Assistant Pastor of Preaching and College
I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, and similar to a lot of young children, I grew up going to church. Involved in various church activities, my mother always had me connected in our local church. I am truly grateful for the seeds she embedded in my heart about a relationship with God, but I wasn’t a follower of Jesus Christ.
I had an “idea” of who I believed God to be or what He should be, and because of that, I considered myself to be a Christian. However, I also believed in pluralism, believing that all religions were valid in truth and all lead to eternal life in heaven.
Growing up, I was the “good kid.” Everyone thought highly of me, having nothing but good things to say about me. To be honest, I viewed myself as the model child. In my eyes, I was almost perfect and deserving of heaven. As long I continued to be a good person, doing good deeds, I earned the right to be in heaven.
Upon graduating in 2007 at North Crowley High School and entering college at the University of North Texas, I was known to be a very prideful, arrogant and selfish young man – I worshiped myself. I needed the affirmation and approval of my peers. I thought if people saw me in expensive clothes, with a nice truck and pretty women under my arm, then I was significant. But under the layers of these superficial things, was a young man who struggled with low self-esteem.
In the fall of 2008, God revealed to me my desperate need for Him as He tore down “my gospel” of my “good deeds” trying to win His approval. Instead, He revealed to me that, apart from Him, I was filthy, but in Him I could be made perfect and complete. It was at that moment when God gave me life, as He reconciled me back to Himself. I am overwhelmed with joy to be qualified to share in the inheritance that is in Christ Jesus!
In 2012, I joined Campus Outreach and The Village Church staff as a campus minister at my alma mater (UNT). I am confident that the Spirit will move mightily on campus, building up laborers for His harvest. I want to do my part in telling the world about this God who, by becoming a servant, emptied Himself and took the form of man. By humbling Himself, He was obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. If I was worth of dying for, then Jesus, who died and took my filthiness in exchange for His righteousness, is worth of living for. Hallelujah!
