I grew up on a farm in northwest Missouri with an incredible family. From a young age, I believed in God and that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. However, I did not see the need for forgiveness because I thought I was a good person. Throughout high school and my freshman year of college, God began to convict me of my sin and the hypocrisy I was living in. I realized that I was not a true Christian, but I didn’t understand what I was missing. Basketball had been my source of identity and purpose my entire life, and when that was taken away during my freshman year of college, I found myself crying out to God, asking, "Why am I alive?" During my sophomore year of college, God revealed the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to me at an FCA event. It was through the testimony of a young woman that the Holy Spirit led me to repent of my sins and place my faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to be saved from God’s judgment for my lack of righteousness. After my salvation, the Lord began to nurture my faith through the ministry of my local church and through discipleship with the leader of the FCA event.

In the summer of 2020, during the Covid pandemic, I felt a strong calling from the Lord to pursue ministry. After receiving confirmation of this calling from the leaders in my local church and my family, I decided to pursue that calling. I served for one year, alongside my wife, as the Young Adult ministry leader at Renovation Church in St. Joseph, Missouri, from November 2021 to October 2022. Following this, God guided us back to the church where we grew up to serve as members while I completed my studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Theological Studies. Now, God has led us to this wonderful congregation at FBC Macks Creek. 

The best decision I have made in my life, after following Jesus, was marrying my wife, Emily. We are blessed to raise two incredible children: Daya Dorothy and Hezekiah Ryan. 

My passion is to preach, pray, love, and stay at FBC Macks Creek to see the saints built up in Christ and the lost saved by Christ, all for the glory of God.