" of the Holy Spirit. 

Additionally, I don't promote the use of prayer languages in services - they can be more of a distraction than an aid to new and non-believers. While there is always a time and place for such gifts, it is rarely in public or corporate worship.

Calvinism vs Arminianism

I believe that Scripture teaches that we as God's "tselem", or image here on Earth, were endowed with freedom and free will in every sense of the meaning. I believe that God does have foreknowledge of all that has happened and is yet to happen, and yet that He "desires all to come to Him." I do not believe in predestination, particularly in the sense that it would excuse our responsibilities for evangelism and discipleship to all peoples and nations here on Earth.