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I grew up in Butler, Ohio and attended Mansfield Baptist Temple where I was saved and trained to serve the Lord. I am a 2002 graduate of Pensacola Christian College. The Lord has blessed me with a godly wife, Heidi, and two boys, Ian and Landon. For the past six years, I have served as an assistant pastor at Dixie Baptist Church in Clarkston, Michigan where I was ordained in 2004.
God has steadily renewed the intensity of my burden that began in college for church planting. I firmly believe that domestic church planting is essential to multiplying the personnel and resources needed for world-wide missions. I praise the Lord that this desire now possesses a specific application—Wooster, Ohio. The Lord has impressed upon my heart the need for a vibrant, fundamental Baptist church in this northeastern Ohio community that is located on Route 30, a major highway stretching across the state. I am convinced that the Lord has taken note of this region of over 42,000 men, women, boys, and girls with a great need for a local testimony of Christ and His Church.
While a need does not always necessitate a personal calling, Heidi and I are convinced through a series of circumstances and counsel that God is directing us back to Wooster, my birthplace. As we view a map of the cities surrounding Wooster, we are amazed at how centrally located this community is to the cities of our formative years. Although neither of us grew up within an hour of these dear people, our familiarity with the area and supportive ministries around it will enable us to effectively and efficiently reach individuals with which we share so many commonalities. The Lord reminded us of the command of Jesus and the response of the demoniac of Gadara. “Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him” (Luke 8:39). While our circumstances may differ, Christ likewise has been in the process of preparing us for more effective testimony for Him in this area of great spiritual needs and opportunities.
With the help of the Lord and like-minded ministries, we launched North Pointe Baptist Church on March 29, 2009. Our sending church is the Mansfield Baptist Temple pastored by Dr. Dale Adkins. We will also be partnering with Baptist Church Planting Ministry. |
