Faith Journey
I grew up in western North Carolina with two sisters, an overprotective mother and a father who worked hard to provide for his family. My identity began to grow out of being the middle child and the only son – trying to be good. While I was never into sports or hunting, I sought to do well in school and lead in student government. I thought I was either going to be a politician or news anchorman. Either way, I felt that I had a voice.
When a friend took me to his church I heard stories of other young people whose lives had been transformed by a relationship with Christ. I was surprised that they did not scare me with any obscure or radical notions of faith. Instead I was attracted to a life of servanthood and being used by God to bring His Kingdom into the world. This life seemed powerful, yet humiliating. Complicated, yet focused. And mostly it seemed to bring out something beautiful in everyone.
Not long after, I submitted my life to Christ, accepting his gift of salvation and launching me into a lifetime of service. Yet despite being reborn in Christ, new questions surfaced poking at insecurities, my identity and God’s goodness. The refrain “I am not good enough” echoed throughout college and into my young adult years. My faith journey had led me to a place where I must abandon my self-reliance and any hope of being good on my own. This is where the Gospel began to transform my understanding of God’s sovereignty and continues to do so. Knowing how good He is compels me to adore and serve the One who saves me every day from myself and seeks to use me to speak His Truth to this desperate world.
A Concise Theology
I believe that God has revealed Himself to us through the authority of Scripture as God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I believe that mankind was made in the image of God but our humanity has been stained by the disobedience of Adam in the garden. This introduction of sin has led to a devastating loss of intimacy with God and results in physical and spiritual death.
I believe that God’s love initiated the sufficient and total solution this problem and that the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross is the action which all men and women must accept on their behalf to obtain redemption from the Fall. I believe Christ rose from the dead, appeared to many and lives today as the firstfruit of our own salvation from sin’s penalty and that he is preparing an everlasting home and reward for those who profess this faith.
I believe that the Scriptures are inerrant in their original form, a collaborative work of the Holy Spirit through inspired hands of prophets, poets, storytellers and church leaders. I believe the Scriptures are meant to be taught, used to clarify grace and truth, and build up God’s people as his Church.
I believe the Church is God’s chosen instrument to carry his special news to the nations and share God’s extraordinary grace and truth by living out in charity and verbally testifying to the Name and Work of Jesus Christ until He comes again in final judgment.
My ideal church
Ideally, I would align with a church who shares a Christ-centered theology, who seeks to live missionally, courageously and humbly both in their city and to those they are called to reach out to.
Writers/Thinkers
I have been influenced by the writings and teachings of NT Wright, John Piper, CS Lewis, Brennan Manning, Louie Giglio, Francis Chan, JI Packer, Bill Hybels and Dietrich Boenhoffer.
Not Just a Corner 