I grew up in a small Missouri town. I guess I started singing in church with my sister around the age of 7 or 8. My Mom played the piano at church and sometimes led children’s choirs. She was the one who got us singing and kept us singing. For me, singing was always a big part of my church experience. God has always used Music to speak to my heart. When I was 6 years old, I prayed to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I had been feeling great sorrow over my sin, and I understood that Jesus was the only way I could be right with God. I remember going to the front of the church and praying with the pastor. I remember the incredible feeling that came over me as God forgave me and the Holy Spirit came into my life.
It wasn’t until later into my high school years when I really began to understand the roll of music in worship. Once I understood it, it naturally became my deepest passion. I began to feel called into worship leadership, and the Summer after I graduated from High School, I surrendered to that ministry. I knew I would serve God vocationally from that point forward in my life. I enrolled at Southwest Baptist University and pursued a degree in music, for the sake of church music ministry. While I was there, I met and married my wife, Kristy, who is truly the most amazing creature on earth. She, too, loved to sing and has always been by my side singing background vocals and supporting me in every way.
After I graduated from SBU, I went straight to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where I spent the next 3 years completing my Master’s degree in music and worship ministry. While there in Fort Worth, both of our children were born. Tory was born in ’93 and Conner just 2 years later. They are amazingly talented kids, and their hearts belong to Jesus. They both have beautiful singing voices and Conner is becoming quite skilled on the keyboard. He is already writing short songs from his heart to God. What a blessing! Meanwhile, in college and seminary, I had begun serving in part time music ministry positions in smaller churches. I worked several other jobs along the way as well... everything from McDonald’s to a lawn business, to managing quality control for a cleaning company.
After seminary, I began full-time ministry in a church in Texas for a short time, then it was back home to Missouri. I spent 4 wonderful years at FBC of Forsyth near Branson, followed by 2 good years in Hazelwood, Missouri, where I learned a lot about working with a band. While at Hazelwood Baptist Church, God finalized a previous call that He had placed on my wife and me, a very strong call to plant a church. So, after much prayer and amazing confirmation that God wasn’t giving us any other option, we set out on the greatest adventure of our lifetime. We found 3 families who would commit to help us, and we planted RiverOaks Church in Wentzville, MO. RiverOaks is now roughly 7 years old, and going strong. As pastor and worship leader I stay busy, but for now, at least, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It seems that I am something quite outside of the box, being called to preaching and worship leadership simultaneously. I have tried to give up one or the other, and it just doesn’t seem to work out. For now, at least, I believe God has called me to both.
I began writing music in my college years, shortly after picking up the guitar. All of my early songs were really just prayers to God. They were part of my devotional life... nothing for anyone else to hear. However, the few I shared those early songs with encouraged me to continue writing and my composition skills grew through years of practice. Now, I look back and I can’t even remember how many songs I’ve written... probably more than 50, but I’ve lost or forgotten many of them, and that’s probably a good thing. For years now, people have asked me to produce a CD of my original songs. Being completely engaged in my primary calling as pastor, I just never got around to it for a long time. But finally, last Fall, I began the project that became “All You’ve Done.” It is a great feeling of accomplishment to have CD’s in hand. Now, I’m looking for time to get my music out to people who might be blessed by it. It is my intention to do some concerts in other churches as God leads. I figure God must have given me these songs for a reason, so I’m looking to share them. Anytime I stand on the stage with my guitar and a microphone, it will definitely be more of a worship service than a performance. I just don’t know any other way to do music. Any other form of music just isn’t me.
Meanwhile, I’m also working on my PhD in Apologetics and Theology. Preaching and teaching is a passion on par with my worship passions. You might think I’m a busy man, and in a way I am, but really I try not to look at it that way. I just want to live life to the fullest. If I wasn’t busy, what would I do? Stare at the walls? Watch TV? Most of the time I don’t feel that busy. I juggle a lot of balls, but most of them are enjoyable and fulfilling to me, so what else could I ask for? If I can use God’s gift of music to be a blessing to other churches or ministries, I’d like to do that. I only have one life to live, and I want to leave a legacy of service to God. If He can use me to make a difference beyond the church I pastor, that would be really, really cool. To God be the glory!
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